The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-05-13

PhVOoSi"piSO VI thleNes before Their cap
ture.
1t was delightful to see Mr. Brancher
laugh. His fine white teeth glistened
AL his face seemed to laugh. Ha
ha ! ha! he said, what n fool / am
you have me there, indeed OF course
not. Still / do think the police previously
to blame for not breaking up such
detestable conspiracy against honesty.
You will pardon me, Mrs. Gregson, 1
have been Judge in the Madras pres
idency, and l am disciplinarian in
such matters-not cruel, / trust-but
still disciplinaiian.
My wife was eloquent that night in
her praises of Mr. Brancher.
But his servants tell our servants,
dear, she said to me, that he has one
fault he is too fond Of rambling; he is
perpetually leaving his wife to travel
ON business? 2
No, on pleasure; he has no business,
he has pension. He is off again,
they tell me, tomorrow, early. won
der, Arthur, he never mentioned it to
us.
A fortnight later, Mr.. Branchcr and
his wife dined with us; he was very
agreeable In the course of the eve
ning, the conversation fell on the aboli-
ton Of the punishment of death. The
ex-judge was strong against such aboli-
ton.
No, ladies, he said, 4 am a man of
the world, and / know that the rascals
who infest the world need to be terri
fed The gibbet is a scarecrow for
them.
I differed from him, but could get
no partizans; every one, even my wife,
was with the ex-judge. An excellent
fellow, thought / to myself, but of too
severe a cast of thought on these mat
ters'
The week after, I and Lucy went and
dined at Brancher's. There was to be
a little dancing in the evening 1t was
then. over our wine, that | first discov-
cred Brancher TO be brother mason.
This was an additional tie to bind to-
gether orr growing friendship. The
dinner had passed off pleasantly; every
thing was choice without being vulgar
" profuse; the meat was done to q
turn; the wine was excellent. There
was certainly little too much of tall
bonv gardner, in exuberant white
gloves, who cannoned against the other
servants, whispered good deal over
the dishes, laughed at our jokes, and
stumbled over piles of plates in the
hall. The dance went off pleasantly
some nice girls from Bybridge floated
about in white Brancher was
tremendous in the quadrilles; being n
portly, conspicuous sort of whiskery
man, he always danced with the small
} est and Youngest lady, and fiirted I'M
conscionably, to his own and every
body's delight. was the last to leave;
Lucy and the children had gone early.
Brancher and fingered over the end
} of a bottle of specially good dry sherry.
by the by, Gregson, said he, as |
took up my Gibus to go, you have
never seen my library yet; it is small
collection and on special subject, but
it is curious and valuable
l followed him into little room
leading out Of the library. Heopened
two cases. To my surprise, the books
were legal books. Thieves Tricks, Old
Bailey TRIALS and Newgate Calendars.
Not my style, said.
'Hah but you know l am an old
: Judge, and have devoted much thought
to these matters.
by the by said 1, before go, let
us arrange a croquet match for the
} children Tomorrow is a public Holt
) day.
Most unfortunate, he replied, but
I, / start tomorrow to spend three days
at Derby.
, The next time met Broncher, was
on the top of BALKAN hill omnibus.
He was both surprised and pleased to
J meet me. He grew very chatty about
} the tricks of thieves III the olden times.
He explained to me ring dropping,
= 'chop-chain, 'card-sharping, and other
! mys teries
Did you ever devote much time, sir,
to cipher 2 asked somebody on the
roof.
| L know thirty-two kinds said
) Brancher, laughing; and | hatter my
: self that there is no advertisement in
the second column of the Times for a
whole year which I couldn't decipher
in forty minutes.
why, Brancher, what detective
/ you would make!
L think should, he said, with a
smile, but here's my corner-good-bye.
Shall see you again on Friday Kind
regards to Mrs. Gregson. Love at
home. BY, by
, That was Monday On Tuesday l
received dispatch from Doncaster to
/ say that my brother was dangerously
i'll of pleurisy His wife was on the
} balance would / come?
He was sporting man was my
: brother George He had been taken
, i'll during the race-week. He was "
| ing at the chief hotel / made up my
mind i'll moment, picked up n small
, valise, and drove straight to Enston
square.
When / reached Doncaster. late in
the evening, found that my brother
Z was better, and had started for Scarbo-
rough. l resolved not to follow him,
/ but to spend the night at Doncaster,