The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-30
eff You would be so very kind, .

8 If you would be so very kind,
murmured Pennington.
s. Why continued Tom, SC YOU Sc
Iect some book. Then out of the words
IN this book you make your cipher.
For instance, you want to write dear,
as I presume you do, and you find it,
say. on tho twelfth page Of the book in
the second line nom the top and the
third word IN the line. You then rep
resent u by the numb ers u, 2, 3. And
SO with the rest of your note. You see,
no human being could possibly read it
unless they happened to guess what
book you used"
Pennington was overjoyed at this de-
hghtful plan, and, thanking Tom
warmly, fastened to unfold the new
cipher to Mary. He felt at perfect lib
erty to disregard Mr.. Morris's advice
not TO write In cipher, for he now de-
cided that Mary's father would be us
tifably regarded as hoary-headed ty-
rant, bent upon Separating two loving
hearts, and only fit to be circumvented
by careful strategy. So he selected a
novel, of which he knew that both Mary
and himself possessed copies explained
the new cipher with the utmost care,
and after he reached home put it in i'm
mediate practice by writing a brief note
and sending 1T by post, as he would be
unable 70 see her next evening. This
is what he wrote:
359l5-S32.3- 45.44-69.59-65A5
81. Is. GIG III I1-S5. 10 9-83. 4.
2-S 3.S.6-S9. s. 2-59.2 6-11T5.5-71
Now the book upon which this cipher
was based was printed in double col
umns. Unfortunately Pennington for
got to explain which of the columns he
intended to use. However, he decided
to use the outer column, trusting that
the other heart, which, as he frequently
remarked, was one of two which beat
as one" would instinctively divine his
selection.
Two nights afterwards he reached the
Morrises' door, full of delightful antici-
pations. He was met by old Mr.. Nor
ris, who, thrusting a note into his hand,
explained, with much unnecessary en-
phasis and total disregard of the COM
monest rules of politeness, that If he
ever Yentured to present himself at that
house again he would be kicked down
the front steps, mixed up in complicated
relations with the family bull-dog, and
committed tothe final care of the police.
He went home maddened with this
very undesirable mystery, and confident
that old Morris had been attacked with
NAO44AA4AAA A4ilA was al C4CCCl4uE~
ly unsafe acquaintance. Once in his
room, he sat down to read the crumpled
letter that had been forced upon him.
It was his own letter to Mary. Below
| the cipher was written Mary's transla-
| ton of it. The poor girl had tried to
! translate it by using the inner column
| of the book, and with the following I'M
satisfactory result
Sc You liar when almost hate her and
farewell you deceitful never again and
! base infamy."
And still further down on the page
was written in Mary's hand, 81 can
make out enough of your letter to see
it is a cruel, wicked insult, and shall
tell papa"
! It flashed across Pennington's rem
nant of a mind that perhaps Mary had
made q mistake in the columns of the
book. He seized the volume and veri-
fed his suspicion. The innocent note
that he had written was actually trans
formed, by the simple process of read
ing it with the wrong column as a key,
into the incoherent but obviously impo-
lite letter which had wrought such IN
happy consequences.
Pennington sank in his chair utterly
overwhelmed. He called himself all
the choice names that old Morris had
applied to him, together with large Sc
lection of other epithets. He spent an
hour in this profitable occupation. Al
the end of that time he had formed q
resolution which he proceeded 10 put
into immediate execution.
He rose up and, going to his trunk,
took out his secret society emblems and
solemnly threw them in the CRATE. He
next sat down and wrote twelve sepa
rate designations for twelve different
lodges. Then he wrote solemn pledge
never, to the day of his death, to med
die with cipher or any other mystery
and finally, writing out full history O
the cipher letter, sent it, together Will
the book which he had used as key
his pledge to solemnly abstain from
mysteries. and an humble apology, tx
old Morris.
Ofcourse his explanationwa was accepted
and Mary forgave him. Several year
have passed since that event, but If yol
wish to make Pennington Smythe blusl
. with wretchedness, all that is necessar,
, is to ask of him if he knows of an