The Weekly Ottumwa Courier

In three Powerful Acts!!! Tragedy (Hard) Comedy, and Farce. All's Well that Ends Well !!! SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY. The principal character in this powerful drama, that has so intensely agitated the denizens of our quiet city during the space of one mortal week past, and which started out as a promising tragedy, but which has just terminated in a roaring farce, was the redoubtable C. S. Sherman; he of the exquisite kids, the invincible presence, tho adorable figure, the captivating manners, the love of a moustache, the model church goer and theirresistable stormer of the hearts of the fairest flower of the cuisine department of the "Ballingall." The readers of the Courier are already acquainted with his arrival here, and his eloquent exploits; how he managed to insinuate himself into the confidence and affections of the aforesaid gushing damsel, and also how he diddled Devin and the Bank out of four-hundred and fifty dollars. and then his evacuation to parts unknown together with his inamorata. The next scene in this thrilling drama shifts us to the flight of the swindler and girl; the hurrying to's and fro's in hot haste of the deluded victims; the rapid pursuit; the subordination of the telegraph north south, west, to the ends of justice; their capture at Fort Madison; their return to Ottumwa, and the establishment of the seductive Sherman in the jail, and, finally, the unparalleled foot-race from the jail to the Ottumwa House between the champion racer of the Bank and the fleet-footed attorney of Sherman, when the blood and bottom of the bank champion triumphed in that desperate nip-and-tuck encounter. The last scene of all in this strange eventful story, is the arraignment of the supposed-to-be culprit before a supposed-to-be outraged law: the discovery at an opportune time that obtaining $450.00 on false pretences wasn't so great an offence after all. provided the culprit was young, accomplished and fascinating—especially so if he happened to have plenty of baggage, and was suffering with tubercular consumption; the arrival of his baggage, the contents of which seemed to pan out sufficient to mollify the feelings of the outraged parties and to close the eyes of the officers of the law; and, finally, his liberation from durance vile, where he had been foully confined for ever so many mortal hours! Finale : Sherman reestablished at his old "perch" at the head of the table at the " Ballingall" the observed of all observers and cock of the walk generally ; emerging from this exploit with a fine experience that will be of great value to him hereafter in re-enacting this performance on some other equally gullible community, the only sufferers in this case all being an outraged law, and a patient long suffering public. Let US PRAY!