The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-12-12

~" "a s"aeIs hover Ger the group serene.
1nssssd q odor in . censer swune, t'S
Tnere heats the fragrance Of an INFANT soasos'
rbsn ,uupling headlons into waiting beds,
Rcneath the sheets they hide their tmid heads,
Til slumher steals away their idle fears
And ike peeping bud esch face appears
An dressed like angels in their gowns Of white,
They're waited to the skies IN dreams OF nisns
And heaven will sparkle in their eyes at morn,
And stolen graces all their ways adorn. @
THE PICKPOCKET,
Or tie Feliy s1 Practical Jskins.
sYes. l consider him tip-top fellow il
almost every respect; hs has but one fault
said l, in reply to q question from Bot
Smith.
uNonseuseD' returned Bob. How Car
YOU make such foolish statement a. that
The man is not alive who has but one fault;
we all have scores Of faults. 1t Is only
When a man practises one particular vice,
that we put ali other follies out OF slgnt,
and saw he has but one fault l myself
used to be one of these frst-rate fellows
Who had but one fault, and most unlovsly
course of sprouts did have to 60 through
To effect q cure. The rock upon which !
split was darling sin that did most easily
bsset me. From boyhood, was afflicted
with an almost irresistible propensity for in
dulging in practical jokes; many . trouble
some scrape did get myself into, and many
a friend did lose by such means. Butnoth-
ing, however serious might be the result,
could deter me, when an opportunity offered,
for practising my absurd sport. II my VIC
tins we're angry and indignant, Ionly laugh
ed the louder, and wondered that they could
not see the fun of the thing, But atlength,
one of my most exquisite jokes recoiled ON
myself with so much force, that can new
er even think of practical joke, without q
writhe at the disagrseabls recollections the
thought suggests.
sAs was ascending the steps Of the Ex-
change reading-room, one day, about two
years ago, l saw, a little in advance Of me,
my intimate friend, Dick Jones. Accele-
rating my pace to overtake him, l observed
the corner of large pocket-book protrud-
ing from his coat pocket, and l said to my
self. sWhat careless fellow that Dick
Jones is! I'll give him a lesson that will
make him more careful in future.' Coming
close behind him. adroitly transferred the
we'll filed wallet from his coat to my own
pocket, then falling back among the crowd
that is always coming and going at Change
hour, entered the room by another door,
waiting the moment when he should discov-
er his loss, to step forward and give him his
wallet, and long lecture at the same time.
& had some little difficulty in keeping him
in sight, as he rushed hastily hither and
thither, bowling to this man, shaking hands
with that, and having few words with
another. managed to follow him, howev-
er, taking care that he should not recognize
me, and chuckling at the CONSERVATION it
would occasion him to find his pocket-book
missing. Presently he put his hand behind
him, started, and turned round, for ths 6rst
time giving me view of his face. Great
Jupiter! it was not Dick Jones at all, but
gentleman had never seen before in my
life. Here was predicament! As the
enormity of the act Of which l had been
guilty presented itself before me, was
overwhelmed; the blood rushed
to my head as though was about to have
m attack of apoplexy, and for moment
swan before my eyes. Recov-
ering myself with an effort, started for
ward, but only to see the gentleman had
robbed, vanish through the door at high
rate of speed, and almost instantly become
lost in the hurrying crowd.
What was to be done? Why, return the
gentleman his pocket book at once of course.
But how? didn't know who he was. True,
The contents of the wallet might reveal that,
but with what face could seek out the in
ured man, and say, MY dear sir, here is
your pocket book, which stole from you
, short time since! am sorry for the theft
Ind now return the property. The only
apology can offer, is, that l mistook you
'or another gentleman, whom supposed |
night rob with impunity!' What would the
and badly frightened gentle
nan say? and, above all, what would he do?
Would he not with righteous and just indig-
ration say, you confounded, contemptible
hief and pick-pocket, you have been the
,ause of my having bill protested to-day;
Tou have occasioned me a shocking loss of
'aluable time; you have prevented a splen-
lid bargain; in short, there is no end. to
he evils that have resulted from your afro
;ious crime. Your story of the mistake is
. palpable humbug, and you only return the
property because you feel certain of being
detected before you leave the city. This
'ort Of crime is becoming too common, and
feel it my duty to give you in charge of
he police. Yes, undoubtedly that is what
,e would say; he would then open the door,
,eckon to an officer, and have me arrested;
should be dragged to prison, examined and
without bail. At my trial, the
,lea of mistake or a joke, might be set
lp; but m intelligent jury would consider
he defense lame, and shake their heads
,ravely; the judge would say that every
'ther pickpocket might plead a mistake if
his was admitted, and | should be found
guilty; and then, if luckily should escape
With only one years Imprisonment, every
'ody would exclaim, 'How easily the fellow
rot offn --Esa .E 1
with these and similar thoughts running
through our head, l paced the hall with
gitated steps, endeavoring to think of some
method Of extricating myself from my un-
'lcasant predicament.
'What the deuce am I to do?' kept re-
cating to myself, as / fingered the con.
ounded wallet, which felt like lead in my
,ocket, and weighed much heavier than lead
lpon my mind. slow can get the infa-
nous calfskin back to its lawful owner?-
such things have been done; We often read
# similar restitution in the papers. Let me
zee how it is to be done without being dis
covered? All, l have it!' exclaimed, al
most aloud in nv intense satisfaction at the
dea. sI'll just do it up in neat package
nd send it by post. What goose was
lot to think Of that before.' .-.
with heart much lightened, / eagerly
tarted to quit the hall. Horror of hor-
ors! at the entrance beheld the gentleman
had robbed engaged in conversation with
couple of policemen, who stationed them
elves at each door, narr owly watching every
erson who left or entered the hall.
sWords cannot express the utter hopeless
espair into which was thrown at this ter
flying sight. Any attempt at restoring the
roperty under these circumstances, would
e sure to be considered the effect of fear
nd not of honesty. Here was, as it were,
Imprisoned with the most convincing and
abstantial proof Of guilt about my person.
nd with couple Of lynx-eyed detectives
arring the entrance from which kept ~
ar as possible, pretending to be absorbed
the perusal Of . paper, for was conscious
ny flushed and agitated countenance would
'etray me at the first glance. What would
not give to have been 40 free from guilt
md as much at liberty to 20 and come when
cnose, like other honest men, as was an
lour before! But no; there Twas, a tremb-