St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-04-05


minutes more and would have lost
my bet. However, all's well that
ends well; had my ticket, my trunk
was on the train, the whistle sound
ed was off for Paris.
When | entered the St. Lazare
station the hands Of the big clock
pointed to half-past eleven. I hailed
cab, and learned that there was
yet time for me to take my trunk
| with me.
At that moment it appeared in the
arms of two porters who were carry
ing it with the greatest care. Con-
found them, how slow they were !!
What fool ever accused the railway
companies of handling the baggage
roughly? I FASTENED towards the
men exclaiming,
Be quick, now !"
| had hardly uttered the words
when heavy hand was laid on my
shoulder, and, turning round to see
the cause of such familiarity, l found
myself face to face with a gendarme.
What is the matter with you?
| asked in a maZement.
Matter enough" replied the man
in a jeering tone, Tightening his hold /;
you will see!'
Behind the gendarme came two
railway officials. They stopped
over my trunk solemnly, turned their
heads as if listening, then stood up
and exchanged a glance which plain
ly said: There is not doubt Of it,"
They are crazy" l thought, but
then a horrible conviction flashed
through my brain. Whether the
men were sane or not, one thing was
sure; it was forty minutes past
eleven. At all hazards l must make
my escape. | shook myselffree of the
gendarme's grasp, and knocking over
two or three people in my fight dash
ed madly away; but was stopped by
two custom house officers who
dragged, protesting and gesticulat-
ing, back to where my trunk stood.
There was evidently a mistake some
where.
LET me co." cried, "let me go
And l swear l will come back in an
hour
The gendarme's lips described a
smile behind his thick mustache, as
he took possession of me again, this
time with both hands.
Come now don't try that" said
one of the railway officials, you
may as we'll confess. You arrived
from New York in great haste and
under suspicious circumstances.
Who are you? What have you in
this trunk ?"
CLOTHES, nothing but my clothes,'
l answered, speaking worse French
than usual in my agitation.
No explosives ?'' insisted the
official.
Explosives! What for? l am not
a pyrotechnist, nor chemist"
Then what is the meaning of this
strange noise? Inside your trunk
there is a sound of macbinery-in
short an Internal machine. Yester-
day the London police arrested four
American anarchists who had SINH
lar articles il their possession. You
are known to be one Of the gang"
L listened in speeches. wonder to
his words. looked at my trunk,
and my wonder increased to stupe-
faction as l heard a metallic tick
tack inside. Suddenly there was a
loud ringing report-like signal for
an explosion. Beware of the
bomb - Shrieked some one; officers |
and porters catered ia all direc-
lions, and even the gendarme moved |
away. l alone remained, like a hero |
| tore open the trunk and pulled |
out the clothes in feverish haste. All |
at once l felt something hard inside |
a hIrt
drew out and exposed to view-a |
little clock
l had unknowingly packed up the
property, and it was
striking the alarm six hours behind |
time.
'Confound the old turnip!" 1 cried |
throwing it down furiously. l was |
answered by loud peal OF laughter
from the spectators.
Then putting my head down, like
a wild boar that scents the hounds, !
l dashed towards the cab again and
sprang in, shouting to the driver, !
'I'll give you louis If you get me
to Place de la Bourse before noon" |
Seven minutes and half later the
cab was tearing up to the Stock Ex-
change; jumped out, flew upstairs
to the Semaphore office, burst into
the room like hurricane, and re-
in a stentorian tone,
Here l am, gentlemen -
The next instant the first stroke of |
noon sounded from the Exchange |
Romance.
DIR. PARKHURST AND NEW YORK |
VICES.