The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-10-31
TALLY-HO THOMPSON.
AN ENGLISH DETECTIVES STORY.
by CHARLES DICKENS.

"Tally-ho Thompson" says Sergeant Wit.
chem, after merely wetting his lips with his
brandy and-water, Tally-ho Thompson was
famous horse stealer, copper and mags-
man. Thompson, in conjunction with pal
that occasionally worked with him, gam
moned a countryman out of a good sum
Of money, under pretence of getting him a
situation-the regular old dodge, and was
afterward in the Hue and Cry" for a
horse-a horse that he stole down in Hert-
fordshre. had to look after Thompson,
l applied myself, of course, in the FIRST in
stance, to discovering where he was. Now,
Thompson's wife lived along with little
daughter, at Chelsea, and knowing that
Thompson was somewhere in the country, l
watched the house especially at post-time
in the morning thinking Thompson was
pretty likely to write to her. Sure enough,
one morning the Eastman comes up, and de-
livers a letter at Mrs. Thompson's door
Little girl opens the door, and takes it in.
We're not always sure of postman, though
the people at the post offices are always very
obliging. A postman may help US, or he
may not-just as it happens. However, l
90 across the road, and say to the post
man after he had left the letter, "Good
morning how are you?" GLOW are you ?'
says he. "Youve just delivered aletter for
Mrs. Thompson? Eyes have" "You
didn't happen to remark what the postmark
was, perhaps?' "No,' says he, g. didn't"
"Come," says 1, "Tll be plain with you.
I'm in small way of business, and l have
given Thompson credit and l can't afford
to lose what he owes me. l know he's got
money, and I know he's in the country, and
ifyou could tell me what the post mark was,
I should be very much obliged to you, and
you'd do service to tradesman in small
way of business that can't afford loss."-
SWELL" he said, 81 do assure you that l
did not observe what the post-mark was all
know is, that there was money in the let
teri should say sovereign" This was
enough for me, because of course | knew
that Thompson, having sent his wife money,
it was probable she'd write to Thompson,
by return of post, to acknowledge the re-
ceipt. So said I" Thankee," to the post
man, and kept on the watch. In the at.
ternoon saw the little girl come out. Of
course | followed her. She went into a
stationer's shop, and l need not say to you
that | looked in at the window. She bought
some writing paper and envelopes, and a
pen. l thought to myself, "That'll dol"
watch her home again-and don't go away,
you may be sure, knowing that Mrs. Thomp-
son was writing her letter to Tally no, and
that the letter would be posted presently
In about an hour or so, out came the little
girl again, with the letter in her hand.
went up, and said something to the child,
whatever it might have been but | couldn'
see the direction on the letter, because she
held it with the seal upward. However,
observed that on the back of the letter there
was what we call kiss-a drop of wax by
the side efthe seal-and again, you under
stand, that was enough for me. l saw her
post the letter, waited till she was gone, then
went into the shop, and asked to see the
Master When he came out, l told him,
"Now, I'm an officer in the Detective
Force there's letter with kiss beenpost
ed here just now, for man that I'm in
search of, and what have to ask of you is,
that you will let me look at the direction OIL
that letter." He was very civil-took lot