Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-07-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE ILLITERATE R01313-ER.  A gentleman who had been out late in. Paris on a very dark night was returning home with a lighted lantern in his hand, and while passing over the Point Neal he wariaccosteitby a stranger in a Jammer so polite and so supplicating that he stopped without hesitatiou. "You have a light," said the stranger, 'and will perhaps do ine the kindness to read this bit of paper which, I have just picked up. It may be of conseq ca." ' The gentleman held up his lantern and looked . first Upon the applicant, whom he found to be ' strong-buill, sinewy man, heavily bearded, and -very respectably dressed. Then he took the paper, and, to his amazement, read C. 3 follows:—" When you have read this speak not .a word! Speak,and you die! Give to rue year : : watch, your jewels, and your purse! Do this, and then silently depart, and you may live. Beware!" Daring robberies had recently been committed in Paris by bold and desperate men, and the gaitleanan had no doubt that he had met one of the fraternity. He had no weapon of defence with hint; and not caring to jeopardise his life, he deemed it most prudent to follow the directions thus silently given, and accordingly took out his watch and his purse, his rings and his breast phi, and delivered them up, at the same time taking another careful survey of the stranger's face, so that he might recognise him: should he ever after meet him. flaying done this without opposition, he made his way over the bridge as rapidly as possible. A week, or more, had elapsed, when one day, as the ,gentleman was Standing upon the Quill de la Conference, . he observed his robber friend of the Pout Neuf passing near at hand. Keeping the man in sist until lie could call in the aid of tho police, be mid him arrested and taken before a magistrate; and upon full ropreseutatien by the gentleman of all the circumstances, and upon direct accusation of the rubbery, he was sent to prison. When the robber was brought to the bar for ' trial he picked his teeth and stroked his beanl unconcernedly, and in answer to the indictment he pleaded not guiity most assuredly. Toe gentleman, who was tile only witness of the fact against the prisoner, swore positively to the robbery, and the identity of the person. The prisoner made his own defeuce; and he did it with an ca.sc and aasaraince to be found only in the most accoruplisned of his class. "Gentlemen," he said, "1 coMess that on the evening specified I did meet this gentleman on the Pont Neal; and the scone, as 'lie has related it, transpired between us. But, sift! I had no evil thought. It is my misfortune not to he abla to read. I had just picked up a piece of paper; and thinking it might be of inrportance, and seeing the gentleman had a lighted lantern in his hand Tasked hint to read it for me. I -would .have Evited him what he had found; but before I couid speak he pulled out his purse and his watch and thrust them into my bands, and also forced upon me his linger rings and diamond pin. I Was astounded. I thought him mad—perhaps lie meant to jump from the parapet into the river—suicide. Was it the paper had caused this? I was on the point of questioning him, when he turned and dashed away, leaving me, for the time, like one stupeded. When I recovered myself the thought flashed upon me that the paper might be of great value—some State secret, perhaps—and the stranger, wishing to keep it without question, had given me his valuables to get rid of Inc. Ha fair! I think it is I who ought to complain. I would like justice for -the useless excitement I have -suffered." Not a soul in court but believed the rascal was • guilty; but no formal demand upon the gentle, man for his money had been proved, and the man who could not read, but who could plead. with suoh skill and grace, was suffered to go free.