Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-04-18

cape through the Dag. In the morn
ing got up carly and took the train
for London with my precious cargo.
At London il took but short time
TO rush into a compartment of the
Paris express, which was just de-
parting.
Here my real trouble began. L
put my precious bag on the frame
IN front of me. The carriage was
crowded, and l began. to doze after
the train started. Suddenly I look
ed up. A fellow passenger had seiz-
ed the bag and was about to throw
1t to the floor to make room for
some of his own luggage. Luckily
seized it in time. If | hadn't
well, | wouldn't have been here now
to tell the story.
After the train had progressed
half way to Dover one man in the
compartment said: Blast this rail
way servicei Here | got a head
ache, the first in my life, through
the ventilation Another also COM
planned OF headache, and by the
time we reached Dover there were
seven very i'll men in the compart-
ment.
81 was i'll, too, but / knew the
cause. 1t was the fumes of nitro
glycerin.
At Dover as we got on the boat
there was another narrow escape. A
stupid porter seized the Gladstone
bag and tried to balance it on his
head. / rescued it in time.
I'VE got aboard the boat at Calais
all right, and sat pensively watch
ing that internal bag, which rested
quietly, as if it had not been filed
with dynamite enough to blow mp
the ship, within ten feet of me.
The passage, thank heaven, was
smooth, but | felt pretty well done
up. | left the bag and walked down
into the cabin, thinking of the Gus
tom house officers who were await
ing us on the other side. At last 1
saw man = an interpreter, a
trenchman-and | decided to make
him help me. / sat down in the
cabin and began to weep. 1t isn't
hard if you know how. He said.
Does monsieur require anything?'
l looked up, wiped away my tears
and told him my sorrow.
cit was to the effect that nv wife
was dying in Paris. She had tele-
graphed me, and / was about TO
soothe her last moments by my pres
ence. He became immediately in
terested and begged me to cheer up.
l agreed to do so on condition that
he would join me in bottle of cham
payne, which he did gladly. AS we
Walked slipped two napoleons into
his hand and said:
Now want to get away Quick
on the first train. I've nothing but
satchel and don't want to be de-
tanned by the customs house at Ca
lais. Can you arrange matters p He
swore that he would and kept his
word. When the boat landed, nv
satchel was carried triumphantlv
ashore on the shoulders of my
friend the Interpreter, and passed
the customs house without a mo-
ment's delay.
"And so we went to Paris-the
Gladstone bag, filled with nitroglvc-
erin, and myself-and in course of
time arrived at the Care du Nord.
| hailed passing cab and directed
the driver to my address, but eau
toned him to avoid the rough
streets on the journey. Like all
Partisan hackmen, he did just the
opposite till l stopped him. NY
FRIEND said /, do you know what's
in that satchel you have between
your legs on the box? Well, sir,
there's enough dynamite to blow
your whole outfit to the devil. and
if you don't drive quieter the
chances are against you.' You new
er saw more careful driver after
that in your life.
FINALLY l arrived at nv rooms.
and the next day 1 got up early, for
| was beginning to get afraid of
that internal satchel by this time
myself, and went to Versailles.
where | stored the stuff safely in my
laboratory and exploded it at my
leisure.
81 wrote to Majendie in London
afterward, telling of my success,
and received short reply saying
that l ought to be in Jail this min
ute.
Funny, isn't it, that these Eng
lish officials have no sense of hu-
mor?'
And here the colonel lit another
cigar, while I watched the Gladstone
bag reflectively.