The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-13
AN ORDEAL.

Hearing that poacher, Tom ClaypeR,
whom I had known as a boy, was to be
transported for life, went to see him.
Tom recognized me at once and held out
his hand. He was never ashamed of him
self, which was one characteristic he had
We talked over old times. I was capable
of approaching what merits Mr. Clayper
possessed, now that 1 had seen more of the
world, and he was certainly an extraordi-
nary fellow. As was still young enough
to be pleased at hearing adventures and
as Tom, now that his career seemed closed,
was gratifed in relating his, had Toms
history before we parted. Its finale seems
to have been this, for Tom was rather shy
of speaking about certain matters, a Pc
culiarity have noticed in some of your
rips: He had his feelings of delicacy where
women are concerned. A rather pretty girl
was in service at the squire esquire PeIl,
think 1 told you. To her Tom paid
court. He was richer in presents than in
reputation.
fancy the girl gave him reason to
think she liked him. At all events she
did not return his fneries. One evening
Tom met the colonel In her company
somewhere about the grounds Tom as
sured me that he passed them civilly, but
the next time he came across the colonel
he was surly and managed to insult him
and then to speak his mind, which was
none of the cleanest. The colonel, you
must know, was engaged at the time to
be married to Squire Pell's only daughter
money, but no beauty. So he let Tom
get the best of him, but from that day,
Tom says, he felt he had an enemy and
knew who that enemy was.
Wasn't he a coward to hunt poor fell
low like that in the dark?'' said Tom to
me and declared he knew the colonel was
a coward and was determined to be re-
venged and satisfied of it
heard his door yield its lock and open.
You shall hear the rest in Toms words
81 knew that man was coward, sir; so,
once in the house and sure of his room,
knew l had him. I knew the bearings of
the bed. watched how the light fell two
or three nights before. The moment I
opened the door threw the light--carried
a dark lantern-threw the light slap on
his face. I saw him start. Did that man
open his eyes? Deuce a bit. Slept as sound
as tenpence laughed to myself. Why, if
he had got up, it'd have been a fair strug-
gle between us and nabbed I certainly
should "a boon. But deucea bit did he stir.
Colonel Badger, thinks I, III badger you.
Well, walked slow up to him, with the
lantern in one hand and my pistol in the
other, leveled at his head. There was he
sleeping harder and harder. I couldn't
quite see his heart beat, but I'll lay my
life it gslloped.''
Will spare you Tom s oathS.
"Well, Eir,b he went on, ''I'd half
mind at one moment to do for him out
right. For coward who's nothing better
than villain, what goods he for-to liver
Close down to his forehead put the muz-
zle of the pistol. 1t was tempting then.
Just a hair, and he'd have had an extin-
guisher on his small candle. Lor, sir, his
eyes were shut, but I'll wager he saw it
all clear as day. And there was the per-
spiration a-burstin out of his forehead an
rollin down his cheeks Iremember u large
drop of perspiration on his nose An he
pretendin to sleep hard all the while! Why,
the stoopid ass, did he think didn't know
that a chap never sweated in his sleep
1eastways not natural sweat? Well, kept
at that, drawing the pistol away an put
tin of it close, for, I should think, 40 min
utes or more, but took no account.
was cruel glad, to be sure, and he perspir-
ing harder an harder. Not move right or
left. 1 didn't speak. 1 thought to myself:
oh, you villain, daresay you think your
self better than me, don't you? And if you
had me in your power now, wouldn't you
let loose? But 1 ain't such coward as
you. You shall bleed, my fine chaplin
the pocket. That'n do For, said Tom
to me, 81 hadn't come there and run the
risk only to brighten the colonel. Two
birds at one blow was always my game.
$50 by and by Tom pursued, when
I thought I'd give my gentleman a pretty
| good sweat for the benefit of his health, I
began to ransack. knew the whereabouts
| of his desk and things. / cOllared the desk
entire and made as if I'd walk away. He
| had a chance then. The cowardly beast |
| There he stuck. He'd have liked to snore,
| Just to persuade ME he was a-snoozin. And
such a fellow as that to go misleadin of
| young womenl Amt it disgustin, STRIP
| Tom was bit of a moralist, you see.
| Wcll, the end of it was that Tom, after
| giving the colonel another dose, made up
his mind to quit the premises.
| land 1 went, sir" said Tom. "Got off
! sect free. just spoke these words in q sol
emn voice: Colonel, whether you re asleep
| or whether you re awake, just you keep
| quiet the next quarter Of an hour, or you re
I dead man. amt goin yet, but my COM
| rades are II was all, all alone, sir; 1 neve1
took q pal if I could help it, but thought
| I'd tell him so, the coward), and I'll stop
outside the DOOR, I says, till they re safe.
| So mind yo1r eye Isays. I'm in earnest.
| And then touched his forehead with the
| cold iron and moved back, pointin at him
still, and his face shinin with the cold
sweat. He won't forget that hour I give
him in hurry. I knew very well he'd
sleep on, bless you, and so he did, and
never heard nothin till a month ago, when
they pounced on me for it, and here 1 am
goin to see foreign lands, thanks to you
colonel. But you won't forget me; SO don't
try And every body's talkin of the story
for 1 outs with it at the trial, neck and
crop. 1 told it all about his sweatin al
pretendin to sleep. saw the people laugh
III swear the judge enjoyed it, for all he
looked that grave you'd think he was
owl. Ha, hal Mr.. Colonel That's what
calls strikin as you fly. They'll call you
coward in old England, but they won
call me one in Van Diemen.''
And with this consolation Mr.. Ton
Clayper departed on his voyage. You vii
admit that the co1onels night must hav
been sufficiently miserable.-New Yorl