Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-06-05
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PiokpOCkets.

on the sidewalk, | felt hanc
very softly and gently maxim.
its way behind me, evidentl,
progressing toward the pocke
in the skirts of my coat. Rec
ollecting there was nothing bu
a handkerchief ins one pocke
and pair of gloves ins-tile 9th
er, | knew that | could not los
very much, and therefore sa
still to enjoy this new sensation
The hand had verylieaf reached
my pocket when I turned t.
study the startist.YJ He was ,
man about forty years of age
plainly and neatly dressed, anc
looked like a very respectable
citizen. g Uk aFRS
The instant l began to tirT
toward him his hand was swift.
ly but quietly withdrawn, and
when L laced hm he was hook
ing gravely atsOmethhig on, The
sidewalk. As I continued tc
study him1hep turned his head
and we had a good square
look at one another for a mo-
ment without word being said
by either. He then pulled the
strap and left the stage to seek
some other sphere of action. n
A few days ago, while stand
ing on the front platform of a
Fourth avenue car,aI happened
to cast my eyes down,ahd found
to my establishment that my
vest was unbuttoned. As it
could not have unbuttoned it.
self, and us l certainly had not
done it, l took occasion, while
slowly rebuttoning it, to quiet
ly look around and decide, If
possible, which Of my neigh
bors had been thus attentive Ito
me. | made up my mind from
the relative positions Of all on
the platform, that it must have
been done by a gentleman
standing nearest to and Justin
front Of me, and 'who7hidst have
seen me return my pocket-book
to the inside pocket of my vest
after paying my fare. Yet it
seemed preposterous to think so,
for he was a very decent look
ing man; his clothes were neat
and we'll cut, and there was
nothing cloud" or exuavagant
about him. He appeared per-
fectly respectable, and it. seemed
utterly impossible that he could
be a pickpocket. | noticed,
however, that he carried on his
left arm a coat in a fcbunchy"
way, which would very { effectu-
ally concealhis rightwhenraised
for such an operation, and since
[ had to choose between believ-
ing that my vest unbuttoned
itself, or that be had done it, l
felt forced to believe the latter.
I noticed also, that he and l were
the only ones that were quietly
studying our neighbors, The
rest had the usual straight-ahead
look of passengers intent upon
their journey. - t-. .'' = =.
l had uttered no exclamation
when l made my discovery, so
the gentleman I'm Question ap-
peared perfectly at his ease. |
felt convinced, however, that if
he were a pickpocket, he must
be in the front rank]of his pro-
fcssion for gentleness of touch,
dexterity of fingers, and imper-
tnrbable demeanor. After stud
ying US all quietly for a few Sec
onds, they left the. car on the
corner of Foufteehth street, and
| saw them no more.
+ 9.3 Us -aiI7a Ill., sw doiiW II
Not long ago a car conductor
gave quite an interesting ac-
countof how his pocket was pick
ed, which l shall repeat as near
ly as possible in his own wOrds:l
"It was notion my own car,
or on my own line. You see, /
had got a day off to attend to
some business in Brooldyn-
where | had to make the pay,
ment of $50.T As l was leaving
the house my brother-in-law said
to me: Take care Yon don't
get your pocket picked.' 'Wel1,'-
said |, if any one picks mypock-
ct he's welcome to all he can
get When I got to the other
side of the river, went to pay
my $50, but no sooner touched
my pocket than I knew l had
been robbed. / was thunder
struck. My pocket had really.
been picked after all. So Iiust