Smyrna times., 1906-06-13
Colonel Muggs
A"A 80 a. BY
\ sV~Ey Donald
<-~ 10 ~' A A Hen
Copyright, 1906, by X. A. Whitehead
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Grecian brigands. He was pompous
and portly. He wrote his name in big
letters on hotel registers and talked
about his mines and ranches. When he
reached Corinth he strutted a little
more than usual. He found there an
English lord, and, wanting to show
him that he wasn't the only prominent
parsonage about, he cut a swath as
wide as he could. Unknown to him
there was an article in a Greek paper
about him. He was said to be worth
S5OOO0,OOO and piling up millions more,
and that he talked of buying up all the
ruins in Greece and shipping them to
New York as a free gift to the city
Your true Greek brigand takes the
daily newspaper and pays special at
tentiOn to the society column. 1t was
on account of that newspaper article
that Colonel Muggs was taken in. He
hired a carriage and driver and guide
and two fiunkies and drove out into
the country from Corinth to do some
Interesting ruins, but before he was
half finished sight seeing he found that
the brigands had done him.
The colonel had made his arrange
ments overnight, and this had given
his guide time to send word TO the
gang. There were five of them, and
every man knew his business. They
came upon the colonel while he was
eating his lunch on a mass of masonry
many thousand years old. 1t was so
old that the brigands should have felt
awed, but they didn't.
As soon as they had made the colonel
understand that he was at their mercy
they turned to and ate up the rest of
his luncheon and wanted to punch his
head because he hadn't left more
When they had finished eating and
drinking they set out for the noun
tains.
The colonel exhibited a reluctance to
go with them, but they caused a
change of heart by pricki. =; him with
the points of their knives. One of
them could speak English fairly well,
and he explained that, while it was
| the intention to treat the captive with
due consideration until he had yielded
up the money, they couldn't permit
anything bordering ON the frolicsome
in his conduct.
Say. now. but who do you fellers
! take me for?" demanded the American,
as he was being hustled along.
I'VE have made no mistake" was the
reply. You are the man worth $780,
OOO.OOO."
Fifty million nOthings! Where did
you get hold of any such rot?'
I'm the newspapers. You shall see
them when we get to camp"
"Well, you are lot of fools. / have
been swelling around some, and have
! perhaps given a false impression, but
it's all being done on cheek. I'll tell
/ you straight that I'm from Meriden,
Conn, U. S. A. I'm no colonel, though
/ hate to admit it to a blamed gang of
robbers. I'm simply Joseph ]. Muggs.
travelling salesman for a clock fac
tory. / am over here to introduce
eight day clocks, and 1 have hardly
money enough to pay my hotel bill and
get out of town. If you've got hold of
me thinking to raise a stake, you are
going to get left
''We shall see," replied the leader,
while the smile on his face showed
that he thought the colonel was trying
to work off old stock on him.
After a five hour tramp they reached
headquarters in the hill. Headquarters
was dilapidated hut and a campfire
in a lonely spot. Some black bread
and roasted goats flesh constituted
supper, and later on the brigands sat
in circle around their captive, and
the leader said:
you shall have the freedom of the
camp as long as you are with us, but
some one will have an eye on you all
the time. The first move you make tc
escape will bring a bullet. In the
morning you may write a letter tC
II your banker, and it will be sent to the
town by messenger"
What in the devil shall l write tC
my banker about?" demanded the col
onel, who was tired and disgusted.
THAT he shall send us a sum equa
to what you would call S500,000 IL
your American money as your ran
SON."
Jupiter Jewkins, but are you crazy
! Have the whole five of you just escap
ed from some lunatic asylum? If yol
! want any further chat with me tonight
then don't talk through the top of you
. hat"
You will write in the morning." sal,
l the leader. while the others muttere,
Z under their breath.
!. "But have no banker in Corinth."
I "Then to the American consul. II
!. will help you to get the ransom none,
I from America. He will use the cable
I and in three days it will be here AM
you will be free"
"Say. old man." remarked the colone
I after hearty laugh, "this will be on
/. on me when l get back to Merider
I You seem to have got the idea tina
there are millions in the clock business
+ Let me tell you that if we show
1 per cent clean profits a year we ar
+ tickled to death. My bank balance /
4 the First national of Meriden is abou
4 ST."