The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-08-21

TO have a suspicion after their return
that little job had been put up, but
the father came forward and guaran-
teed the hotel bill, and not great deal
was said. Two days later an ugly
faced native presented Wallace with a
note from Burns. He had not only
been carried of, but the brigands want
ed $1,000 in gold for his ransom. In
his trunk he had about $3.50, bat they
had refused that. The rascals took it
that he was a rich mans prospective
son-in-law and that the $1,000 would
be forthcoming at once, but the Ameri-
can carried the note to the British con-
sulate. The minister was off on a jun
ket, and the official in charge had no
intention of hustling In the matter. He
said he would notify the Greek govern
ment and that In due time the matter
would be Strengthened out. Two days
later there was a second note. Burns
said if the messenger came back with
out the cash he would lose one Of his
ears. When this was handed in at the
consulate, it was greeted with the re-
mark:
1.-THE case must take the usual chan
nels, and he was an ass to go and get
captured"
Two days passed again, and this
time the messenger handed Mr.. Wal
lace bulky letter. Its bulk arose from
the fact that one of Burns ears was
inclosed. In the letter he stated that
unless the cash was raised he would
lose the other. The sight Of the ear
stirred them up at the consulate-that
Is. another demand was made on the
Greek government, and the Greek gov
eminent replied that the case would
be taken up in it's regular order. Then
Wallace did a handsome thing. The
messenger had been detained to see
what the minister would do, and, as it
was plain that nothing would be done
until too late, the ransom was handed
over. 1t was three days before the
captive was handed over. His right
ear had been sliced off as slick as you
please, and he had had hard time of
1t moving about on the mountains in
the company of the villains. He did
not come to the hotel, but sent for
me to come to the lodgings he had Sc
cured. While his gratitude to Wallace
was unbounded and he said he would
speedily arrange to repay him, he did
not want to meet him.
''Egad," said he, ''but doncher see
how 1t Is? The hero is no hero, but an
ass! He must have seen through my
little game. The fact is, the two bloody
villains / had hired for the little COM
edy began to fall down and beg for
their lives before l had fired shot.
believe the old gent was smiling when
the donkeys started to run. The brutes
overdid it, doncher see. No, can't
see him. He'd quite knock me out as
he'd take my hand and press 1t and
say, Hero, thank thee for thy gallant
conduct"
"But the girlT' queried.
"Egad, but that's worse yet. saw
her looking at one of the bloody vii
lains to see where he was hit, and l
heard her ask her father If the fellow
wasn't doing some tall running for a
wounded man. / couldn't face it,
doncher know. She might fall on my
shoulder and call me a hero and de-
clare that I had saved her life, but it's
more likely that she'd welcome me as
the prize donkey of the century. Real
ly, but couldn't take chances, doncher
know"
"And how about your volcanic and
overwhelming love. angels on earth,
and so forthT'
"Why. hang it, man. can't you see
the blooming situation? Haven't / lost
a blooming ear and made an ass of my
self, and does one cared ass love like
two cared man? Can't you see, and
doncher, know, that the rest of my
blooming life will be spent in feeling for
the ear that's probably been thrown
out to the bloody dogs of Athens? And
when Pm not feeling for the ear I'll be
training a lock of hair to fall down
over where it ought to be. and IL there
is any time left, I'll put 1t in In kick
Ing myself. doncher see%
saw and sent his belongings over
to him and gave him my sympathy.
and that evening when l told Miss
Wallace that he would depart on the
boat a small grin lowered around her
mouth as she replied:
Papa must find me that ear as u
souvenir