The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-21
The farm 2-oh! wesLrepps. why do you

all sent you from there lately"
why, of course, I'll swear they sent that
turkey, and old Bobsby stopped IT,"
30 yes; of course they did. But nothing else,
] meanw
mo; nothing whatever"
"Yery good, then. BY Jovel we have him
You may send round and fetch a constable.
should say even for first ohense of the sort
they can hardly give him less than fortnight
and hard labor. Look there!" Aud he held
before my astonished eyes the damnlng evidence
of Bobsbys guilt. The card indeed, had been
torn across, but on the half picked UP was
written, in bold characters, In old Mr.. WurzePs
| familiar hand, "From Westrepps Farm
| Look here" suggested Palette, who had
hitherto left the affair in Quilter's hands.
! You've carried the matter so far, aud very
this respectable Mr.. Bobsby over to the law,
why you'll have to hand over the turkey too;
in the meantime, at least, remember that Got
| anything else for dinner, Brown, eh?'
Cutter and l stared blankly In each others
faces.
mo, by Jovel there's something in what
Palette says.n
aid nothing in the larder, suppose you
mean. We'll, but we cant let the beggar slip
through our fingers, either,p demonstrated
Quiler.
fellow he seems. by the by-slip through your
6ngers," retorted Palette. 81 vote for com
promise"
"Compounding felony" murmured Quilter,
visiby relenting.
"If we bad second turkey, as Bobsby has,
should be on the side of principle" said Palette;
las we have not, lean to expediency, and am
still of opinion that at this Christmas season it
would be both wise and right to temper justice
with mercy, Besides, that is singularly heavy
bird, and will want great deal OF roasting. |
vote we look sharp and secure him with as
little delay as possible. Keep the law and the
policemen in the background if you WILL but
let us confront Bobsby at once. see he's
stuffed the bird tor. us,-perhaps with chesnuts,
possibly truffles; he looks as if he had sound
ideas Of comfort Small wonder, for he lays in
his supplies cheap"
Palette's Achitopbelan counsels carried
me day. We all three successfully
ceedings, as We could see, watched by
the enemy from the dim background Of their
drawing-room. We rung the bell. Some
scuflliDg OF leet and whispering from within,
and the ringleted maid came 10 present herself.
A brief parley, and we were ushered into Mr..
Bobsby's presence and back parlor In ad-
hypocriticai bonbon1te he received us, and begged
us TO be seated. He stood himself on the hearth
rug, rubbing his hands, and locking at us
uneasily.
"We have called, Mr. Bobby am sorry to
say, on disagreeable business whicn have no
doubt you suspect.'
"Realy. gentlemen, unless you have come as
a deputation, asking subscriptions for some.
thing or other, have had at least half-a-dozen
of them here in the last two days. | am quite
at a loss, but'-brightening up q httle-"l am
sure am always elad to make the acquaintance
of any neighbor"
81 could wish, Mr. Bobsby that the acquaint.
ance had commenced ia more pleasan! ClrCum-
stances. The turkey" Mr.. Bobsby's face
suddenly .cclouded over He hushed me to
silence with an agitated, impatient gesture,
and, elancng uneasily at the door, opened 1t
sharply. and closed it again suspiciousy.
Didn't tell you" said Quiltcr, nudging my
elbow. "Clear as mud. Leave the matter to
! mel HIM ~ he began, clearing his throat,
! STRENGTHENING himself in his chair, and assuming
most judicial and imposing manner. "1t5
bad business, Mr. Bo6sby, as my friend says-a
! very bad business indeed"
Mr. Bobsby looked stupefed, "a bad bust
! ness! ~ he repeated slowly, and half to himself
about il? Few better businesses IN the line; few
better, indeed"
"Then let me tell you, sir, the line must be an
abominabiy bad one; and ! may warn you,
| moreover, a line exceedingly likely TO twist
! itself into halter, if you go on as you have
! begn.n
! flushed up, as standing on the hearth, rullling
! up like pugpacious bantam, he said, Il have
no wish 10 be uucivil in my own house, gentle
men; but won't be insulted in it either, aad so
| | tell you once for ALL"
Palette had got out o note book and pencil,
and was dashing off with the faclle hand of a
master our hosts admirably fegned indigna-
tion, probably to be used hereafter in one of his
great pieces. Qullter, altogether forgetful of
our proposed tactics, and hurried away by pro-
fessional feeling, was preparing, saw, to re-
sumo the address from the bench where he had
I
Permit me-" said, recollectlng just In time
that our dinner was depending on our dlplo-
macy. ITO come to the point, Mr.. Bo6sby, we
came to you about a turkey.n
| well, SIR" he said, expressing an amaZement
very real, or very admirably acted, "how you
have found out anything at all about the tur
keys can't tor the life of me conceive; but now
you have got at the secret III do anything you
| want. You shall have the turkey; Pm sure Pm
always willing to be neighborly,n
''NeigI bory, sir neighborby devilish neigh
bofly !-rather too neighbory, call it, to take
| Csely as If they were your own! Read that, sir !!
| Had you forgot yourself when you did not tear
| that up smaller" And thrust the fragment of
| card before his eyes. Bobsbv read the same
without moving muscle of his countenauce
! 'Well, sir; and what of it, was the sole re-
! mark he vouchsafed, and with a certain dignity.
! 'What OF it, sir Of all the unblushing -
| Why, that card sir, is addressed by Mr.. WurZel
! Of Wesrepps, Norfolk, and was tied to a
| tuIIey!n
cot course it was; and what then, may
ask ~
was fairly dumbIopnded by the mars hard
! ened conscience. "Why, he must be q thief by
habit and repute! He must live by plunder and
nothing else ~ exclaimed, turning to Quilter.
'Send TOR the policeman at once" rejoined
that gentleman. Il can't stand this; and devil
take the dinner!"
'stop minute gentlemen !" said BobsOy,
| earnestly. 'lts absurd 10 be angry; for there
must oe some extravagant mistake some where.
! VIII you just obhge me before you do anything
further, by telling me in plain words what you
mean and what you wantW
Quilter stated the case with beautiful con-
4. ciseness of precision.
The little man looked first astonshed, then
annoyed, then savagely angry. Finally he
burst out into roar OF laughter.
"Now, sir, listen to me in turn. You oblige