Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-02

should whistle 10 merry tune, and moro
80, on the morning of that day when he
was to be put into prison. When he went
II little farther, still whistlIng and saunter-
ing, with very elsy and careless pleasnut-
hess, whom does he tncet1 Why, no other
than william Harrison, flying along the
road like Il mailman, calling out IF any one
had seen two black guard looking men ON
The way; for that his shop had been robbed
during the night. and all the money he
had in the world taken out of 1t and car
ried away.
"a saw the bl1ckguards," replied Walter.
"They're AVA dOru by GihsoD's loan ron-
der. as fast as if a q, 2sse nRer VII a hornin
aud caption was at tlIejr heels"
And he aHain whistled his tune-a cir
cumstance that struck Harrison, who hed
mover heard him whistle before, with rs
much surprise as his announcement; but
he bad no time TO wonder or reply and
nwny he shot Ike pursuing messenger,
while walter walked INTO the town and
opened HIS shop, Wherein he deposited the
1909 and proceeded to serve his customers
with ss much simplicity and good humor
as ever.
The news Of the loss sustained by Horri-
son went Ike wildNre through the burgh
and every one wondered tbnt "A man who
owed so niue. money should have bad so
large u sum ~ $500 in the house at one
time, and II was suspected that he intended
10 fy the country with the money ~ soon
rs he could wiring the false debt out Of
simple Watty. Every inquiry was made
after the robbers, but they could not be
traced; and now Harrison, made savage by
his loss and tbs alusion made by WattY
about tho messenger, got his caption from
Iirl >,, al nj
sent to apprehend Walter for the false
debt.
81 have caption against you Mr.,
Wylic," said the messenger as he entered.
d Nv III yOu pay the debt or 20 with mCV
"If youth whit" replied Watty, with the
greatest simplicity, "til weigh this pund
q sugar TO Jenny Gilchrtst, pll TAX a step
wi ye nv far as the tail"
And, proceeding to serve his customer,
be indulged IN some OF his dry Jokes in the
very same way he used to do and when he
he'd finished, called up his wife to serve the
shop, Hnd walked with grent composure
away With the mcsse nger to that place of
squhlOr and squaiid misery. He was in due
form entered in the jailer's books and de-
posted In the old black building as a jail
bird, where, II he chose, he might whistle
az gaylv rs he 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
Wyle WAS in prison, and many efforts
were made to gel him TO pay the debt at
once and .;a!n his liberty, but Walter knew
himself what he was about. and having
thus ascertained how far Harrison would
20, tie sent for a writer, and having given
him Instructions and "A part of the $500 to
pay bis EXPENSES, got out In few days on
what the honest men Of the law call suS-
pension and liberation.
Some time afterwsrd, Harrison himself
having lost all his money, was put into Jail
az the instance @: one of his creditors who
was enraGcd at the scheme he had resorted
TO TOR defrauding them; and there he lay in
the very same room in which Watty had
been deposited l!arrison's creditor was a
good and cody man, and, like Walter, was
an cider Of the church, and the people
ptNed him greatly for the loss lie was
likely to sustain through the rogue who
had thus cheated so many poor people
His debt WAS $50, and, to the wonder and
amLHenent OF all the inhabitants, ne
got full payment from Walter Wyle
WhcrcupDn Harrison WAS immediately let
out Of prison.
had peld one debt of Harrison than an.
either creditor appreAcnded the rogue, and
lodged him in Jail. lie WAS allowed to lie
there for a considerable time, when Watty
again oHIue forward and paid this debt
also, whertupon he wa, again allowed 20
escape, y thIri creditor followed the eX-
alupIe Of the two other, and the rogue
was again committed 10 duiance, but this
time NGtty allowed him to remain for a
longer time, and then paid the debt that
be might deal out his punishment in due
proportion. y fourth time the rogue was
arprehended and n fifth and sixth timo,
and upon each Of these occasions he was
allowed TO remain for rs long a lime rs
Natty thought might produce as much
pain az Il was his intention to inAict.
Altogether Harrison he'd thus lain about
eight months in prison, HIS debts We're
now ali paid, and the whole sum of A5OC
eYhausteA-haviuE 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 600 was kept to answer the false
debt claimed against Wdtty, because he
had secured himself against that demand
by getting assionatioi.s 10 the debts lie
pad, whereby be might plead compensl.
il'n az 'I'!St it4S pCTStcNlbF. nus ntl ne,
in his own quiet way, saved himself, pun.
iShed rogue and brought peace and com.
fort 70 he homes OF mum Der 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
comprehend, they were surely entitled 10
wonder At Some thought the simple
creature mad, and his friends tried to in
tericre to prevent 20 reckless a squaDder
ing OF hi. means
Il am surprised, Mr., Wylie," said hts
Clergyman 10 him one day in the presence
Of a number Of people who were collected
in the shop, II atm surprised ut this pro-
ceediug Of yours, which has spread far aud
wide Throughout the country. If your
motive be secret, win not ask it from
thee; but, il II il fnir and Legitimate
question, would make bold 20 put it to
thee as one Of my dock and an elder OF our
church"
There is use secret about it, sir" re-
piled Wstty with his accustomed simple.
IL