The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-07-13
Beware Of Pickpockets.

Beware Of Pickpockets.
A lady travelling by the land route be-
tween New York and Boston, was un-
fortunate enough to lose her purse con-
tanning considerable amount of money,
which was undoubtedly appropriated
by gentlemanly person who occupied
the seat next to her, but who left during
the time the train was passing through
the long tunnel going into New York
city, having managed to pick the )ady's
pocket during that time undecided, as
half an hour previous the purse was
known to be safe
In recounting her loss to friend who
was soon after to make the same jour-
ney, the danger of gentlemanly appear
ing men occupying the next seat to
unprotected females, and, in fact, the
danger of trusting to appearances at all,
was stongly dwelt npon.
The new tourist was particularly
cautioned to beware OH going through
| tIC az AVG" Ao.hJ OSAhS
thoroughly admonished concluded to
keep her pocket book grasped in her
hand during that perilous passage.
The lady started; sure enough, gentle
manly looking parsonage on the arrival
Of the train at Springfield solicited
permission to fill the unoccupied scat
beside the fair traveller, which, accord.
ing to the rules Of travel, could not be
refused. The strangers manners were
of gentlemanly ease, (pickpockcts i'll
novels always are,) his costume was
plan, serviceable and adapted for trave-
ling. He was polite; he offered the lady
bis newspaper-it was cold!y declined;
he volunteered a few remarks, which
received only chilling monosyl!abic res
ponses. In fact, he made no progress
whatever in becoming better acquaint.
ed with his EeighbOr, and evidently
giving it up in despair occupied himself
with his newspapers and cheap novel.
The lady had almost forgotten her
travelling companion as well as the
advice of her friend, when the recollec.
ton of both suddenly flashed upon her
as the train entered the Cimmerian
darkness Of the tunnel. She hurriedly
fumbled for her pocket, but the finding
of lady's pocket amid the folds Of her
dress is often matter of difficulty, and
now in the impenetrable darkness
seemed doudly SO. Nervously she felt
In the direction where she supposed
that arpendage was till at last the aper-
ture was reached and her hand thrust II.
to grasp and hold her pocket-book safe.
" till the train should again emerge in
to daylight, when, horror upon horrors,
J she encountered the gentleman's band
in her pocket! Whether to scream fol
assistance, to seize the intruder, or in
fact what to do she hardly knew; how.
ever, acting upon sudden resolution
, she seized the hand and held on, deter
| mined to show the villain detected in the
, very act Oh emerging to the light.
The train rolled slowly-it seemed sc
slowly on that it appeared as if the end
! would never be reached; she cluched the
inrudng hand with firmer grasp
: which made no special effort to relieve
" itself probably knowing how useless
would be the struggle, or else as bot'
! were ungloved, feeling content to resi-
r in the soft, warm clasp that encircled it
t At length, however, the train emerged
l into daylight, which found both lady
l and gentleman an xiously looking TOWARD
4 each other, the lady's face wearing 1
e frightened, anxious expression, and thu
f gentleman's curious and puzzled ont
: as he gazed into the startled eyes of hi
companion.
e "Sr" she began Indignantly, tighten
t ing her grasp, when, CHANGING to cas-
:, her eyes down, she found, oh terribl
d circumstance, her hand in the Gutsid
J. pocket Of his coat, desperately graspin
t his hand, which it had encountered.
e The lady was covered with confusion
e at this unlocked for turn of affairs, an
n the gentleman, who was a man of dis
e elimination, saw that the encounte
l. was incidental, and that each had prob
,s ably received pick-pocket impression
of the other from il. Mutual explans
Ie tionsat length ensued and cards wei
n exchanged.
as 1t only remains for us to add that tf
acquaintance thus commenced W,
:, continued, and that the lady and gentl
i man, who are both well known in til
=. city, were recently united in marriag
"a We would not, however, advise ma
10 riageable young ladies, as a gener
r. thing, to mistake gentlemen's pocke
d, rs their own, as the sequel may not q
w ways turn out to be as pleasant as in Il