Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-06-08
MY PICKPOCKET.

[1Hu VIC HiOuhb W us AOunu Oy IOuilus
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MY PICKPOCKET.
"The one great thing you want to
guard against Miss Howard, is pickpock-
cts. They positively swarm on the lines
of railroad. Why, every station-house on
every road in the land has its sign up,
Beware of Pickpoekets" miss Borey with
expressive forcfinger traced in the air the
legend of the sign as if it were yisibly on
the wall before her), "and they know
what they are about, those railroad men.
Why, there was Miss Newcome, only the
other day, had her pocket picked in just
coming from Yonkers; and a0hen it was
done she could not tell to save her; all
she knew was that most genteel and
well-appearing man shared her seat with
her, and was no doubt the theft 1t is
always the nicest-looking, meekest, most
elegantly dressed men who are the likeli-
est to be pickpockets, Miss Howard-al-
ways. Oh, they are so agreeable !! and
before you know it your purse is gone,
and he is gone too. Why, it is not week
since my friend, Mrs. Cadd, of Port Jer-
Wis, was robbed of her pocket-book in that
long dark tunnel in Jersey City by the
nicest-appearing young man you ever saw.
He held her little girl on his knee and
gave her nuts, and was mighty agreeable !;
and when they went into that tunnel he
picked Mrs. Cadd's pocket Of every cent
she had, and got off before she suspected
him. Why, bless me, Miss Howard "-
with startling energy-"you have to go
through that very tunnel, don't you?-
Well, be careful of your porte-monnale,
that's all; if you don't you may be sorry
you didn't heed the words of one who
knows. Beware of polite aud genteel
young men--particularly if they are good
looking; alwas do; 1 make them keep
their distance, | promise you"
This harangue was delivered by Miss
Borey one day last June, and that night L
was robbed and choked and thrown out
of the car-window in that dark tunnel, by
the handsomest man | ever saw, with
great beautiful eyes and the air and man.
ners of prince.
The hustle of departure next morning
did not drive these thoughts quite out of
my mind. | had no sooner got across the
river and taken my seat in the car than l
glanced out the window and saw that
staring placard: @
"BEwARE OF PICKPoCKETs
1t seemed as if the train would neger
start. had come over in an early boat,
so as to make sure of good seat, and
hence had half an hour and more to wait.
Look which way would, could not get
my attention off that black-lettered pla-
card. Ny eyes would, in spite of me,
wander back to it every other minute, and
read it agaiu, until it settled its shadow
over me like nightmare. In desperation
l would shut my eyes; but | could not
shut out the placard. There it was, and
multiplied by tens. | opened a book and
essayed to read. In vain; l could not
settle my mind on anything but the nine
teen letters that spelled those three words
of warming They began to jumble them
selves up in my mind in the most aggra-
vating way, till my head ached with their
mad freaks: Beware-beware-
ets-pickpockets-pickets-poc pockets--pock-
pickets-ware-beware- -pickpock-pock
beware
"BEwARE OF PICKPoCKETs"
And back my eyes would go as if the
thing were fascinating met snake and
| a bird.
Oh dear, how tired 1 grew of it, .
1t was great relief when, just as the
conductor called out Gall aboard !" good
looking young man came up to me with a
shawl over his arm, and said, in respect
full tone,
"Will you allow me to occupy this
seat, MADAME"
The car was crowded. | removed my
travelling bag from the place at my side,
and he seated himself by me. He said
nothing to me, but took the morning pa
per from his pocket and read it.
Men say that women jump at conclu-
sions-that their judgment is altogether
intuitiye, and that they never can give a
reason for the belief that is in them. l
can give you, respected Sirs, more than
one reason for my belief that the man at
my side was pickpocket.
First, although welldressed, he wore a
peculiar pair of black pantaloons with
narrow white stripes in them. Second,
his hands were white, though they looked
nervously muscular, and he wore three
gold rings on his fingers. Third, he wore
a mustache, and no beard. Fourth, his
manners were precisely of that quiet, un-
obtrusive kind that Mrs. Borey had named.
Therel There are four reasons which
influenced me in my conclusion; and
whether wise ones or not, in themselves,
they were the basis of my judgment. So
it was not intuition.
The train moved slowly away, and
presently we plunged into the black dark
ness of that long and gloomy tunnel
Shall ever forget it?
All my senses were keenly on the alert.
l drew off my gloves to be prepared for
action, if | should be called on. / had
barely done so. when | felt movement of
the hand and arm of my companion.
Instantly l put out my hand; it touch
ed his; he made motion to draw it taway;
but l grasped it firmly by the wrist, and
with my other hand endeayored to draw
my pocket book from his clutch; but he
would not yield it. l felt as strong as a
tigress in that exciting moment, and
clung with both my hands to his, deter
mined to scream for help if he tried to
1.o,,n aaak