The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-01-04
AN INHERITANCE,
[Qriginall


hood, but listen to what am about to
tell you.
wish could make you understand
the difference in this early part of the
nineteenth century, when Mr.. Stephen
son has succeeded in drawing coaches
by steam, and the middle OF the eight
eenth, when coaching was in its prime
and we who rode had the excitement
of an occasional robbery. The high
wayman was not the brute who now
murders first and robs afterward, but
was often chivalrous, especially to wo-
men. When l was girl of twenty I
Travelled from London to York with my
father, and on the road we met one of
those gentlemen. We We're passing a
lonely part of the road in the dusk of
the evening when we heard an order
to the coachman to stop. A masked
man rode up to the coach window,
holding a pistol in our faces and de-
handing our valuables. His voice was
soft and musical. his hand was white
and shapely. and l noticed the lace that
My father had but little money with
him, but did have valuable snuffboX
that had been presented him by the
king himself He told the highway
man that if he would send it to our
house in York his messenger should re-
ceive five times it's value and no ques-
lions asked. The robber scarcely SEEM
n i,,ta No
me, not the wrinkled old woman of to-
day, but with as fair skim as blue
an eye, as golden a head of hair as
any girl il England.
"Good SIR said the robber. 81 would
not take your snuffboN but for the
opportunity 1t gives me to take it TO
your house myself and if decline the
price you put upon it please set the
fact down to the influence of the young
lady beside you, whoA beauty and in
nocence prevent my retaining any ar
ticle of yours. have the honor, sir, to
bid you a very good evening"
Raising his hat with all the grace of
q courtier he turned away, directing
the coachman to drive on.
in town, and after attending numerous
entertainments at the homes of our
friends we concluded to return the
civilities by giving masked ball Our
house was lighted with thousand
candles, and the costumes of the guests
were Of the richest and widest variety.
One of the gentlemen personated
highwayman, wearing a brace of pis-
tolls in his belt, with an ugly looking
knife to match. He came up to me
and asked me to dance. The moment
he spoke recognized the man who had
robbed us on the road from London.
I permitted him to lead me in the
minuet. He danced so gracefully, his
figure was so symmetrical, he was so
courtly in his manner that every one
noticed him. When the dance was
finished he led me away to window
where we stood partly screened behind
the curtains. Then he handed me my
fathers snuffbox.
GLOW did you dare come here?" l
asked
II would have dared anything to see
Scu again." he replied.
go at once" l said. "You will be
caught. Every one has noticed you"
II would willingly hang for the pleas
ure 1 have gained in one dance with
you"
Despite the danger he ran we talked
together so continuously that we be-
gan to excite attention. A strange hap
piness thrilled me. This fascinating
highwayman had caught the fancy of
and to know that he was risking his
life to be with me was supremacy de-
nghtful. l feared for him, but could
not bear to let him go. Finally 1 saw
my father coming toward us with flash
Ing eyes. l knew by the way he look
ed at my companion that he had got
some clew to his identity We vanish
ed in the crowd, slipped through
door into the garden, and my highway
man passed off the place in safety.
Later, when my father found me,
gave him the snuffboX. He sent out
to notify the police that the highway
man was in town, but he was never
caught
One spring morning 1 was sitting in
the garden in the rear of the house
when above the wall / saw the head
of a man. was about to scream when
he spoke. recognized the voice of
my highwayman lover. He persuaded
me to make an appointment With him
in wood near the city, and there we
met on several occasions. He confess
ed that he was the second son of no.
bleman who had taken to the road
from Il keen love of adventure. He
finally persuaded me at one of our
meetings to go with him to magis-
trate and be married. never returned
to my home, but sailed to France with
your grandfather.
Don't start, don't bend your head for
shame, at learning that you have de-
scended 'front.' will not say high
wayman-a nobleman whose love for
adventure blighted his life and made
Inn nx-i1o h,,cl 1,la