Bold Dick Donahue [pp. 113-124]

BOLD DICK DONAHUE.
the colony is as palpable to-day as was mirably for eight or nine months; had
the finger-mark of the Almighty on the tunneled his way through till he had
first murderer. got under the very floor on which was
In this congenial atmosphere did our deposited the iron safe containing the
hero grow up and flourish. In his day bullion and gold and silver coin of the
he was famous, and his fame has sur- institution, and next night would have
vived him; for in the long winter nights, brought his enterprise to a happy and
when the three-logged fire burns bright- successful termination by sawing through
ly and casts its sombre light on the dusky the floor and appropriating the contents
faces of the surrounding thick-bearded of the coveted safe-but that the Fates
bushmen, the most welcome song of the were not propitious. The "Blues," as
evening is Donahue sarcastically termed all police "Bold Dick Donahue." men, toward whom, by the way, he en Donahue's early biography would be tertained at all times commendable
specially interesting, I have no doubt, disgust-the "Blues," who are always
to such as are curious in tracing the poking their noses into other people's
development of that type of genius affairs," pinched" him on the very night
which our hero possessed to such an he was to have reaped the reward of his
eminent degree. Born of indigent pa- honest toil and laudable perseverance.
rents in the city of Dublin, he had He was offered a free pardon, if he
served an apprenticeship to the time- would turn informer and "peach" on
honored art of picking pockets; but the his compatriots; but Donahue was
precocity of his genius keeping pace made of sterner stuff, and preferred
with the development of the physical honor and an unsullied reputation to
man, he relinquished that business and liberty and freedom. He was therefore
took to the profession of housebreaking. sentenced to pass the remainder of his
As in the lower grade he evinced an days in the penal colony of New South
adaptability and fertility of genius, Wales.
coupled with a rapidity of execution, Carter's Barracks, in Sydney, was in
that often elicited the applause and those days the ddp6t, great reservoir,
patronizing smiles of his tutors, so in and receptacle of British felonry; and
the higher walk of his profession he dis- here our hero was regularly installed in
played such promptitude, boldness, and due time. Here he was assigned his
dash as astonished his contemporaries, cell, his plank or mattress, and his
and threw his rivals completely in the blanket.
shade. "At home for life!" exclaimed Don Donahue had a long and brilliant ahue, jocularly, as the turnkey ushered
career, and by unremitting industry and him into his "furnished apartments."
perseverance, had worked himself at "No insolence, sir!" retorted that
last into the wholesale business. In this important personage.
line he went into a large speculation- "Insolence!" exclaimed our hero,
not lessf indeed than that of undermin- really surprised at the novel interpretaing the Bank of Ireland, with a view of tion. "Bless yer soul, sir, I'd be the
"settling its accounts." He had a last in the world to-I'm the pink of
peculiar talent for finance in general; modesty, I am."
but evinced a decided taste for "set- "Silence, sir!" indignantly interrupted
tling" the affairs of banks, and of jewel- the awful personage aforesaid, giving
ry shops in particular. Donahue a shove which knocked him
In this speculation he succeeded ad- over against the wall. After which little
[AUGUST,
II4