The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-01-18
A TERRIBLE TEN MINUTES.

IN London early next morning on an i'm
portant business matter. To such
summons there was but one answer pos
sible, so, with just regretful thought
for card party should have to forego,
l wired back this reply:
Mr.. j. Dcron, Anderton's Hotei. London.
Shall leave Burtown by the l2 tonight
and will call on you tomorrow at S:l5
'KNIGHTLY."
Having dispatched my message,
finished off the days work with ali
speed, and then returned to my lodgings
to make preparations for my Journey.
These consisted principally of cramming
soft cap and few other necessaries
into a carpet-bag, after which follow d
the discussion of hearty meal, and the
delivery of an exhortation tc my land
lady to feed my fox-terrier, Grip, at his
usual hours.
The remainder of the evening was
spent in skimming over the mornings
paper wherein | found little to interest
me. In disgust, flung the thing on the
floor 1t aIighted at a graceful angle,
on whose apex appeared the heading, as
conspicuous as loaded type could make
it: Shocking Wife Murder in Burtown
Arrest of the Murderer
With a mental apology to the pub
fishers of the Chronicle for the Injustice
had done them as caterers to the
public craving for horrors, | picked up
the paper and proceeded to digest the
narrowing details"
The gist of the news was as follows
An abandoned ruilian, Ch ppy Watson
by name, had, after the fashion of his
class, beaten in his wife's skull with a
mallet, in consequence of some dome site
disagreement. Having committed the
deed, he coolly put on his coat and
hat, and was proceeding to depart,
when the neighbors and police, attracted
by the screams of the unfortunate victim,
rushed in and secured him. This was
all, or nearly all the paragraph con-
tanned, except for the usual information
that "the prisoner Will be brought up
before the magistrates this morning, and
charged with causing the wilful mur-
der of his wife"
1t was now past eleven-time for me
to make my way down to the station
rather more than time, in fact, since
that imposing structure was distant
from my lodgings by fully two miles.
Fortunately, my bag was light, and /
shared in its pleasing characteristic of
being unburdened by superhuous weight.
None the less, on reaching my destina-
tion there was only one minute left me
wherein to take my ticket and secure
a seat The latter operation, thanks to
the slowncss Of the booking-clerk in
handing me my change, had to be ac-
complished by running the gauntlet of
the guards and porters us the train
began to move.
No sooner had ascertained that my
limbs were uninjured by the uncere-
monious fashion in which the railway
officials had assisted me to my seat,
than ! discovered that the only other
tenant of the compartment in which
was ensconced was young lady, and
one, moreover, of no small beauty. Now,
am shy man as far as the fair sex is
concerned. Among meu, / have self
possession enough and to spare; but in
the pre- 'ence of ladies, that self-posscssion
vanishes with most uncalled for rapidity
In the presence of ladies, yes but here
there was but one, who was bound to
keep me for a whole hour, until the train
should make its first stop So it hap.
pened that. rs | contemplated the charms
of my vis-a-vis from beh nd the evening
PAPER, which had found time to buy on
my fight to the station, measure of my
courage returned, aud in the inspiriting g
words of Mr.. Gilbert, said / to myself
''Fll take heart and make start; faint
heart never won fair lady
II trust you were not alarmed by my
unceremonious entryF remarked,
with some inward misgivings, but much
outward assurance.
For answer, quiet stare and slight
contraction of the pretty mouth of my
cOmpanion-indicat ng her opinion that,
as a stranger and unintroduced, l had nc
right to speak to her.
This to an ordinary male animal was
the moment for strategic attack upon the
fair ones scruples; for me it was the
exact opposite-the moment for flight,
had flight been possible. Ostrich-like,
hurried my face behind my newspaper
there being no sand avaiable-and in G
few moments heard, to my relief, q
corresponding rustic from the opposite
side OF the carriage us my pretty prudC
followed suit. The sense of defeat and
disgrace fairly overwhelmed me for 4
while, and my eyes wandered over the
paper ! held in my hand, seeing bu
understanding not what they saw. Al
length they lighted upon familiar
name; "Chippy Watson" and theil
owner recovered his senses and almos
forgot his grief as he read the following
lines;
"The Burtown Murder Escape of tn,
Prisoner After detailing the incident
of the hearing before the magistrate
and the remand of the prisoner, pending
the inquest, the paragraph went on a
follows
"On leaving the court, Watson wa
conducted between four officers to tn
van. Just as he was stepping in, anC
when the policemen wereendeavoring t.
keep back the crowd that pressed round
the prisoner suddenly snapped his hand
cuffs in some ineXplicable manner, AM
knocking down the constables who thre'
themselves upon him, troke through tn
bystanders and led down the street. Tn
whole affair took place as it seemed in
second. One minute, and Watson. riRol