The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-01-29
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VOL lI-NO ~ VAAOAAH AVE.
3 COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA. SATURDAY, JANUARY 49, 1852
ofannoyance in which he spoke, and l re.

ofannoyance in which he spoke, and re-
piled, tartly: ,.te, - =, ...''.
:, Il don't understand thieves logic, nor the
language, either.' e..
,F 'Ah l'do';' responded my companion,
caretessly. And he resumed his paper. 7#
,aWo had passed Rhughy, and were flying
through the dark dominions of King Coal,
before either of us again broke silence. ~,
Come cried my bare headed acauain-
tance, sud ddenly, '.therc is no occasion for
US two to quarrel, only nothing puts me so
out Of temper as to see man proud Of his
ignorance. Now you are keen, long
headed fellow enough, can see, but YOU
don't know any thing ... ..
3. 'Perhaps not,' replied, still ANNOYED by
the mans manner, and at the uuaccustom-
ed position of second fiddle, in which Ifound
myself; 'but really have no ambition to
learn thieves logic .... ...
'What type of the respectable classes of
this country, you do Afford mused the other,
coolly. SIS this your excessive obstinacy
aud coneeit? You have no ambition to
learn, and yet dare say that you yourself
are concerned, either directly or indirectly,
IN endcay oring to diminish crime and to
put down the profession Of roguery. You
help to elect a member Of parliament who
votes upon social subjects; you subscribe
to benevolent associations, for the moral
rescue OF criminals; you consider the con.
wet question to be an exceedingly impor-
tant one, and yet you--'Here this rreve-
rent individual absolutely burst out laugh
ing. 'What would you think of doctor,
now, who had prescribed for patient, into
the particular feature of whose case he had
really no ambition to enquire?'
Il am not doctor!' roared, out Of all
patience; 'and wish all the thieves in
England were to be hung Tomorrow .-
'The country would be very sadly dcpop-
ulated,' replied the other, inpassively !;
you and l would certainly never meet
again. ~aarr '.:# fj'" n ~
'This is downright insult,'I exclaimed,
with indignation; Il shall take care to
change carriages and company at the very
next station
'Nny, sir, mean no offence responded
my companion, gravely Il referred only
to myself rs being doomed to be cut off in
the flower of my days, if your wishes should
be carried INTO effect. have been a pick.
pocket from my very cradle; and added
he, after pause, 81 am happy to say have
not been altogether unsuccessful in my
VOCATION
WAS startled for IN instant by the mans
seriousness, and instinctv although he
was at the other end of the compartment
looking for his wicked hands. They were
lying in his lap before him, neatly gloved,
one of them Still holding the paper.
'Ah!' he said, smiling, and at once COM
prabapHipr nv plapca SfbaSn apa pothinp
They arc merely my whited walls, nv out
side responsibilities, my ostentatious chari-
ties, my prayers before my business pro-
ceedlngs. We have our little hypocrisies,
like the commercial world. See herc.'-
lie rose up to his full height, and the two
lemon coored aristocratic gloves fell on
the floor with third. 'Here are my natural
disits,' he continued, producing another set
of dgits ungloved, and not particularly
clean nobody can suspsct a man of pick,
ing pockets who always keeps his hands be-
fore him, and reads the City Article in The
Tines
You were reading the advertisement
sheet said, intensely interested but still
inclined for contradiction.
'les, SIR he retorted, 'because saw that
pretence Of that kind to II person Of your
intelligence would be futile. | always
change my tactics with my company
Ibegan to feel very tenderlv for this poor
fellow, whom circumstances had doubtless
driven to his present dreadful calling, but
whose mental endowments had evidently
fitted for far better things.
'Bus why urged, mot have picked my
pocket, my good young man?'
because, sir he answered. Il am now
bent on pleasure, and not on business, unless
something very cnticinG should come in my
way. Open an unrescrvcd conversation,
too, such as felt could indulge in with
you, is to one in my situation (the poor
fellow sighed) tco rare happiness to be
easily forgone: besides,' he added, 'you
don't carry your bank notes in your pocket
at ALL
& felt myself glowing all over as red as
bect-root or boiled lobster, but managed
to articuIatc rs calmly rs could, Bank
notes ah, that's good joke. 1 very sell
dom have anything Of that kind to carry,
am sorry to say
'Yes, but when you have?' intcrrogated
the other, silly.
well sir, when hare, what then?' re-
torted with assumed carclcssness.
why, what 4 very strange place" he
remarked, very slow y and impressively !;
syour neck cloth seems to be for keeping
them safen
'How did you come to know that?'
asked in astOnishment.
what does it signify? What can be the
value Of thieves logc?' he answered, deri-
sively Il am sure you can have no ambition
to be informed.'
spray tell,' | entreated, pray tell; |
humbly apologize; | had nearly robbed
myself Of humor. 1t is very true that
have II number of Scotch notes in the place
you mention, which my purse would not
hold, but what on earth made you discover
it?'
1T was very simple reasoning he replied,
sand scarcely needs explanation stiifeners
are seldom worn now, and yet your necker-
chief had something in it; you were anxious
about that something, and put your fingers
to it involuntary dozen times. 1t was not
through soicitude for your neat 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 a man taps his fob, to be assured
there, you are doing it now-of the safety
of his watch''
sWhat n fool am!' exclaimed testify.
sNay,' said he, 'it would be more civil to
compliment INC, upon my powers OF obser-
vation.' VI v 81 - &a - k 4
Il do compliment you,' replied with
candor, Il think you an exceedingly clever
fellow
'Wcll, said he, 'it is not for me to speak
about that; know a thing or two that may
be out of your respectable beat. and / dare
say could put you up to thetinic Of day
in several matters.'
"Put me up to it, cried, with enthusi-
asm, and parting with my last ray of super
ciiousness: Il am as ignorant as peacock,
| feel; do, entreat you, put me up to IT,
Whereupon, am bound to say that my
companion communicated to me such an
array of interesting facts regarding his call
ing as would have shamed parliamentary
blue book, and begu'led the way for hours
with conversation, or rather monologuc, of
the most exciting kind. Lord Byron states
that one Of the plcasantcst persons he ever
met in his life was pickpocket; and l
hasten to endorse his lordshp's opinion with
nv own. felt all that satisfaction in lis