Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-11-10
7 ~ r. -,
The Pygmy Bandit.
----. .s.u>-.. =.
BY Paul Pastnor. ''.~'


SET you are growing somewhat
curious about my stuffed eagle?'
remarked Sandhurst, the detective,
with Il smile, as he caught my eye wan
dering for the fifth time to the, big
bird perched 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, 1 think. Tsjuf~
1T happened in 1s45. The great and
popu] Gus tate of Missouri was then
little more than thinly-settled will
Gerness. 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 .lninhabited.
Father at that time lived a bout 40
miles from the present site of St. Louis
in little frontier community called
st. Regis. I believe the name has been
changed since. I haven't been back
there for half a century. Father was
storekeeper and postmaster. I was
his only child, and at the time am
telling you about was kid of IA. ~
Zone 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 tc speak v
"'What's the matter, Corrigan? 2
asked my father. 80 ..}
"'Matter, sor? The divil himself's
to pay! An imp of Sathan dropped
upon me out av the clear sky, sor, an
wild Il 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?' -.
CAV coorse Oh did. Whin the evil
wan himself has the drop on man
:oike thot dc yez think it would be
healthy for him to stop an palaver?
No, sor! Oh cut loose the mail, an the
divil dropped off me horses flank, an,
hiven be praised! Ohm alive to tell yez
the tale.'
"'Did you not get glimpse of the
man.
The man? No, sor! Dim tellin'
yeZ it wasn't a man at all! It was
divil, or DILL ate me head. How could
man light upon me horses back from
behind widout sound av warning?
The first ting Oh knew the imp had his
shootin' irons in me ears; an whin
he sphoke, begorra, the schmen av his
voice was like sulphur U-r-r-r! Wor-
ra, worra! Tim Corrigan's no coward,
place God, whin it comes to d'alin' wild
man or haste. ButSthe divil himself's
another thing
''The news spread like wildfrel
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 waa made up, headed by my IA
ther, to ride back to the scene Of the
robbery and see if 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 a safe place at the rear he
finally consented to be one of the
party.
'The mail bag was found at the ex-
act spot indicated by Corrigan, ripped
open and rifed 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 Z horses hoof save those OF
the Animal ridden BY Corrigan him
self. Neither+could a mans footprints
be found nor trail in the bushes be-