The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-21

da0 leIb one 0lInSCII db NlClOIh Nuldl-
the Joint name of the twin residences inhabited
by the Bobsbys and myself-that one was
addressed to Mr.. Bobsby; "but I'm sure see
another at the station ticketed for Victoria Villas
perhaps two. ] don't rightly remember the
names on them; but as that one was for Mr..
Bobsby, why them ones in course would be for
you. Anyhow, they've all been delivered some
where; for there were none laying at the station
when came away"
So far the porter; and re-entered the house,
with nay mind, as / believed, somewhat en-
lightened, but certainly very far from paclhed.
My vile and / talked the matter over, and
arrived, not very reluctantly perhaps, at the
tame conclusion which the communicative
porter seemed 10 have come to. 1t two turkeys
had really been left at Bobs6X,s, why, one 0 o.
them must Of course be ours Who ever heard
of a couple of turkeys coming lawfully to the
laTder of little semidetached villaY We never
bad thought much OF the Bobsbys. Bobsby
himself was certainly o quiet, una5suming-
looking little man, with not unpleasant face.
But then he babitually came home late in the
evening, and at the most irregular hours.
Either his business was disreputable one, and
his deeds OF the darkness, or his haUitswere in
tolerably dissipated. Whether criminal or only
vicious, he was in any case hypocrite, and the
most undesirable OF neighbors. My wife deci-
Gedly inclined to pronounce him criminal. The
truth is, that Mra. Bobsby glorl6ed in an end
let's variety of the most dazzling toilets, and
VIC alth of dress aud lavish profusion OF colors
thai set expense and good taste alike at ded-
anee. II was therefore much more probable
thtt Bobsby earned enough by his ill-gotten
gails to crafty the follies .et both, than that
he Neglected his business, and launched out in
INDIE dissipation. Even when my wife had con
desC ended to questiop.our servants sualyon the
subject she could get little Information. Our
maits and those next door happened to be at
feud but our servant bad heard from those on
the Ciher side that all that Bobsbys servants
could say about the matter was that they had
good wages, paid puuctually, and that Bobsby
was ia business in the city. So of course we
kept fhe Bobsbys at arms length. and my wife
"A nH han o1u hot hru
Bobsbyi threatened u5 with, with chilling
dienit5 that is all her own.
IL was clear, then, that Bobsby was Just the
man to embezzle his neighbours turkey. What
steps to take towards its recovery was quite
another thing. 1t was delicate matter to tax
a well-to-do householder with a theft, and that,
too, upon bare suspicion. But, on the other
haGd, time pressed. To say nothing of the i'm
portance 10 us of having the matter decided
early next day, it we hoped to meet our bird at
dinner if crime had really been committed,
the piece deconUlctlon might by that time have
vanished altogether.
''Wait till morning, at all events" recon.
mended my wife, after we had discussed the
matter and the chance OF our discussing the
turkey in all its bearings-"wait till to-morroW ".
Mr. QuIlter and Frank Palette come down early
to have long afternoon at the Palace. We live
near Sydeuham, and Quilter knows the law and
will conduct the case tor u.s."
So we retired to rest, and laid our heads on
the pillow, firmly pledged by this time to q faith
in the guilt OF Bobsby. We had broken night,
as might be expected. The Victims of foul
crime could hardly sleep reaeefully under the
same roof with the perpetrators of it. Next
morning we rose late, and seated ourselves at
breakfast, worn. and anxious. with what
appetites We might. We had triAed with
eggs and toast, and sent them away, when our
OlfactorY organs became conscious of q marked,
and not an unpleasant odor We shifted and
shifted; there was no mistaking it. As often on
previous occasions, it let us INTO the secret of
what was gCiug on in our neighbours kitchen
lavf V az II wa "
"Please, sir" Just then exclaimed
our excited cook, needless of cere-
mony, and plunging head foremost
into the rcom-'please, sir, them Bobsbys
is a coOkin' OF our turkey, and I've been out
and looking IN. at thCm;, and-and-and
there's another lying on the dresser"
rose rather excited myself, | must confess,
bat expressed myself with deliberation and
severity.
"Tn any other circumstances, Mrs. Brown,
should consider it beneath contempt 10 play the
spy upon a neighbor, whatever l may
think Of his general GGndaot II DO
that l owe to society and to ourselves, in
bringing him, If necessary, to condign punish
ment, l believe could swear anywhere to a
Westrepps turkey and shall proceed to satisfy
myself at once as to the question OF this Bobsby
guilt or innocence"
Eyes, yes, for goodness sake go at once" eX-
claimed my wife; and putting on my hat, /
eauntered out at the door, down the little gravel
while steadiastly into the kitchen next door.
The turkey then revolving on the spit was, for
judicial circumstances, beyond the reach OF
satisfactory Identification, but the companion
bird, reposing on the dresser, illuminated by
the full blaze of the glowing fire. his points, his
shape his plumpness-he was Westrepps
iowl all over. felt that could swear to him
among a thousand. 80. come; this Is really too
much of a good thing. ! am to look on turkey
less while that splendid bird, almost member
of the family too, is handled familiarly by
strangers ~
IA merry Christmas to you, and many OF
them Brown" said and repeated duet of
friendly voices and Quilter and Palette came
and Palette into the house, and had the saisfac-
tion of pouring my tale of sorrow and anger into
sympathzing ears. As l had foreseen, they
showed themselves at least as indignant Is our.
selves Palette gave iorcibe expression to his
feelings, with the most elaborate studied dra-
matte features to match. After the first outburst,
1t was very different with Quter. Here was
an opening for the display OF his professional
sagGcity. To bring the culprt to justice
and the turkey to table would be a triumph
of his powers, and at the same time give
the bird a Zest that no sauce that artistic
had ever projected could come up to. He threw
| himself heart and soul into the case, He put
| myself, my wife, and our maids through the
| most searching of examinations. He collected
| and arranged the facts, and drew from them
deductions most fatal TO the character OF Bobsby.
But The proofs s-the proofs y, he said, impa-
tiently. You profess yourselves willing to
| do more than identity the breed. You see you
! never knew the individual personally. If we
| could manage to trace him, Indeed. I'll Just
| step down to the railway, and take the evidence
You'd better show me the turkey before go,
| His personal traits Will guide me In any gu
! tions may have to put to them."
So we took him out into the garden, and