THE ROBBER DISAPPOINTED.
A few months ago, a farmer living a few miles from Easton, sent his daughter on horseback to that town, to procure from the bank smaller notes in exchange for one of one hundred dollars. When she arrived there the bank was shut, and she endeavoured to effect her object by offering it at several stores, but could not get her note changed. She had not gone far on her return, when a stranger rode up to the side of her horse, and accosted her with so much politeness that she had not the slightest suspicion of any evil intention on his part. After a ride of a mile or two, employed in very social conversation, they came to a retired part of the road, and the gentleman commanded her to give him the bank note. It was with some difficulty that she could be made to believe him in earnest, as his demeanour had been so friendly; but the presentation of a pistol placed the matter beyond a doubt, and she yielded to necessity. Just as she held the note to him, a sudden puff of wind blew it into the road, and carried it gently several yards from them. The discourteous knight alighted to overtake it, and the lady whipped her horse to get out of his power, and the other horse who had been left standing by her side, started off with her. His owner fired a pistol, which only tended to increase the speed of all parties, and the young lady arrived safely at home with the horse of the robber, on which was a pair of saddlebags. When these were opened, they were found to contain, besides a quantity of counterfeit bank notes, fifteen hundred dollars in good money! The horse was a good one, and when saddled and bridled, was thought to be worth at least as much as the bank note that was stolen.
As this story is somewhat wonderful, I enclose you my name as a voucher for the truth of it, and am yours, &c.
[Nat. Recorder.
MARIVAUX.
The following anecdotes from Esprit de Marivaux, a book, probably, not known to many of your readers, may serve to amuse some of them.
Marivaux was scarcely less remarkable for his indolence than his wit.—He was said to be "by nature the laziest creature in the world;" but his goodness appeared on the most trifling circumstances. He was one day setting out for the country with Mad. Lallemand de Bez. Marivaux and the lady's sister were already in the coach; she staid behind to give some orders to her domestics. In this interval, a sturdy young fellow, about eighteen or twenty, plump and fresh coloured, came to the coach door begging. Marivaux, struck with the contrast between the appearance and profession of the man, looked out, and reproved him. "Are you not ashamed," said he, "a young fellow in perfect health and vigour, to have the meanness to beg your bread, when you might procure it by honest labour?" The fellow, struck with this rebuke, was, at first, confounded and silent; but presently afterwards, scratching his head, exclaimed with a shrug and a sigh, "Ah! sir, if you did but know—I am so lazy!" Marivaux, who was himself sensible of the pain of labour, was so pleased with the fellow's confession, that he gave him a crown.
Fontenelle having heard that Marivaux was sick, and having just reason to fear that he, who never laid by any money, might be in want of it at such an exigence, went to him, and when they were alone, told him his suspicions. "Perhaps," says he, "more money may be convenient to you than you have by you.—Friends should never wait to be solicited; here is a purse with a hundred louis d'ors, which you must permit me to leave at your disposal."—"I consider them (said Marivaux) as received and used; permit me now to return them with the gratitude that such a favour ought to excite."—"What benevolence and generosity, in one of these friends," says the author, "what delicacy and greatness of mind in the other!"
[Nat. Gaz.