Evening star., 1897-03-05
ONE WATCH AHEAD.
Remarkable Way in Which n surgeon
Acquired Another nmepiece.

From the St. Louis Republic.
\ well-known surgeon who lives en- For
est Park boulevard had an experience with
a highwayman last week that he would
like to suppress. if his conscience would let
him Bu, it will not, and to a reporter he
told TIE following remarkable story:
There have been SO many highwayman
at work this winter, and l am obliged to
be out at such unreasonable hours, that
my wife persuaded me to carry a revolver
a practice i have always avoided. l bought
q 3S-caliber bulldog, and about month
ago began TO carry il around in my outside
overcoat pocket. l seldom have much
money on my person, but my watch is an
unusually valuable one, set with diamonds
of considerable value, and l would hate to
lose IL.
zone night about ten days ago I was
called 10 visit a patient on West Pine near
Spring avenue, and was detained there un-
til after midnight by the extremely critical
cor-tion of my patient. l had the salts
faction TO see her well over the crisis and
rallWng nicely. and therefore left the house
IN very complacent frame of mind. l
suppose my chest was swelling with pride
for my overcoat was open, and / had my
hands stuck in my trousers pockets.
walked east on Pine to Spring avenue and
south on Spring toward Laclede. where 1
intended TO catch west bound car for
hcrne.
''At the corner of Laclede and Spring
almost collided with man, who thrust a
revolver in my face and told me to hold
up my hards. l saw / was up against
the real hing and promptly put up my
hards.
Don't move said the highwayman
with N oath. and he pushed the gun under
my mustache with onc hand. while he
rifed my watch pocket with the other.
yell? | was too scared TO move a muscle,
ard l did cot even think of my revolver
until the thief started up Spring avenue
at full speed. Then l thought about the
gun in my overcoat pocket and resolved TO
recover my watch if / had to fight for it.
| felt in my vest and found my money
anc watch were gone. The thief had a
good start. however, and before / could
open fire him he dcdged into an alley
en- the west side of the street. My blood
was up. however, and ! charged after him.
cooily fastening the watch chain in his
vest buttonhole-
Throw ui YOU hands. you villain said
/. leveling my gun at his nose He was
just as easy as / had been a moment be-
| fore. and l jerked The watch and chain out
Of his clothes Now run. you rascal; you
can Keep the TWO dollars. And my whilom
hishwayman RAN up Spring avenue like a
scared dog. | slipped :he watch and chain
int" my pocket and caught an owl car
home When l got into my house. / was
Z. i
| my wife that her forethought had are
! vented me from being killed and robbed:
| how l had been held up by a quick high
wayman, who secured my money and
watch:
| "'Watch% said my wife. Why, you didn't
! have your watch with your and she ran
upstairs to find my valued timepiece while
l pulled out another mans watch. / had
| actually held up an innocent man, while
| the sure-enough highwayman was scurry-
| ing up the alley with my two dollars in his
pocket. i began to recall the respectable
| appearance of nv victim, his terror AMI
| the prompt way In which he gave up, and
| The watch itself. a plain gold one, was
| there in my hand to prove that my high
wayman was not the only pebble on the
| beach that night
| Now. don't want that watch" contin-
| ued the doctor, "and although l have ad-
"trtised II as found no one appears to
| claim 1t 1t has no engraving by which
| TO Identity the owner, and as l acquired
| II in way that makes me feel ridiculous
| every time think of It, have not yet been
atle TO bring myself to face the jokes and
| d.cule that will he showered on me II /
tell my friends about it. My wife gives
| me the laugh every time she looks at a
| clock, and l spanked my little boy for ask
| ing Ine what time 1t was when 1 was rob
1 bed. If you get onto the man that 1 robbed
fix it up for me. viii you? Goodbye"