The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-03-06


do not remember whether com.
| pleted my signature, but know
made an expansive blot--to the great
disgust Of the hotel clerk. But at
that particular moment that was a
small matter. almost fell on the
rose. Yes; itwas my friendly New
l'York rose somewhat faded, true, but
the same. And my good luck did
not end here, for on the back of the
chair was the most recent copy OF
the New York Herald to reach An.
gusta, opened at place where stood
out fiaring headlines describing the
great bank robbery started to read
this, but found the sheet so mutilatei
and crumpled, especially where the
name Of the suspected culprit appear.
ed, that had no doubt whatever that
i was hot, very hot. on that worthy's
trail.
1T was supper time, and needless
to say digestion waited on appetite
AS the saying is, everything in the
garden looked lovely. was not
through with my worries, but ! had
brushed bunch of them aside in
the last hour. The meal over light.
ed my best cigar and sauntered up
to that clearing house OF gossip, the
hotel bar When finally alone with
the barman, remarked, casually,
that young M had been there that
day, as though it was the most nat
ural thing in the world that such an
event must he known to him. And
was right in my guess. Sure said
the liquor mixing artist, but he
didn't stop long-he drove over to his
uncle's place outside Parkville say,
he looks fine, and must be handling
the dough all right up in old New
York
sBulrs-eye, first shot, was my I'M
expressed comment, then out loud,
so you know his uncle, them The
barman guessed he did-who didn't?
What was he like? A tough UNI,
b'heck, but he has the devils own
luckgot scot free out Of two muir.
der charges
My cigar began to draw a little
hard at this titbit of information, but
did not leave for my room until
had laid all incipient suspicion on
the barman's part. When awoke,
early next morning too. was con
scious that /. had had a peaceful and
restful sleep. / drove over to Park.
Vile, but owing to the lameness of
my horse / did not reach the little
town till well after midday. Determ.
lining to leave the animal here or
dered lunch and meanwhile informed
myself of the exact whereabouts Of
Mr.. Theodore Ms donicile. was
informed that he lived in clump of
woods some five miles west cf tie
town, but the walking was good. Az
ter my experience with a lame horse
the prospect of a five-mile jaunt In
the cool of summers day looked
positively inviting, and half hour
later found me we'll on my way.
The unexpected. however, showed
on this occasion its usual proneness
to happen, and as darkness set in /
began to suspect that I was either
walking five Irish instead of five
American miles, or, in my devotion
to natures attractions by the way, !
had strayed from the straight road.
Certainly, / had found the woods. or
forest, all right, for high trees stalk
ed Off into the gloom all around me,
but all did not seem right with the
road, or rather the gradually narrow
ing path under my feet. hesitated
~ was lost.
My wanderings then became prae-
tically aimless, and bewildered. For
the next couple of hours whether or
not was describing circles don't
know, but the little of light remain
| ing discovered me at the end, as the
lawyers say, in statu quo ante-trees,
trees on every side, with not habi-
tation in sight. and me utterly fag-
| ged There was nothing for it but to
grope around for some friendly tree
stump and there while away the hours
| till neutrality-suspicious. to dream, but
scarce to sleep. There are no messy
banks innocent of reptiles and other
creeping things provided by nature
for the traveller lost in Georgia for
ests.
The stump found, put my head
| in my hands, and proceeded to draw
on my philosophy. And sorry bust.
ness it was. The COMPUTATIONS of the
lighted canons of New York almost
drove me frantic. but / won't dilate
further in this strain. had enjoyed
these agonizing transports for per-
haps half hour or so when, happen
| ing to raise my aching head, Thought
l saw light deep down among the
trees. / submitted my optics to the
usual tests of Doubling Thomases,
and found to my intense delight that
this was no will-o' the-wisp. / forced
my creaking limbs through the brush
and underground in its direction and
| in few minutes drew up before a