The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-10-28

" WuS uVI lnEouSh SOtlCtluuo IoE yOuL hoa'
appearance, for you never touched the bow
Of it nor did the thing misft you, or tickle
your neck, because instead of scratching,
you simply tapped it, as man taps his fob
to be assured--there, you're doing it now
of the safety Of his watch"
"What fool am !" exclaimed, very
testify.
"Nay," said he, ait would be more civil
to compliment me upon my powers Of OBJ.
servation."
II do compliment you," l replied with
candor. 81 think you an exceedingly Gle.
YER fellow"
"Well," said he, "it Is not for me to talk
about that 4; | know thing or two doubtless
that may be out of your respectable beat, and
1 dare say could put you up to the time OF
day In several matters"
"put me up to it," / cried with enthusi.
asm, and parting with my last ray Of SUPER
ciiiousness "for l am as ignorant as pea.
cock, feel do, | entreat you, put me up
to it,"
Whereupon I am bo6nd to say that my
companion communicated to me such an ar.
ray Of interesting facts regarding his calling,
as would have shamed q parliamentary blue
book, and beguiled the way for hours with
conversation, or rather monologue, of the
most exciting kind. Lord Byron states that
one of the pleasantest persons he ever met
in his life was pick pocket, and | hasten
to endorse his lordshiP's opinion with my
own. felt all that satisfaction in listen
ing to my nefarious acquaintance which be-
longs to an intercourse with an enemy dur.
ing temporary truce the delight which a
schoolboy feels in playing at cricket with
his pedagogue or the pleasure that is ex.
perienced when bishop happens to join
for once, in the chorus of one's own comic
song. So affable, SO almost friendly, an
air prevaded his remarks, that the most per.
feet sense Of security was engendered with
in me. l could scarcely imagine that my
agreeable companion could ever have beer
in reality concerned in fraudulent trans.
action, and far less in any such deeds of vo
lence.
We had Just left Preston, and he was con.
cluding highly interesting account of how
bad money was circulated in the provinces
when sudden thought struck me, to which
nevertheless | scarcely liked to give utter
ence. felt exceedingly desirOus to know
exactly how garotting was effected, yet how
was to put such q question to 80 inoffen
sive and gentleman-like a scaundrel4 A
last mustered resolution enough. Did h
happen to have heard from any acquaintance
who, through misfortune or otherwise, hat
failed in the intellectual branches of his pro
fession, how the garotte was effected.
trembled for his answer, and half repentet
of having said anything SO rude as soon al
the question had left my lips. He, however
blushed slightly and becomingly, smiled
then with the confidence Of master in som
art, who is ignoruntly interrogated as to hi
knowledge OF its first principles, pulled u
his false collar with his real hands, and thu
delivered himself:
"Why, singularly enough, sir, the garot:
is my particular line."
NV satisfaction at this avowal was, as ma
be imagined, complete. 1t was just like tn
question about Hugoumont mooted anon
the omnibus passengers, being referred t
the strange gentleman in the corner with
Roman nose, who turned out to be the Oak
of Wellington.
How eloquent did my fraudulent friend be
come about this his favorite topic ! Wha
spirit he threw into his descriptions! Wha
hair breadth escapes from the police an
other intrusive persons interrupting him i
the pursuit of his vocation, he had at variou
times experienced Left alone with h
man he had rarely indeed been unsuccess
tul. Once, however, with gymnastic ger
tleman-a harlequin, in plain clothes, re
turning home from the the theater-wh
had thrown q summersault clean over hi
head and once with stout party from
city dinner, who had no neck-positivel
none-to afford the operator chance, an
who bit my poor friends arm in such mar
ner that 1t was useless for some weeks after
wards.
"And you did these feats of yourself an
without any assistance I" inquired, wit
some incredulity. r.
"Quite alone, sir" replied he shut, in al
cases, the garotees were several inChe
shorter than myself; with man Of you
size, for instance" and he laughed good-hu
moredly, sit would be almost an imposs
bility."
l laughed very heartily at this notion, tot
Would he be so good as to show me, just I
give me an example how the thing was ex
ecuted
II throw my arm from the back Of you
neck like this" said he, suiting the actio
to the word, but with the very greatest deli
cacy of touch, "You are sure am not il
conveniencing you Z"
"Not, Of ali," said I. "Go on"
81 then close the fore arm tightly. Jul
stoop little lower, please thank you, an
compress the windpipe with
"Where was /! Why was laying 0