St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-05

Good" said 1. go on"
''Stand up" said he, land stretch out
your arms at right angles to your body.'
Suppose l don't?" said /.
81 send bullet through your left
ear" said he.
but permit me to observe" said 1.
Bang A bullet cut off the lobe of
my LETT ear.
d. The ear smarted. and I should have
liked Oattend to 1t, but under the cir
cumstances l thought it better to COM
ply with the whimsical old gentlemans
wishes.
Very good!" said he. "Now, do as 1
tell you, promptly and without mo-
ments hesitation, or l cut off the ]
OF your right ear. Throw me that <e
preServer."
But"
''Ah! Would you?" said he, cooking
the revolver.
The ''click" decided me. Besides, the
old gentleman's eccentricity amused
me, and l was curious to see how far it
would carry him. So tossed my life
preseryer to him. He caught it neatly.
g Now take Off your coat and throw it
to me-"
2 L took off my coat and threw it to him
diagonally across the room.
Now the waistcoat."
threw the waiStcoat to him.
Boots" said he.
They are Shoes" said l, in some
trepidation, lest he should take offense
when no offense was really intended.
''Shoes. them" said he
| threw my shoes to him.
Trousers" said he.
Come, come, l say" exclaimed I.
Bang! The lobe of the other ear
came off. With all his eccentrlcity the
old gentlemen was man of his word
lie had the trousers, and with them my
revolver, which happened to be in the
right-hand pocket.
Now the rest of your drapery."
i threw him the rest of my drapery.
de tied up my clothes in the tablecIotn,
and, telling me that he wouldn't detaIn
me any longer, made for the door with
the bundle under his arm.
."Stopn said l.. What is to become
of me?'
Really. l hardly know" said he.
You promised me my liberty"
said l.
"CeEtainly," said he. Don't let me
trespass any further on your time. You
will find the street door open. or if from
you will have no difficulty in clearing
the area ratings"
But l can't go like this. Won't you
give me something to put on?'
No" said he, nothing at all. Good
night"
The quaint old man left the room
with my bundle. | went after him. but
Hound that he had locked an inner
door that led up stairs. The position
was really a difficult one to deal with.
l couldn't possibly 90 into the street as
L was, and il L remained l should GER
tainly be given into custody in the
morning. For some time / looked in
vain for something to cover me with.
The hats and greatcoats were no
doubt in the inner hall. At all events
they were not accessible under the cir
cumStances. There was carpet on the
floor, but it was fitted to the recesses of
the room, and, moreover, a heavy side
board stood on it.
However, there were twelve chairs in
the room, and il was with no little
pleasure l found that on the back of
each was an antimacaSSar. Twelve an
timacassars would 90 a good way to-
ward covering me. and that was some
thing.
L did my best with the antimacassars,
but OIL reflection came to the conclusion
that they would not help me very much.
They certainly covered me, but a gen.
tleman walking through South Kens-
ington at 3 a. m, dressed in nothing
whatever but antinacassars, with the
snow two feet deep on the ground,
would be sure to attract attention. |
might pretend L was doing it for
wager, but who would believe me?
l grew very cold.
- | looked ont of the window, and pres
emily L saw the bullseye of policeman
who was YEARLY plodding tb Ough the
snow. felt that my only arse was
to surrender TO him.
"Policeman," said | from the window.
zone word"
Anything wrong, Sir?" said he.
81 have been committing burglary
in this house. and l shall feel deeply
obliged to you if you will kindly take
me into custody"
Nonsense, sir,,' said he. YOU'D
better 60 to bed"
"There is nothing I'd like better, but
| live in LincOln'S inn, and | have moth
ing on but antimacassars. am almost
frozen. Pray take me into custody"
The street doors Open?' said he,
Yes, !" said l. 'cOme in"
He came in. L explained the circum-
stances to him, and with great difficulty
l convinced him that | was in earnest.
The good fellow put his own greatcoat
over me and lent ME his own handouts.
In ten minutes was thawing myself in
Walton street police station. In ten days
L was convicted at the Old Bailey. In
ten years l returned from penal servi-
tude.
| found that Mr.. Davis had gone to
his long home iii BrOmptOn cemetery.
For many years l never passed his
house without shudder at the terrible
hours l spent in it as his guest. ! have
often tried to forget the incident L have
been relating. and for long time tried
i'll vain. Perseverance, however, met
with its reward. L continued to try.
Gradually one detail after another
slipped from my recollection, and one
lovely evening last May found, to my
intense delight, that l had absolutely
forgotten all about it.
A LIVELY FOURTH.