Wichita eagle., 1889-11-22
THE COLONIES MISTAKE.
a DARING INDIAN OFFICER RORRED
BY TWO Bl.ACKLEGS.
He Was Triclzed Into Enterin: a Lonely
Eoom and While There Was Desper.
ateIy AssauLted--How the Colonel Goa
His Revenge at a Wa1works Show

feOeS anu MOSQUITOES. NOW, marx you, No
was not man full of fancies. His mind had
not been tainted with the slightest breath,
nor the shade of shadow of the oriental
superstition which long residence in the
East among half civilized people is sup
posed to engender. No, he could give friend
q hearty grip Of the hand or strike down q
foe, and make no mistake about either.
Well, he obtained leave on furlough and
came to England with his daughter, pretty.
dark faced girl of 16 whom he had brought
over to complete her education. She had
early given signs Of a partiality for music,
especially that Of stringed instruments, and
her father in this, as in other matters, did not
stand in the way of her wishes being graft
fed. So one fine afternoon up and out he
strolled from his hotel in Holborn and walked
down New Oxford street, leisurely smoking
his favorite Trichinopoly cigar.
THE GAME THAT'S OLD.
He had come out with the intention of Sc
Letting suitable violin for his little Hilda,
and as be thought of the pleasure which his
gift would give her all the fathers pardona-
BILE pride in bis daughter could be read in that
fine old sunburnt face. His erect bearing,
military gait and general well to do appear
ance gave him distinguished air, and many
him from mere curiosity. A massive gold
chain Of crafty Indian work sparkled on his
dark cashmere waistcoat and two gold rings
were on his fingers, which had been presented
to him by the Rajah of Gwalior, and in his
hand he carried stout Malacca cane, ivory
handled.
Presently his eyes caught sight of a shop
window where an assortment of violins, ban
the attention of buyers He halted few
minutes on the pavement with a view to In
specting the stock preparatory to walking in
side.
At this moment man who, unnoticed, had
logged his footsteps on the lookout for
game" approached and also appeared to
gaze at the show of instruments.
"Pooh," he said, turning up his nose and
addressing Col. -, that's publishing stuff
there. I oughter know, eos I've been in the
trade this last ten years and 1 knows a good
ban 10 when | sees one Maybe it's banjo
you are wanting, sirz' he said.
you are mistaken, my man." replied the
colonel; 81 am looking at the violns."
If it's violin you be wantin' to buy, sir,
you can't do better IN step into my house,
sir Just two minutes round the corner"
y
sir, and il you don't like em there's no harm
DONE sir"
The colonel was persuaded. He would not
mind the walk, he said The larger the
choice the easier it would be to select a good
one for his daughter.
''Yes, sir" said the man. "That's our
specially; we have sold hundreds this year
for ladies, sir"
And SO they walked down, turned one
street into another of the quiet by streets, of
which there were SO many years ago in this
part of London.
They soon came to house, the exterior OF
which presented by no means an appearance
o. ever having been used as a shop
Our warehouse is on the first floor" e1-
planned the man, land if you don't mind step
ping into the Office shall soon bring yoa our
violins, sr.'
Saying this, he showed the colonel into
what he termed the office-a small room con-
tanning a table, few stools and large easy
chair.
pray be seated sir" said the man, point
ing to the large chair.
The colonel thanked him, laid his hat and
stick on the table and walked to the chair
No sooner had he sat himself down when
the chair yielded and down the colonel went,
his legs and arms struggling ludicrously to
regain a more dignitied position Quick as
thought the man rushed on him and held him
down, while his confederate, who had been
hidden behind the back of his chair, put his
arms round the colonel'S waist and attemp-
ted, as it were, to drag him through the
chair
A desperate fight ensued, during which the
colonel, though completely taken by surprise,
caught his first foe well directed kick which
sent him reelmg to the further end of tha
room against the wall He then tore himself
from the chair, seized his stick and turned on
the second man
Up went the Malacca cane, its ivory handle
shining high next to the low ceiling. A mo-
ment more and the mans skull would not
have been worth a seconds purchase. But
the first man. recovering himself dashed at
the colonel's legs and sent him sprawling on
the ground, his head just saving itself against
the soft cushion of the chair
To gag the colonel, bind his arms behind
him and rife his watch and chain, rings,
purse and every article of value about his
person was but the work of an instant.
SIX YEARS AFTER
In the night he was bundled into carriage
and driven away couple of miles or 50.
When they reached lonely spot he was set
down, the gag was removed, and before he
knew where he was the men had already
driven away. Suffice 1t to say the colonel
made the best of his way to his hotel with |
feelings of i'll disguised vexation and chag-
rim. All subsequent efforts at tracing bis
daring assalants were made in vain.
The incident he soon forgot, but the face Of
the man was indehbly impressed ON his mem
DRY.
Six years the colonel spent in India he
then returned to London. The memorable |
day on which hangs the center point of this |
faithful narrative found him, with guide
book in hand, explaining to his daughter, in
true John Bull style, the history of the fig |
ures in that well known collection, Nine Tus- |
sands waxwork exhibition
Entering a second chamber ana turning
round the colonel came suddenly face to face
with his aSsailant OF years ago. A second |
and a blow from the colonel's heavy hand had |
shattered, to his horror, an unfortunate wax |
work into q thousand pieces.
The figure demolished by the colonel was a |
waxen efiigy of the notorious Burke, who,
assisted by another ruf1iau named Hare. car
ried on peculiar system of violence and |
robbery, which frequently ended in murder. |
These uliscreants were eventually captured, !
convicted and executed They are enshrined |
In the chamber of horrors
The likeness in wax WIS so good as 10 lead /
the colonel to mistake the efiisy for the living |
man, with the result above described The /
mistake was made clear after due explana- |
rinn Tina colonial was rrof,,Sa " hi ar>,f-