The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-09-18
der, as fast as Il 4 messenger wr . nornrh


much surprise as his announcement; bu
he had no time to wonder or reply, ant
away he shot like pursuing messenger
while Walter walked into the town anc
opened his shop, wherein he deposited TIT
$500, and proceeded to serve his customer:
with as much simplicity and good humol
as ever.
The news of the loss sustained by Harri
son went like wildfre through the burgh
and every one wondered that q man wh'
owed SO much money should have had 81
large a sum as ESQ in the house at ont
time. and it was suspected that he intended
to Fly the country with the money as soer
as he could wiring the false debs out o.
simple Watty Every inquiry was made
after the robbers, but they could not b,
traced; and now Harrison, made savage By
his loss and the alluslon made by Watty
about the messenger, got his caption from
Edinburgh by a special messenger, and
sent to apprehend Walter for the false
debt.
II have q caption against you, Mr..
Wylie," said the messenger as be entered.
"Will you pay the debt or go with mep"
"1f you'll watt" replied Watty, with the
greatest simplicity, It'll weigh this pund
SA6oL " OCHHJ ~ SNA q SOCk
wi ye as far as the Jail"
And, proceeding to serve his customer,
he INDUCED ia some Of his dry jokes in the
very same way he used to do and when he
had finished, called up his wife to serve the
shop, and walked with great composure
away with the messenger to that place OF
squalor and squalid misery. He was in due
| form entered in the jailer's books and de-
posted in the old black building as jail
bird, where, if he chose, he might whistle
as gayly as be did in the morning when he
went out to hear the larks singing in the
clouds, to which celestial residence he had
so Unexpectedly accompanied them. The
news soon spread far and wide that Walter
Wylie was in prison, and many efforts
were made to get him to pay the debt at
once and gain his liberty, but Walter knew
himself what he was about, and having
thus asoertained how far Harrison would
go, he sent for writer, and having given
him instructions and part of the $500 to
pay his expenses, got out in few days on
what the honest men of the law call sus-
pension and liberation
Some time -afterward, Harrison himself,
having lost all his money, was put into Jail
at the instance OF one of his creditors who
was enraged at the scheme he had resorted
to for demanding them; and there he lay in
the very same room in which Watty had
been deposited. Harrison's creditor was q
good and cody man, and, like Walter, was
an elder of the church, and the people
pitied him greatly for the loss he was
likely to sustain through the rogue who
had thus cheated so many poor people.
His debt was ESQ, and, to the wonder and
amazement of all the inhabitants, he
got full payment from Walter Wylie,
whereupon Harrison was Immediately let
out of prison.
No sooner was it known that Walter
had paid one debt of Harrison than an
other creditor apprehended the rogue, and
lodged him in Jail. He was allowed to lie
there for considerable time, when Watty
again came forward and paid this debt
also, whereupon he was again allowed to
escape. A third creditor followed the ex-
ample of the two others, and the rogue
was again committed to durance, but this
time Watty allowed him to remain for a
longer time, and then paid the debt that
he might deal out his punishment in due
proportion. A fourth time the rogue was
apprehended, and fifth and sixth time,
and upon each of these occasions he was
allowed to ren in for as long a time as
Watty thought might produce as much
pain as it was his intention to infict
Altogether Harrison had thus lain about
eight months in prison. His debts were
now all paid, and the whole sum of es00
exhausted-having been honestly divided
among those creditors whose debts were
just, and who required them for the sup
port Of their wives and children. No part
of the e500 was kept to answer the false
debt claimed against Watty, because he
had secured himself against that demand
by getting designations to the debts he
paid, whereby he might plead compensa-
ton against his prosecutor. Thus had he,
in his Own quiet way saved himself, pun
ished rogue and brought peace and COM
fort to the homes of a number of deserving
men, whose debts otherwise would never
have been paid
The wonder produced by this extraor-
binary proceeding on the part of Watty
was unparalleled; and what nobody could |
they were surely entitled to
wonder at. Some thought the simple |
creature mad and his friends tried to in
-erfere 20 prevent SO reckless a squander- |
ng of his means.
81 am surprised, Mr.. Wylie," said his
clergyman TO him one day in the presence /
If number of people who were collected |
n the shop. 81 am surprised at this pro-
'eeding of yours, which has spread far and
vide throughout the country. If your
motive be a secret, will not ask it from
hee; but if it is a fair and legitimate
question, would make bold to put it to
hee, as one of my hock and an elder of our
hurch."
There is nae secret about it, SIR" re-
lied Watty with his accustomed simple
ty. I'VE are told TO do guild to them wha
Iate US, and pay for them wha despitefully
u.s." And he Ieered grotesque
ook of simple cajoiery in the face of the
oddly man
Il fear thon mlsquotest the Holy Book,
dr. Wyhe," replied the minister I'VE
re asked TO pray for our enemies, not 70
ay for them"
"Ayl ayr CALCULATED Watty in surprise
Is 1t possible that that single letter r.
hould hae cost puir. simple body g5O0f'
The minister stared and the people won
cred, but up to this day none ever knew
Inv simple Walter Wylie paid the dects
children Cry for Pitchers Castoria.
j