Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-10-20
EVENING STAR.
TALLY-HO THOMPSON.
A STORY or rHs LONDON pKrKc,1xr

|
famous horse stealer, couper, and magsma an
thompson, In conjunction with pal that oc
casionally worked with him, gammoned
countryman out Of good round sum of money
under preteDce of getting him situation-th
regular old dodge-and was afterwards in tn
Hue and Cry for a horse-a horse that b.
stole, down in Hertfordshire. | had to Iool
after Thompson, and 1 applied myself, O
course, in the first instance to discoyerip,
where he was. Now, Thompson's wife lived
along with little daughter, at Chelsea
knowing that Thompson was somewhere IL
the country, l watched the house-especially
at post time In the morning-thinking tha
Thompson was likely to write to her. Sure
enough, one morning the postman comes up
and delivers letter at Mrs Thompson's door
Little girl opens the door and takes it in
| We're not always sure of postmen, though the
people at the post-cfices are always very OBJ
| liging. postman may help US, or he may
not-just as il happens However, L 90 across
the road, and L say to the postman, after he
has left the letter, 'Good morning how are
you " How are you p says he you've
just delivered a letter for Mrs. Thompson p
Yes, have. You didn't happen to re-
mark what the post mark was, perhaps No, ,
says he, Il didn't Come SAYS L, I'm be
plain with you. I'm in a small way of busi.
ness, and have given Thompson credit, end
can't afford to lose what he owes me. L
know he's got money, and L know he's in the
country, and If you could tell me what the
post-mark was, should be very much obliged
To you, and you'd do a service to a tradesm an
III a small way Of business that can't afford a
loss Well, he said, do assure you that
did not observe what the post-mark was all
L know Is, that there was money in the letter
i should say a sovereign This was enough
for me, because OF course / knew that Thomp-
son having sent his wife money, it was prob
able she'd write TO Thompson by return of
post to acknowledge the receipt. So 1 said
Thankee' to the postman, and kept on the
watch. In the afternoon L saw the little girl
come out. Of course followed her She went
into stationsr's shop, and needn't say to
you that L looked in at the window. She
bought some writing-paper and envelopes,
aid pen. L think to myself, 'That'n do,'
watch her home again, and don't 20 away,
you may be sure, knowing that Mrs. Thomp-
son was writing her letter to Tally-ho, and
that the letter would be posted presently. In
about an hour or so, out came the little girl
again, with the letter in her hand.
L went up, and said something to the child,
whatever it might have been but couldn't
see the direction Of the letter, because she
held it with the seal upwards However, L
observed that on the back of the letter there
was what we call kiss-a drop Of wax by the
side of the seal-and again, you understand,
letter, waited till she had gone, then went into
the shop and asked to see the master When
he came out, told him, "NOw, Pm an officer
in the Detective Force there's a letter with a
kiss been posted here just now, for a man / m
in search Of; and what L have to ask of you
is. that you will let me look at the direction
of that letter " He was very civil-took a lot
Of letters from the box in the window-shook
EN- out on the counter with the faces down.
wards-and there among 'em was the identical
letter with the kiss. Ii was directed, Mr.
Thomas Pigeon, Post Office, b, to be left
till called for" Down l went to B IA
hundred and twenty miles or SOY that night
Early next morning went to the post office :;
saw the gentleman in charge of that depart
jsct was to see and track the party that should
come for the letter for Mr.. Thomas Pigeon
lie was very polite, and said, /" You shall have
every assistance We can give you You can
wait inside the Office; and vel take care to
let you know when anybody comes for the
| letter" Well, waited there three days, and
began to thing nobody ever sooutd come At
last the clerk whispered to me, Here De
tective. Somebody's come for the letter 80
"Keep him minute" said L, and I ran
round to the outside of the Office There
saw young chap with the appearance of an
ostler, holding horse by the bride, stretch
ing the bride across the pavement while he
waited at the post Office window for the letter.
began to pat the horse, and tn at; and said
to the boy, Why, this is MIR. Jones' mare -
" No, it MT" No? said 1 - she's yery
like like Mr. Jones' mare" "She amt Mr..
Jones' mare, anyhow" says he; "it's Mr.
SO and-SOs, of W Warwick Arms" And up he
Jumped, and of he went-letter and all.
got a cab, followed on the box and was SO
quick after him, that L came into the stable
| } ard Of the Warwick Arms by one gate Just as
| he came in by another. L went into the bar
| where there was young woman serving, and
| called for glass of brandy and water. lie
came in directly, and handed her the letter.
She casually looked at it without saying any
thing, and stuck it up behind the glass over
| the chimney piece. What was to be done
| next?
"I turned it over in my mind while drank
| my brandy and water, docking pretty sharp
at the letter all the while,D but couldn't see
my way out Of it at all. tried to get lodging
in the house. but there had been horse fair OF
something of that sort, and it was full. wa
| obliged 10 put up somewhere else, but
came back wards and forwards to the bar for 8
! couple ef days, and there was the letter al
| ways behind the glass At last thought I'D
| write letter to Mr.. Pigeon myself, and SEE
| what that would do. So L wrote one, anC
posted it, but L purposely addressed it, Mr.
| John Pigeon, instead of Ar. Taonas Pigeon
| 10 see WnaI tHQt NOuld uO An lne mOrulbt
| "a very wet morning it wasl L watched tn,
| postman down the street, and cut into the ba
just before he reached the Warwick Arms
In he csme presently with my letter. Il
there Mr. John Pigeon staying here I? No
stop bit though says the barmaid; and sh
took down the letter behind the glass. No,
says she, it's Thomas, and he is not stayin
here Would you do me a favor, and pos
| this for me, as it is so wet" The pOStma al
! said yes she folded it in another envelop
| and directed it, and gave it him. He put
in his hat and away he went.
81 had no difficulty in finding out the direc
ton of that letter II was addressed, Mr.
Thomas Pigeon, Post Office R, Northamp
tonshire, to be left until called for Of
started directly for R.. L said the sam
at the post Office there as l had said at B
and again l waited three days before an
body came. Amy letters for Thomas Pigeon
sWhere do you come FROM New Inn, nes
r. He got the letter, and away he wen
at canter.
az made my inquiries about the New I'M
near R, and hearing il was a solitary Sol
of house, little in the horse line, about