The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-09
a DREAD TEN MINUTES.

1t happened one afternoon last
year, during the month of December,
that I received a telegram calling for
my presence in London the next
morning on IN important business
matter. To such a summons there
was but one answer possible, so with
lust regretful thought for q card
party should have to forego l wired
back this reply:
MIR. J.. Devon, Anderson's Hotel, Lon.
don: Shall leave Burtown by the IL to.
night, and will call on you tomorrow at
S:i5. KSlGnTLY.
Having dispatched my message
finished off the days work with all
speed. and then returned to my lodg.
ings to make preparations for my
journey. These. as the masculine
reader need not be told, consisted
principally OF cramins u soft cap and
u spirit.tlask, together with O few
other necessaries, into a carpet.ba
after which followed the discussion OF
@ hearty meal and the delivery of an
exhortation to my landlady to feed
my tox-terrier, Grip, at his usual
hours.
The remainder OF the evening was
spent in skimmins over the morning
paps1s, wherein found little to inter
est me. In disgust flung it on the
floor. 1t alighted ut q graceful angle,
on whose apex appeared the heading,
conspicuous as leatled type could
make it: Shocking Wife Murder in
Burtown-Arrest OF the Murderer"
With n mental apology to the pub
llshers of the Chronicle for the injust-
ice had done them as caterers to the
public craving for horrors, picked
up the paper and began to digest the
"harrowing details"
The gist of the news was as follows:
An abandoned ruilian, Chippy Watt
son by name, had, after the fashion
OF his class, beaten in his wife's skull
with II mallet, i'll consequence OF some
domestic disagreement. Having COM
mitted the deed. lie colly put on his
coat and hat, and was proceeding to
depart, when the nei ishbors and
police, attracted by the screams
of the unfortunate victim, rush.
ed in and secured him. This
was all, or nearly all the paragraph
contained. except for the usual intor.
nation that "the prisoner will be
brought up before the magistrate this
morning, charged with causing the
willful murder OF his wife"
IT. WpS nnw nnct 1-tip,n frr ,,,o %o
make my way down to the station;
rather more than time, in fact, since
the imposing structure was distant
from my lodgings by full; two miles.
Fortunately my bag was light, and
shared in its pleasing characteristics
OF being unburdcned by slperiluous
weight. None the less. on reuchingmy
destination there was only one min
ute left wherein to take my ticket and
secure seat. The latter operation,
thanks to the slowncss OF the booking
clerk in handing me my change, had to
be accomplished by running he gaunt-
let OF the guards and porters us the
train began to move.
No sooner had uscertained that
my limbs were uninjured by theuncer-
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 ensconsed was IL young lady, and
one, moreover, OF no small beauty.
Now, am q shy man as far Us the
fair sex is concerned. Among men,
have ssli-possession enough and to
spare, but in the presence OF ladies
that selt-possession vanishes with
most unc;llled for rapility. In the
presence OF ladies, yes; but here there
was but one, who was bound to keep
me company for u whole hour, until
the train should make its first stop.
So it happened that, rs | contemplate
ed the charms OF my vis-a-vis from he.
hind the evening paper, which had
time to buy on my flight to the sta
tion, u measure of my courage return.
ed, and in the nspiriting words Of Mr..
Gilbert, said to myself: "I'll take
heart and make q start; faint heart
never won fair lady"
III trust you were not ALARMED by
my unccremonious entry?" remark.
ed with some inward mis,ivings, but
much outward assurance.
For answer, quiet stare and u
slight contraction of the pretty
mouth OF my companion--indicn
her opinion that, rs u stranger ard
nnintroduced, had no right to speak
to her.
This to the 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. Os.
trich-like, buried my face behind
my newspaper-there being no sand
available-and in few moments
heard to my relief, a corresponding
rustic from the opposite side of the
carriage Us my pretty prude followed
suit. The sense OF defeat and dis
grace fairly overwhelmed me for u
while, and my eyes wandered over the
paper held in my hand, seeing but
understanding not what they saw.
At length they lighted upon familiar
name, "Chippy Watson" and their
owner recovered his senses and al.
most forgot his grief us he read the
following lines:
"The Burtcwn Murler-Escape of
the Prisoner" After detailing the in.
cldents of the hearing before the mag
istrate and the remand OF the prison
er. pending he inquest, the paragraph
went OH as follows:
"On leaving the court. Watson was
conducted between four officers to the
van. Just rs he was stepping in, and
when the policemen were endeavorine
to keep back the crowd that pressed
round the prison. suddenly snapped
his handculfsin some inexplicable man,
ner, and. knocking down the consta
bles who threw themselves upon him
broke through the bystanders anG
fled down the street. The whole affair
took place as it seemed in sec
ond. One minute, and Watson. rigor
ously guarded, was quietly walking
into the van in the midst of officers
the next, and he was free. tearin.
down the street with the police an,
the populuce at his heels. lie was se el
to dodge down a back alley down ~
Shut lane, and followed by the crow,
Of several hundreds. At the end O
Shut lane he disappeared round a cor
ner. and. strange to say, has not beer
seen again. There can he no doub
be will be recapturel, hut his presen
eacane and disappearancp are mOa