Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-06-28
THE DESEnTER. )
A Story and Its Sequel All In a :
Nutshell.

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One sIltry day two students went 10
the river to battle selecting Il secluded
spot where the water was ovelslladow-
ed with trees which formed the out
skirts CT Il wood extending south to-
ward fine dwelling Il mile or more in
the upland. At the foot of one of these
trees they left their clothes and plung-
ed from the bank into the cool, re-
frcshing stream. The river was deep,
and diving and for the exercise of all
those aquatic evoiutions in which Wig
orous young men are wont to indulge.
Having SWAN some distance against
the stream whose flow was gentle, they
turned to swim back with the flow.
On looking toward the spot where they
had left their clothes they saw man
hastily disrobing.
Somebody else getting ready for
SWIM" said one of them.
eyes, but it is deuced strange he
should select just that spot" the other
remarked.
Keeping their eyes On the intruder,
as they swan with a somewhat quick
er stroke, they beheld him cast down
his last garment and expected to sec
him take plunge. Imagine their sur
prise when, after turning toward them
and evidently fixing his gaze on them,
they saw him cuolly begin to invest
himself in their railnent. Simultanc-
ously they raised an outcry and struck
out vigorously in order to intercept the
depredator before he could escape. The
distance between them and him was.
however, too great, and he was too eN-
pert on donning their attire. Before
they reached the place he had disap-
pcarcd, and, on landing, they found
that he had appropriated tho principal
articles of dress of the larger of them.
They looked this way and that, but
nothing was TO be seen of the thief.
The one whose clothes had evidently
been rejected, because too small, dress
ed himself and fastened back to the
village for an outfit for his friend. On
his return the other had somewhat Of
II surprise for him.
Look said he, pointing to pile
of clothes on the ground. 81 found
these Il score of yards back in the
BUSH"
The clothes were such as are known
in the British army as fatigue dress,
and the exclamation which came from
each of the friends at the same mo
ment was:
''IIe's n dcscrter!"
youth. Con the ground, under the
clothes, was this pocllctbook, and IL
contains IS Bank of England Is notes
and over pound in change"
The pocketkook was not such a one
as we are used to nowadays. 1t was
inches by 4, of coarse brown leather,
We'll Worn, and tied With q string.
why, the fellow is Il fool to turn
thief when he had all this money in
his pocket" said one of them.
II don't know that was the reply.
lou see, his plan was to keep out of
sight so long as he wore clothes that
would Detlny him, whereas If he could
only get rid of them in the way he has
done his chances of escape were far
better, even in stolen garments, than
ii he had Worn his soldiers dress or
attempted to buy new clothes. Of
course there was the risk of being fol.
lowed and caught, but the fellow was
looking for Just such chance as we
afforded him. Well, he has got off
with about 80 shillings in my clothes
and is therefore not without means of
clearing OUT
but he certainly never intended to
leave all this money behind him!"
mo. of course he didn't, but in the
haste to be off he thought more of
liberty than money and left this be
hind him"
well, think you are entitled to
what he has left, and in that case it is
not n bad bargain
I'm sense YOU are right. am no
doubt entitled to as much of it as will
replace the money and the clothes with
which he has dccamped."
Don't vol think we ought to inform
the authorities, so that he may be cap
tured?"
poor devil! Let him go. He'll have
a hard time Of 1t as it is to keep out Of
the clutches Of the corporal's guard,
who, you may be sure, are after him by
this time. AS to the money, I'll take
care of it for him, for who knows that
| may not come across him one of these
days?"
Three days later the young man
whose clothes We're appropriated re-
ceived letter from the thief, brief and
to the point, thanking him for the tenn
porary aid afforded by the use Of his
garments and asking him to accept the
contents of the pocketbool as only too
small an equivalent for the service
rendered.
Hes an educated beggar, whoever
he is" said the recipient of the letter.
"But how the deuce did he know
your address,"
Gle found one of my letters in the
Clothes"
l was we'll acquainted with both
these young men and vouch for the
facts as narrated. Furthermore, can
relate the sequel.
A few years after the occurrences
herein narrated met at hotel in Bir-
mingham very sociable and agreeable
gentleman about seven or eight years
my senior. He seemed to take lik-
Ing to me and, after attending to his
business during the earlier part of the
day, invited me to drive out with him.
Subsequently dined with him and
went TO the theatpr with him in tho