The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-02-06
A Hhrewd Trick.

bdG1SS, COIu uO UAlO oAOAy W.
: will set it down as we heard it.
r Little old lady, loqasitmr.'
+ "The scene was very popular place
= of amusement and recreation; there is
:, no need to paFticularize farther. You
" have been there, and so have /. 1t was
: not d very grand day at the popular
place of amusement; that is to say, no
monster attraction had been got up to
draw multitudes thiLher, but there were
+ visitors in plenty, nevertheless, and
} there was also music. Among the WIS.,
itors have to bespeak your attention on
behalf of friend of mine; as she hap
Dened to wear on this occasion blue
dress, and as | don't mean to mention
names, shall call her the Lady in Blue.
She was walking companionless in the
place of public resort, and had left the
more frequented spots for one compar-
atively lonely, where the hum of the
human hive was still audible, a sort of
accompaniment to the footsteps of the
few who were sauntering up and down,
probably, like herself, waiting for
friends. Looking at these loungers,
the Lady in Blue experienced momen-
tary feeling of wonder at the sight Of a
policeman in this quiet spot, where
people had nothing to do but to enjoy
themselves peacefully. 1t might have
formed a fine subject for fragment
on the depravity of human nature, but
the Lady in Blue was no poet, and
could not improve the occasion. She
walked on, therefore, aud listened to
the music, and had just begun TO won
der impatiently why her friends were
so late at the place of meeting, when,
by one of those chances which get such
fine names from mental transterists and
thought impressionists, she raised
her head suddenly and caught the
glance of peculiarly gentleman-like
stranger fixed in searching manner
upon her. 1t was averted at once, OF
course; nevertheless there was little
additional hauteur in the Lady in Blue
as she continued her walk. Still on her
ear came family the delightful plati-
tudes of the eternal never to be worn
out Trovatore; but suddenly there was
step close beside her, touch, gen
tie and most polite,
"'Excuse me, madam
"And the ladystopped in amazement.
1t was the gentIemanly stranger.
"I beg ten thousand pardons, but
there is AIN fact disagreeable insect
on your shawl. Might | be allowed to
remove it?
"The Lady in Blue turned with face
of horror. 1t ,oas disagreeable insect
there is no denying that 1t was-to
tell YOU the TRUTH" said the little Old
Lady, nodding over her spectacles.-
II am not an American, but an old
fashioned nglisbwoman, and | always
like to hear things called by their right
name. If there is any fine, long Latin
word for the insect, | don't know it,
and shouldn't use it if did. 1t was
what is vulgarly called bug.
"When the Lady in blue had recov
cred herself a little, her first impulse
was to look for the gentlemanly strang-
er, but he was gone. And very prop
el. OF him too, she thought; a great
proof of delicacy and good breeding
But the thing-the insect! To be ac-
tually on her shawl How did it get
there? Where had that shawl been,
and how was such a calamity possible?
Did any one see the transaction?
Those were questions Of terrible inn
port, and unanswerable. Her walk
lost It's Ianguid ease; TroVator no long
or had any charms for her. A sensa>
ton of horrible discomfort fingered
about that shawl, and the hum Of the
human hive, which before had been
soothing, seemed like chorus of dis
tant voices lifted up on the subject OF
that disaoreeabIe insect. When would
her friends join her? At any rate it
must be long past the time appointed.
Thinking thus, she began tumbling
nervously with her watch chain. at
least in the direction Of the watch
chain. For you see the chain itself
was gone, and the watch was gone
and when she searched her pocket she
found that her purse was gone too.
And by this time her face Of dismay,
and her ordinations had attracted the
policeman, whose appearance in such
a place had seemed TO her as unneccs-
Sary snort Jnne DcIOre.
"Other curious individuals also be-
gan to gather around her; in fact the
poor Lady in Blue thought all the
world was coming to chatter about her
and add to her confusion, which was
quite a superfuous attention on the
worlds part; and to the question,
"When did you miss the articles? she
could only put her hand to her head in
a distracted manner, and utter disjoint.
ed signals of distress.
"'Miss them don't know-I-'
"'When did you have them last %
i really cannot tell. I-yes, now l
know. l am quite sure. | looked at
my watch just before the strange gen-
tleman spoke to me about
"'What gentleman ?
"FA stranger to me quite. He
why, there he is again; that one with
the white hat All, he is gone l don't
see him now
''But before this speech was ended
the policeman was gone too; and if any
one is anxious as to the fate of the miss
ing articles, beg to re>assure them.
"The gentlemanly stranger encoun>
tered an unexpected friend at the door
of the popular who kindly reliev-
ed him of a burden which must be
heavy. Besides the jewelry of the La.
dy in Blue, the stranger was found to
have about his person several watches
& chains, and a goodly array of purses.
ALSO, he had in his waistcoat pocket
little box of bugs"