The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-12-03
The Pygmy Bandit.
by Paul Pastnor.
I SEE you are growing somewhat
Il. r4,,4 i II n C'f

curious about my stuffed eagle?'
remarked Sandhurst, the detective,
with smile, as he caught my eye wan
derinc 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
1 came by him. The tale is odd and
will interest you, I think.
at happened in 1915. The great and
populous state 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 uninhabited.
Father at that time lived about 40
miles from the 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
.torekeeper and postmaster. / was
his only child, and at the time / am
telling you about was a kid of IA.
'One day the mail car9ier rode up
10 the store in state of great excite
ment. He tumbed off his horse and
rame into the store, pale and hardly
able to speak
"'What's the matter, Corrigan?'
asked my father.
"'Matter, sor? The divil himself's
10 pay! An imp of Sathan dropped
rpon me out av the clear sky, sor, an
wid a pistol to each wan av me ears
towld me to drop the mail bag in the
road an ride for me loife, widout
vance lookin' behind
"'And you obeyed?'
"'Av 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
livil dropped off me horses flank, an
hiven be praised! Ohm alive to tell yez
the tale'
"'Did you not get glimpse of the
man.
1.-The man? No, sor! Dim tellin
Eez it wasn't a man at all! 1t was @
iivil, or OH ate me head. How coult
man light upon me horses back from
behind widout sound av warning
The first ting Oi knew the imp had hi.
shootin' irons in me ears; an whir
he sphoke, begorra, the schmell av hi:
voice was like sulphur. U-r-r-r! Wor
"a, worra! Tim Corrigan's no coward
place God, whin it comes to d'alin' vic
nan or haste. But the divil himself!
another thing
"The news spread like wildfr,
through the little community thai
curly Tim Corrigan had been robbed
Of the mail. Twelve or fifteen men an(
boys soon gathered at the store and {
party was made up, headed by my ia
.her, to ride back to the scene of thu
robbery and see if any trace of Tim
Givip could be discovered. Tim him
self at first refused to go. He was EN-
tiTSly utuiuIdiiZtu W super Stitiou
Tear. But upon promise of body
guard and safe place at the rear h
finally consented to be one of tn
party.
The mail bag was found at the ex
act spot indicated by Corrigan, rippe,
open and rifled of all its valuable con
tents. consisting of several package
Of value and Enclosures of money. Blu
cot the slightest tract of the THE
rould be discovered. There were n
prints of horses hoof save those o
The animal ridden by Corrigan him
self. Neither could a mans footprint
be found nor a trail in the bushes be
side the road. An old Indian fighte
IN the party searched long and care
fully, but even his trained eye faile
TO discover a sign. The affair was
mystery, and Tins theory of the ager
ry of the evil one began, covertly, t
gain some ground.
This strange highway robbery
however, was only the first of man
IF similar character which from tina
time en- amazed and terrified the pic
ueers throughout that section. Tn
paymsster of a numbering gang wa
nysteiiously peunced upon and re
ieved ST $500 in small bills. A farme