The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1883-08-11 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

ONE NI(HT ONLY. MR. CHAPMAN SMITH (Late of the Principal Lawton ThEatres)  Will give this evening a reading from the poets and dramatists, selected from the following pieces. Mr. Chapman Smith has been frequently complimented by the London and provincial press, and his entertainment is alike calculated to elevate the mind and raise the spirits. Mr. Chapman Smith desires it to be fully understood that his engagements in town and country only permit him to remAin here one evening. Then followed a long list of subjects "from the poets and dramatists," and at the end were "pri es of admission." The prices, however, were lit blank, to be filled in at proper time and place, and in accordance with the circumstance 3 of tho audience whom Mr. Chapman Smith proposed to address.  There could be little doubt it was the unfortunate Mr. Chapman Smith who now lay dead at Dr. Thornton's feet. Whence he came, there would be little difficulty in discovering, since he had evidently been appearing before audiences "for one night only" along the route he travelled. His dress and valuables did not speak much for the success of his readings, but then the poor fellow might have been railed -as well as murdered. Dr. Thornton put the green handbill into his pocket; and, taking out a silk handk, rehief, made a bundle of the rest of the property. The body, still covered by Jessie's shawl, was lifted into the cart, and the party stood ready to depart. 'You had letter rake that fire out a bit before you go, or you may get into trouble," suggested the doctor.  ----• The man left the horse's head once more, sullenly kicking at the ashes with his big boots to disperse them; then, without s word, he went back to his  place. and gave old Lase an ill-tempered jerk as • signal to stmt. Slowly rolled the cart with its dreadful burden, Joe a few paces ahead of his horse, and the doctor and the two women following behind. As it moved off the grass into the road, the conveyance lurched with such force that poor Jessie could net resist a cry of alarm. They turned into the high load, and emitinued their slow and silent progress. The weird elms, looking more ghostly than before, held up their attrightening arms at the avalcade, and the hedges, not yet in leaf, seemed to shelter spectres of fantastic form, huddled together to watch the dead man pass. Not a word was spoken during the weary march. The wind, with the approach of morning, sought its rest, and screamed no longer among the trots; but the air, growing keener and fresher in the early hours, numbed the travelli rs with cold. Law: was feeble as well as old, and the progress was toe slow to keep them warm. " Halt:" suddenly cried the doctor.' They were still some distance from the village, in front of a low cottage with a deeply-thatched roof. The man stopped the cart immediately, and waited further orders. lie did not have to wait long. " You are a good hand at waking people. Just try your hand here." Joe Simons left his hone to do as lie was bid, the women crying with cell and distress as tLe man threw handful after handful of gravel against the cottage window, A light appeared, and then • man's voice at the door demanded who called. "It's the doctor," returned the Gornal man. "Yes," shouted Thornton. "There's some work for Ton to do, so get a coat to your back." Presently the village constable—for it was no other—opened the door and came out with a lantern.