The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-11-25

examined it. My observations led
to an immediate reward. | dis
covered what | believed to be fresh
footprints, and 20 feet on tn other
side OF tie val! brown chanois
leather moccassin such as is COM
monty worn by syJsies as foot
gear.
Ny first cherished inpression-
that my friends djsanpalrance had
some uIter!pr conae sion with the
! pleasures of the table seemed.
therefore, a wrong one. He was
certainly carried off by gypsies.
These gypsies had, l corjectured
taken northt rlv route and were now
IN all human probability, ensconced
in the ~djac mt woods.
On my return 10 the house | found
ii in possession OF detective. This
gentleman had arrived a a totally
. different conclusion. Indeed had |
not overwhelming pro II OF an abduct-
ion furnished by the brown moccass
in | should at once have been dis.
posed to side with bis theory. Il
was, in short, that IN fit Of temporary
alteration Paskin had made away
with himself The detective scoffed
at the idea of gypsies. He ridlculed
the notion of Paskin being carried
off The thing was plain. Paskin
had complained Of severe headache
the night before-a most unusual
circumstance with bim-after a
hearty supper of cold p rk and
welsh rarebit. He had got up in the
night, unable to obtain sleep and
quietly determined on suicide.
AT the close OF the officers recital
| confidently produced my gypsy
| moccasln, thinking thereby to over
throw the whole web and woot OF
my friends theory. Unfortunately
the article was promptly identified
as the property OF a gypsy who
occasionally came to do work in the
garden.
In the midst OF my chaerin an
envelope was placed in the detectives
hands by Mrs. Paskin maid. 1t
had been opened, and contained a
letter which the officer read hurried
iy.
How did this letter come into
your mistress possession7' he de-
manded.
1t was brought in, sir, by small
boy, mere child, and delivered into
my mistress hands.
Where is your mistress now?
She left the house IS minutes ago,
| sir
The officer handed the missive to
me and sat down with an expression
OF profound disgust. The contents
ran as follows:
Mrs. Paskin, we hav yore husband
awl rite enuf so don't truble yoreself
on that scoar. We propose to keep
him until you see fit to ransum him
as follers: if you will put 20 soverins
(no noats) on the high rock twenty
one yards due east OF the spring at
Miles's toard before high noon today
we civ you cur solIum promiss to
reieece old paskin without no further
delay 2. Yores, by the sire of the
Skull, The Black Caps
You will of course, post officers of
Justice on the post named, and they
will be aprrehended in the act, l
said.
They-who?
The bandits-that is, the Black
Caps
Black erandmothers! Bah Can't
you see, explained the detective,
scarcely conceal his contempt for my
understanding, can't you see that
this letter is all a hoax! In fact
mercy little scheme to extract eco
rom very foolish woman. Have
YOU read the post script?
P. s. & warning !! Do not dair to
show this letter to the polls if you
value yore husbands safety. Cum
aloan !
Dear me! | cried. Then Mr..
Paskin is already the victim of some
designing rogue who has got wind
of the way matters stand! And
Paskin has committed suicide, after
all! Poor old Paskin! l always tod
him his over feeding would bring him
to an early grave
Stuff and nonsense! 1t hasn't done
anything of the kind
Paskin's voice | had been with
my back to the door. now turned
and beheld a pitiable, begrimed
figure pale under its coating Of SCOT
but clearly and Enthusiastically the
figure of Paskin.
Paskin! l calculated, what does
this mean?
1t means, replied Paskin, throwing
himself into the bed, all sooty and
primy as he was, and keeping his
ewes fixed upon the counterpane, it
means that to a certain extent your
predictions have come true. 1t
means that in fit of somnamballsm
last night | managed to wonder
down into the cellar, and eventually
to lay down in a remote corner OF
the coalbln. The cualbin happened
to be empty. The cause of my
awakening was the crash of failing
coal, gentlemen. was nailed into
that coalbin tor some hours.
Nailed into the coalbin.
Yes. | saw | would have to wait
until five tons of the precious stuff
had been deposited before could
,,anture to rnove As If was | came