The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1870-01-01
A Man About Town.

it has courted. The votaries of fashion
are not unfrequently made the victims
of the adventurer, but for the sake of
concealing their own want of sagacity
the wrongdoer is seldom punished.
Nevertheless, there are episodes now |
and then occurrying, which if they met |
the public eye, would afford rich |
morsel of humor and ridicule. One of
these came under my own observation
few years since. | had done some
business for well known merchant,
and he was pleased with the manner |
had executed it. / was not surprised.
therefore, when he came to the Chief
nfiee one day and desired to speak
with me.
Il have some work for yourself and
| friend" said be, referring to my part
ner.
What is it." inquired.
He then went ON to detail to us the
particulars of number of successful
robberies that had been perpetrated re
Gently 10 the society in which his fam
lily moved. Strange as it may appear.
all af these were done at fashionable
gatherings. either at his own house or
those of his neighbcrs.
1T would be impossible he said,
ito suspect any of the guests; yet the
servants had been strictly watched,
aud no evidence could be found tn i'm
phcate any of them. Diamond brace
lets mysit riously disappeared from the
wrists Of fair ladies'; gentlemen lost
their jewelry, watches and chains, and
even goldheaded canes. in the most
unaccountable way. At every house
where a fashionable party met, some
robbery If this description ensued. 1t
had began to create an intense excite
mpnt. Ladies were afraid TO appear
with .jewelry about them; gentlemen
. hesitatpd to display their diamonds,
and WERE restless when any one APP
preached them. Suspicion has grown
up, and a GOODNESS, which began to
assume very serious aspect, had been
pngemdered hrtween several families
The NATTER" be said, "would have t.
be sifted, but how to do it he was at Il
{ loss to know.
2 told him he would have to intro
,duce me to his fashionable aequain-
: lance and as his guest. attended
the next party at his house. Even I
stranger could discern the GOODNESS
!, and lack Of free and genial kindnes:
:, that pervaded the assembly. The at
mosphere seemed to breathe suspicion
e Everybody suspected his neighbor
!, Gentlemen were watched closely al
u they paid their devoirs to fair ladies
y and the bellies to whom devotion wa
offered freely, was eyed keenly les
0 they should spirit away more costly
4 jewel than the gentieman's affections
- One gentleman. however, noticed a
K once as entirely free from these On
worthy suspicious. His manner wa
radiant with ii gsy insouiance tina
charmed every one His rppartee
u were brimfall of witsand sparkled will
\ fun, while the bright smile with which
: every lady greeted him, showed tina
J. he at least had not fallen under tn
cloud that had settled on the rest. Yp
y noted the rapid lighting-like glanc
i with which he surye, ed everybod,
that approached him. Sometimes th
70 great dark eyes would darken with
4 shade of anxiety as he encountered
I" stern looking visage, and then has
II out merrIly as he saw it harbored n
:, suspicion Of him. The man fascinate
IL even me. / saw how he was acting Hi
It conduct, apparently controlled by
natural kindness of disposition. pr
l. ceived was the result of consumat.. i'm
i, pudence and nerve. and Sdagf; old tina
- enabled him to invest it with geDis
d grace and apparent carelessness. Tn
half startled eager look which he som,
Z times threw around him. over locke,
- by his associates, was seen by me.
had settled my own mind that h
q was the culprit. But to any one ell,
my conclusions would have appeare
uncertain and my suspicious vague
, Still | watched him | was eager to Sc
W how he would maneuvre his success
fnl larcenies. For more than an hoo
he radiated from one part of the wild
Or saloon to another apparently unsettle
4 in mind. or eager to make his deuotrs t
~ all. At last his arm was given to
ar lady and, they strayed out upon th
verandah. | at once solicited til
d. pleasu IF a promenade with my Ease
at mating hostess, and while charmp
With the uprightly grace and witt
Vi nonsense of my companion, still kel
N an observant eye upon the Mercuti
whose brilliant nothings were charm
n, ing his inamorata as serpent fasc
80 mates bird. The man was a stud,
~ | could hear, as pass them, his low,
e. voiced pieaSantries, the wit that flasI
ed and sparkled from his tongue &
y diamonds sparkle and flash in tn
s. lampiight. | almost began to doul
the business of my own suspicion.
y when suddenly his hand crept to til
i lady's eur; a sparkle and fash of die
monds, sparkle aud fash of wit, an
S. he led her back to the drawing room
her fair face radiant with bushes. bl