Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-07-02
THE. DESERTER.
a Story and It's Sequel All In a
Nutshell.


S@*3%5~3%3~1e~5~9o3~s~3~sx
One sultry day two students went to
the river to battle, selecting secluded
spot where the water was overshadow-
I'd with trees which formed the out
ward fine dwelling a 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-
freshing stream. The river was deep,
aifording ample room for swimming
and diving and for the exercise of all
those aquatic evolutions 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 n man
hastily disrobing.
Somebody else getting ready for n
s%im," said one of them.
Yes, but it is deuced strange he
ctittt JUST tnul oIOlt ibN OthEl
remarked.
Keeping their eyes on the intruder,
as they swan with o somewhat quick
er stroke, they heheld him cast down
his last garment aud expected to see
him take a plunge. Imagine their sur
prise when. after turning toward them
and evidently fixing his gaze on them,
they saw him coolly begin to invest
himself in their rniment. Simultane-
ously they raised an outcry and struck
ont vigorously in order to intercept the
depredator before he could escape. The
distance between them and him was,
however, too great. and he WIS too ex-
Dert on donnlng their attire. Before
they reached the place he had disap-
pcared, and. on lnnding, they found
that he had appropriated the 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
a surprise for him.
Look" said he, pointing to a pile
of clothes on the ground. ~ found
these 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:
Hes desertei!''
But that isn't ALL" said the larger
youth. son the ground, under the
clothes, was this pocketbook, and 1t
contains Is Bank of England f5 notes
and over pound IN change"
The pocketbook was not such a one
ms we are used to nowadays, 1t was
inches by 4, of coarse brown leather,
well worn, and tied with string.
why, the fellow IL fool to turn
thief when he had all this money in
his pocket said one of them.
u don't know that" was the reply.
You see, his plan wos to keep out OF
sight so long MS he wore clothes that
would betray 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
u 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. WE'LL he has got cfl
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 himI'
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 1t ls
not bad bargain"
I'm sense you are right. l am nc
doubt entitled to as much OF 1t as will
replace the money and the clothes with
which he has dc2amped,"
Don't You think we ought to inform
the authorities, SO that he may be cap
tured:"
Poor devil. Let him 90, Hc'll have
u nurd time of 1t as Il is TO keep out of
the clutches of the corporals guard
who, you may be sure, are after him by
this time. As to the money. I'll take
care Of II for him. for who knows that
| may not come across him one OF these
days."
Three days later the young mau
whose clothes were appropriated re
ceived a letter from the thief, brief and
10 the point, thanking hIuj for the lem
porary aid afforded by the use of his
garments and asking him to accept the
contents of the pocketbook as only toe
small IN equivalent for the service
rendered.
He's an educated bcggar, whoever
he H." snid the recipient of the letter,
"But how the deuce did he know
your address,
He found one of my letters in the
clothes"