News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-06-22
THE BRIGAND.

Misadventures2 Well, if l were an
author by profession l could make a
pretty big book of the administra
tive mishaps which befell me during
the three years spent in Corsica as
legal adviser to the French prefect-
ure. Here is one which will prob
ably amuse you:
/ had just entered upon my duties
at Ajatcio. One morning l was at
the club, reading the papers which
had just arrived from Paris, when
the projects manservant brought
me note, hastily written in pencil
Come at once; l want you. We
have got the brigand Quastana. l
uttered an exclamation of JOY and
went off as fast as l could to the pre-
lecture. must tell you that, under
the empire, the arrest of a Corsicap
bandit was looked upon as a bril-
liant exploit and meant promotion,
especially if you threw a certain
dash of romance about it in your of
fetal report.
Unfortunately brigands had be-
come scarce. The people were get
ting more civilized, and the vendetta
was dying out. If by chance a man
did kill another in a row, or do some
thing which made it advisable for
him to keep clear of the police, he
generally bOlted to Sardinia instead
of turning brigand. This was not to
our liking, for no brigand, no pro
motion. However, our prefect had
succeeded in finding one. He was
an old rascal, Quastana by name,
who to avenge the murder of his
brother had killed goodness knows
how many people. He had been
pursued with vigOr, but had escaped,
and after a time the hue and cry
had subsided, and he had been for
gotten.
Fifteen years had passed, and the
man had lived in seclusion, but our
prefect, having heard of the affair
and obtained a clew to his where
abouts, endeavored to capture him
with no more success than his prede-
cessor. We were beginning to de
spair of our promotion. You can
therefore imagine how pleased was
to receive the note from my chief.
| found him in his study talking
very confidently to a man of the
true Corsican peasant type.
This is Quastana's cousin, said
the prefect to me in a low tone.
HE lives in the little village of So
lenzara, just above Porto Vecchio,
and the brigand pays him a visit
every Sunday evening to have
game of scopa Now, it seems that
these two had some words the other
Sunday, and this fellow has deter
mined to have revenge. So he pro
poses to hand his cousin over to jus
tice, and between you and me | be
lieve he means it. But as l want to
make the capture myself and in as
brilliant a manner as possible it Is
advisable to take precautions in or
der not to expose the government to
ridicule. That's what | want you
for. You are quite a stranger in the
country, and nobody knows you. /
want you 10 go and see for certain
if it really is Quastana who goes to
this mans house"
But | have never seen Quastana,
began.
My chief pulled out his pocketbook
and drew forth photograph much
the worse for wear.
Here you areT he exclaimed.
The rascal had the cheek to have
his photograph taken last year at
Porto VecchiOT
While we were looking at the pho
to the peasant drew near, and | saw
his eyes flash vengefully, but the
look quickly vanished, and his face
assumed its usual stolid appearance.
Are you not afraid that the pres
ence of a stranger will frighten your
cousin away on the following Sun
day3" we asked.
mo, replied the man. He is too
fond of cards; besides, there are
many new faces about here now on
account of the shooting I'll say
that this gentleman has come for me