The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-15
his confusion in the pewter.

n
his confusion in the pewter. g, .i.
every odd," said Mr.. Pluckett. "bu
descriptions of the gent just answers to you
Mr.. Thompson. I'm dashed IL l didn'
think you was the cove when opened tn
door to you but, Of course, q man wouldn'
come here to look for lodgings II he wante'
to keep out of the way Of the sherif's Off
GERS. Ha! hal" sr. as f-l O.
"Ha ha !" laughed Thompson, nthe
on the wrong side Of his mouth" ofcours
not" ......f ..
Scents name,' continued Mr.. Pluckett
looking Mt his pocket-book, "is-let me Sc
-Spsrkes;. tall, dark hair and whiskers
brown eyes, and turn-down collar. 1 dar'
say, by this time, he has shaved his whisker
Of, and taken to wear all-rounder. lila
hasr-
"iIa ha :" echoed Thompson. 81 dar'
say you arc upto all such dodges, Mr.. Pluck
ctt."
Mr.. Pluckett winked as much as to say
'rathcr."
The stout having come to an end, Mr.
Pluckett took his leave, hoping Mr.. Thomp'
son would find his lodgings comfortable.
Mr.. Sparkes's first impulse, on the depart
ure of Pluckett, was to escape at once. lie
started up, seized his carpet.bag, and wal
making for the door, when he heard u foot
step in the passage. Some ono knocked at
the door. Mr.. Sparkcs dropped his bag, fell
into chair, and cried, "come in" with
contcmpoaneous precision.
II was Pluckett's servant come to put the
gentleman's bedroom to rights.
There was no escape now. As the damsel
carried of his bag into the next room, Mr..
Sparkes resolved to take his chance in the
lions den.
Days wore on, and Mr.. Sparkes continued
to dwell in security, Mr.. Pluckett having
clearly no suspicious with respect to his
lodgcr. Landlord and lodger became fast
friends. They werc continually smoking
pipes and drinking beer together and in
the evening, they would playa game at
cribbage over hot gin and water. On these
occasions, Mr.. Pluckctt would relate the ad-
ventures of the day, and describe with in
finite gus.o the capture of Jobson in the dis
guisc off brown wig and green spcctacles
how he had hailed Smith just as hc was
stepping on board the Antwerp boat; OF
how some one who had sustained siege oil
three months in an old house in Camden
Town, had at last capitulated through Mr.
Pluckett's cleyerness in cutting of his sup
ply of water.
Thompson was naturally anxious to know
how Pluckett had got on about Sparkes
but us Pluckett did not for sometime volun
tcer any information, he thought it prudent
70 refrain from broaching SO delicate u sub
iect. Pluckctt had evidently not caught
Sparkes, or he would have been too happy
to say SO. At length, one evening, while
Thompson was shufIling the pack for a new
game, Pluckett, gazing thoughtfully at the
smoke which curled from his pipe, said:-
You remember, Mr.. Thompson, Of my
speaking to you of a young gent of thcnam'
Of Sparkes, that was after"
"Sparkes, Sparkes," said Thomspon, In
a remembering tone, and flicking the card'
=" ah, I think l do"
well,"said Pluckett, "Ihayen't caught
him."
"Havcn't you?" said sparkes, with ii
much Indifference as he was master Of.
",No," said Pluckett; "and II ycxcs me
rather"
Docs II now?" said Sparkcs, throwing
little more commiseration into his tone.
alt does, Mr.. Thompson. Of course he'd
cut from his lodgings; but 1 couldn't gel
anything out of the people about him. The
old woman said he'd gone to Jericho, she
supposcd' and the gal said she shoulden''
wonder ifhe'd gone to Bath to get his head
shaved"
Thompson conld not refrain from laugh.
ing at what he knew was nothing more thar
natural impcrtincnce Of his landlady and heI
+" slayey !" but finding Mr.. Pluckctt inclin'
ed to take the matter seriously, he suggest.
ed gnvely, that Sparkos might still be in
hiding at his old lodgings.
Mr.. Pluckett shook his head. No, Mr..
Thompson. I'm clear about that. He's
left the neighborhood; but never mind, I'll
pitch upon him one of these odd days, 'or
my names not Pluckett," and Mr.. p. led
with the knave of clubs.
Mr.. Pluckett continued for some days TO
return home from his hunting of human
of the human species without having pitch
ed upon Sparkes. 1t vexed him more and
more.
~ am really ve1cd, Mr.. Thompson, about
this chap. I can't pitch upon him any
how; and yet people tell me they'v seen
him about. Levy knows him, and heswears
that he saw him only yesterday admiring
the new statute of Sir Robert Peel in Cheap
sidc-in Cheapside, Mr.. Thompon, and in
broad day-ah and more than that, filcr's
clerk over the way-who knows him from
having served him with a ummons-declarcs
that he saw him pass my door, and actually
look in at the window.
Mr.. Thompson took the matter seriously,
as it became him, and condoled with Mr..
Pluckett.
1T Injuries mo, this sort Of thing" said
Pluckett "if this goes on much longer my
reputation will suffer-"
Mr.. Thompson wished sincerely he could
belp NJ p1uckett In tho matter. Whnt