The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-11-05
The Pygmy Bandit.
py Paul Pastnor.
SEE you are growing somewhat

SEE YOU are growing somewhat
curious about my stuffed eagle?''
remarked Sandhurst, the detective,
with smile, as he caught my eye wan
dering for the fifth time to the big
bird rerched with outspread wings on
the top of his bookcase. "Have an
ether cigar, and / will tell you how
came by him. The tale is odd and
will interest you, l think.
1T happened in 1s45. The great apd
populous state of Missouri vas then
little more than a thmly-sett led wfts
,6erness. Travelling was done mainly
by stage and saddle. There were few
main roads, leading for long distances
through woods and prairie; but for
the most part the country was wild
and uninhabited
Father ut that time lived about 40
miles from TIE present site of ST. Louis
in a little frontier community called
St. Regis. believe the name has been
changed since. / haven't been back
there for half century. Father was
storekeeper and postmaster. was
his only child and at the time l am
telling you about was kid of IA.
''One day the mail carrier rode up
20 the store in a state of great excite
ment. He tumbled off his horse and
came into the store, pale and hardly
able to speak,
"'What's the matter, Corrigan?'
asked my father.
Matter, sor? The divil himself's
to pay! An imp of Sathan dropped
rpon me out av the clear sky, sor, an
wild pistol to each wan av me ears
towld me ID drop the mail bag in the
road an ride for me loife, widout
vance lookin' behind
"And you obeyed?'
"'Av coorse Oh did. Win the evil
wan himself has the drop on man
healthy for him to stop an palaver?
No. sor! OF cut loose the mail, an the
,tlivil dropped off me horses flank, an,
hiven be praised! Dim alive to tell yez
the tale
"'Did you not get glimpse of the
.man?'
1.-The man? No, sor! Dim tellin'
yez it wasn't man at all! 1t was
,divil, or Oil ate me head. How could
n man light upon me horses back from
behind widout a sound av warning?
The first ting Oh knew the imp had his
'shootin' irons in me ears; an whin
he spLoke. begorra, the schmell av his
voice was like sulphur. U-r-r-r Wor-
IA, worra! Tim Corrigan's no coward,
PLACE God, whin it comes to d'alin' wild
man or haste. But the divil himself's
another thing
"The news spread like wildfire
through the little community that
burly Tim Corrigan had been robbed
of the mail. Twelve or fifteen men and
boys soon gathered at the store and
party was made up, headed by my ia
Their, to ride back to the scene of the
robbery and see IL any trace of Tins
''divil could be discovered. Tim him
-self at first refused to go. He was en-
tirely demoralized by superstitious
fear. But upon promise of body
guard and safe place at the rear he
finally consented to be one of the
party.
Ht Hull DuS Nuo iouhu ~ hhN ~
act spot indicated by Corrigan, ripped
open and rifled of all its valuable con-
tents. consisting of several packages
of value and Enclosures of money. But
not the slightest tract of the thief
could be discovered. There were no
prints of a horses hoof save those OF.
the animal ridden by Corrigan HIM
self Neither could mans footprints
be found nor a trail in the bushes be-
side the road. An old Indian fighter
in the, party searched long and care
fully, but even his trained eye failed
to discover sign. The affair was a
mystery, and Tins theory of the agen-
.cy Of the evil one began, covertly, to
gain some ground.
This strange highway robbery,
however, Yves only the first of many
Of similar character which from that
time en- amazed and terrified the pio-
neers throughout that section. The
paymaster of numbering gang was
mysteriously pounced upon and re-
7ieved Of $500 in small bills. A farmer