The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-01-14
! The TRlCKED RASCaLS.


boosted Of and Knight Of the Road
aspired TO be called Il gentleman, th'
following incident occurred;
One afternoon in carly autumn, clos
upon sunset, couple Of wvli-hrrsSet
men, driving a light gig in which Was
poor, jaded-looking horse, stopped a
a wayside posting inn, not hundred
miles from Bath and requested accom-
mediation for the night, They wer,
fashionably attired, and ap0kc in cor
descending tones 'c the landlord am
servants, using q few words now nnl
again OF town slang, as Young bucks q
the first water were proud to do II
that day.
Giving the horse and gig over 10 th,
care Of the ostler, they adjourned TO th'
public room and called for some ligh
refreshments In The shape OF drink, or
dering u supper TO he served later,
whats this story about great high
why robbery near here Inst night. land
lord" questioned one "We heard Of il
on the road coming along IL it ira" p
{HiNh tiif' Filt h'' EFH W. ~ y
dreadful thing, though clever. / mus
say. My Lady Caplifrrc, with hcr two
daughters, was driving home across thu
heath an hour or two after midnight
having bren 10 haIl, when their ear
rage Was stopped by four mounted
horsemen with cooked pisiuH The ole
lady screamed and tainted; the young
ones screamed and Kicked, and the gen
tlemen, those audacouS robbers, pro
cceded politely TO rifle the ladies OF
every ornament they wore"
"scoundrels!" interjccted one of The
guests,
more than that, your worships
What should those bold blades do but
invite the dnmsels to tread measure
with them? II wa@ u fine lfght as yOt
may perhaps remember. sirs; the moon
beams shining bright on the bare heath
Out Of the coach they handed them anc
footed II in minuct, dancing, it Is said
10 perfection, as though they were USED
40 lead out the kings own daughters
every night Of their lives. The young
~hsdies' screams ended in laughter; tn,
! sss woke up from her faint an'
abused fhsff.s.<g I'll, robbers and daughter,
together. oh, NtAsS are bold, these grp.
tlemen Of the highway
The two gentlemen llsteNGfss'1o this
had gone into bursts Of nus glitter. but
what OF the men-servantsf What were
they doing?" splnttereal one,
''Only two were IN attendance, sirs
II seems-my lady's footman In the
dickey and the pos'illion on the horses,
and while two of the robbers were thus
doing their dancing. the other two
stood guard over the men, each with his
pistol cooked and bis hand on the trig.
ger, ready to fire at the least move
ment."
And The upshot?
"Tht young ladies were bowed into
their coach again. all with stately cere-
mony. and the robbers, after wishing
them very courteous goodnight, rode
off ut cnnter, with every jewel they
had possessed, small or large, costly or
simple. md NV lndy's purse INTO the
bargain. They may well boast that
they lead merry llves--those mtn! Fine
commotion the news has caused round
about us to-day, a. you may imagine,
gentlemen. Everybody's talking Il it,"
The landlord. being called for else
where, retired; the travellers slipped at
their glasses, laughing away and con
versing with one another in an under
tone Dusk came on and the elder and
taller Of the two addressed his friend in
different tone.
"About time to see after the horse.
isn't II, .IimP It's dark enough"
II was just going to-" answered Jim.
aud. draining his glass, he went away
to the stabe-yard,
Looking about him with the air OF n
connoisseur. after watching his horse
eat up Its oats, he made himself Sc.
quainted with the arrangements of The
stables. Some Ave or six horses were
In them. In the box next to his own
stood u splendid animal, evidently val
liable.
"a bettcr steed nor yourn sir," cried
the ostler from behind him In a ouet
voice, and the gentleman gave start.
not thinking ANYBODY was near,
"A,.., mira h,s sa., ,,,a ,,r,;,,
aud he has heep worked h,rd ,,t,l,. :,
n,swar.d tho stranger y,,,,.br,,,rsa-