The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-12
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12 1893


Goodwin, coming forward. What in
the mischief does all this mean? |
thought you were cleaning out makka
way back there in the bush"
80 | was. but two of my country
men cleaned me out last night Tin
box with a thousand dollars. I've
chased them all the way. They're on
board"
How do you know they are?'
This staggered me for an instant
They must be-they're bound to be-"
I cried. They came to Kingston and
they weren't born yesterday can tell
you. They knew their only chance was
to get off before the news arrived
Come along; we haven't much time
! now"
We stepped up the gang plank and
on deck. There were fifteen or twenty
passengers aft. but my friends were
not among them, so we started for
| ward.
There they are There they are"
I whispered excitedly, as l saw lean
| ing against the port rail two men, one
very tall, the other ridiculously short
| Their backs We're toward us, but |
| knew those figures, despite the fact
| that they were dressed in other
| clothes. We stepped briskly up.
II arrest you in the queens name"
| said Goodwin, laying his hand on the
| tall ones shoulder. They both wheeled
! like a fash and | was dumbfounded to
| see that they looked entirely different
| from my visitors. Both had boards,
| the large mans brushing his chest, and
| their faces We're totally unlike the ones
remembered so WELL My jaw dropped
and l gazed from one to the other in
| stupid astonishment.
What the devil does this mean?"
said the little man, fiercely.
See here. Morgan" began Goodwin
in a disgusted tone observing my
amazement; you don't mean to say"
But l had glanced at the tall mans
hands. He wore gloves and the
thumbs looked very stiff and woodeny.
/ grabbed the one near me-it was
stuffed
1T is the man, Goodwin" l cried,
| Arrest them both"
BY this time all the people on board
were around us. AS / touched the
glove the wearer gave a shrek and
sank down on the deck. foaming at the
mouth, twitching all over, and appar-
! emily in a fit.
This is an outrage" shouted his
| companion. This gentleman is my
patient, a very nervous and eXcitable
man, and now you have brought on all
the trouble by your confounded mis-
take. l shall stay over merely for the
pleasure Of prosecuting you"
There was a murmur of sympathy
from the bystanders, but l was too
certain now to be humbugged any
/ At.s.
gested, you would find it more COM
Portable if you would remove your
beard and wig"
Goodwin snatched the fellows hat off
and with it came the hirsute growth
which had puzzled me. The crowd
howled in delight, and / turned to the
stewards
Bring up this gentleman's luggage.
He says he is going to stay with us a
little longer"
Barclay glarcd at me so vciously
that l was glad the inspector had TAX
en- the precaution of Handwriting him.
Presently the steward appeared with
two big valses, and at sight of them
the prisoner became more furious than
ever. He turned with an oath to Nor
ris, who was still wallowing about on
the deck:
Get up out of that, you long-legged
gawk," he said kicking the PROSTATE
figure. IF l could have cut a few
inches off those spindle shanks and
put 'em on your old thumbs, we'd have
done the trick. Get up, you fool"
The fit ceased as Goodwin triumph =
antly drew the unopened box from one
of the valises. and we all burst out
laughing at the comcal expression of
mixed disgust and shamefacedness on
the fellows face. Finally he rose and
Grinned at me:
well, pOdner, you done us, but ]
fixed you pretty slick" Then he rolled
up his eyes SIMULTANEOUSLY, clasped
his hands, and whined nasally: If
my poor mamma only knew that her
Willy, her dear little Willy had taken
tc play-actn', how shocked she would
be.'-Henry Wysham Lanier, in the
New York Evening Post.