The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
London Sllarpers.

i correspondent of the Metropolitan tells a
oood story Of them. Hehad been robbed of his
gatch and safety chain without being aware
ofthe depreciation, and, he proceeds: "a
al was mentioning my adventure at dinner,
and wondering how could have been robbed
40 easily on the part of the thief and so un-
consciously on tie part Of myself, when one Of
those practical wags whom one occasionally
meets in society, and who happened to be Of
the party, declared with look Of lamb-like
innocence, that he saw fiothing at all strange
ia it,: for said he, the London pickpockets
are so expert, that put your money where you
will, they III have it."
This i, suspecting nothing, ventured rather
to doubt, whereupon this gentleman-for so
must call him-said that he would bet me twen-
ty pounds that, put my money where pleased,
London thief should get it away from me be-
tween Charing Gross and the Royal Ex-
change. This seemed to me, having conceived
little project Of mine own for its Illustration,
acontrivance next to impossible; SO when he
said he would bet the twenty sovereigns, l said,
Done, and he said, Done who was done
eventually you shall hear.
The only condition which was imposed upon
me was to tell my friend whereabout my per-
son meant to carry my property; to this Of
course l consented, and then come out the
depth of my contrivance and the ingenuity Of
my precautions. ga guinea" said to the
gentleman, +" is the property mean to preserve,
and in order to do so, mean to carry it in my
mouth"
The company laughed heartily at my oppo-
ncnt, and gave me the greatest possible credit
for my readiness, and we finished the evening
with much harity, and at the close of our sit
ting, the following day was fixed for my expert
mental journey from King Charles the First at
Charing Cross to the Royal Exchange on
Cornhill.
Well away went, holding the golden por-
traiture Of his late majesty George the Fourth,
as tight between my teeth as had formerly
held bit of wood while under the painful dis
cpline of DIR. Waddington's birch at school,
resolved that no power should induce me to let
60 my guinea.
All succeeded according to my wishes. The
tall portal Of Exeter Hall, already for Cog and
Magog when they walk westward, and the
heightened avenue of Waterloo bridge, were
passed in safety, Somerset House, the Strand
rheater, Jones 'slLucifer shop, the Lancet Office,
Pauls banking house, and 1wining's tea shop,
were successfully achieved: when just thinking
ofan epgram on said shop, which | recollected
to have seen some years since in a newspaper,
and which, dare say, every body else has for
gotten. repeated to myself the thing, which
runs thus:
II Il seems as if nature ha dcuriosity planned
1nat names should with calling agree;
There's 1tcin;ag the tea-man whovesin in the Strand,
Would be 'cintng if robbed Of his 7.
Just as had finished, heard prodigious
hoiser and in q minute found myself in the
middle OF Q crowd assembled, as it appeared to
me, like Roderick Dhu's troops, at a precoll-
eerted cert signal. There l was IN she midst of it.
What then said l /; let what may occur say
nothng; shall keep my mouth shut, and
Keep my golden opinion to myself; nothing
snal drop from the honorable gentleman, y
winch Shall endanger my treasure and my bet.
'"'Come, what's all this here noise about !"
sad policeman? move on"
Move on shir !" said poor Jew boy, his
eyes streaming with tears. 81 wish l could
move on; but desc coot gentlemens have run
s'snt against me and upset my box With all my
'azors, and combs, and shigsars."
"foor boy!" said one man, "a remarkably
genteel looking Individually here my poor
M .Slow!" and he picked up comb for him.
Ihen came another who handed him razor
OF two, and so on, until it appeared to me he
nad collected the whole contents Of his box
s ~hen another gentleman said to him, +" Well
!a, s.osee, have you got all your rattle traps
together again?"
""All but my guinea, SIR said the boy ga
guinea vich is all the monish l half in do whole
sarsal world dat I shoppose is rolled in the
muds."
"Muds, Noses" said little urchin with q
snab nose and a hairy cap-I never shall for
get his countenance-" what dye mean by
muds l seed that ere gentleman with black
seoGS G pick it up ever so long ago."
Inc policeman looked me full in the face, SC
stock.
What did he do with it, my dear {? said a
6fobdignagean woman without bonnet, ad
dressing the imp who had just spoken.
Ivy, he vipt it into his mouth" said the
arGhm: Shli, e" seed him with my own eyes,"
with whose eyes he should have seen such
assht except his own, did-not stay to ask