Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-14
Publisher and Proprietor
A THRILLING SNAKE STORY.

"A AAhAnhAANW ON NAhL RkOhIa
"Beware of pickpockets!" re-
peated a benevolent old gentleman
as he glanced at a placard posted in
the car in which he was riding.
"Dear me, how sad that such a
warning should be necessary in a
Christian land.
eyes, sir" said young man
next him; "but it's best to be care
full, for there may be pickpockets
i'll this very car. Pve been rescued
from the lowest depths. | was
pickpocket once, sir"
"Dear me-" said the old gentle
man, starting.
'I'm a respectable person now
Yes, sir, I'm very respectable. Ask
anybody about Jim Tilks, and
they'll tell you that; but | was
brought up u thief. / was born
among thieves, and took to the
trade naturally. and used to pick
pockets when | was ten years old.
You needn't look at yours. If you
please, sir, I've been converted, sure,
and go to meeting regular. You
could trust me with untold gold
now.
but, as ! said, l was thief,
and | might have been one yet if it
had not been for what happened at
Rickady Station, where was wait
ing for an old lady's reticule, or
any forgetlul persons parcel, or
even an umbrella Or a handkerchief
that might be dropped by chance.
For folks that's anxious about get
ting on the right trains at the
right time, and nobody to do any
thing but snub 'em, which is what
the officials are apparently paid to
do, amt as careful of their porta-
bic property as they would be
otherwise. When / was a wicked
sinner l used to take advantage of
that, you know. You couldn't
bribe me to do it now-oh, no.
" But, us l said, l was lounging
about there, and in came a gentle
man with q long basket. 1t was
the curiousest basket l ever saw.
Had two handles and a paddock.
Never saw such a basket. There
was a cord about it, too. He put
it down in the corner as he looked
for his pocketbook, and he spoke to
a gentleman who was standing
near, and seemed to know him.
"'Got it, he said, 'and it's cost
me enough, l can tell you. But |
wanted it for the collection-coul&
not do without it. So proud of it
| brought it along myself. Whewl
five minutes only, and l haven't
any ticket, and he pushed toward
the Office.
"The other man looked at the
basket q minute and then walked
away, and that was my time. L
crept up to the basket and took it
up and walked away in another di-
rection. Nobody noticed me. l
didn't run, of course. ! just went
out Of the station down under the
trees, and what | meant to do was
to take the valuables out Of it and
| leave it there,
I'D made up my mind that it
was something very valuable, but
what it could be | copldn't guess.
| took off the cord first, and then
! | took the KEY that hung beside
the paddock and unlocked that and
lifted up tho cover q little. Just
then there was noise and | turned
my head,
''When | found it was nothing
to be afraid Of l turned back. |
opened the cover wider and peeped
in. but there was nothing there;
the basket was empty-not a thing
in it.
"Why gracious mel says Il
only not in them words-I was a
wicked sinner then-'what does
this mean? An empty basket
And what did he mean by talking
Of its being yaluable2' And there
| was running risk for nothing.
"a risk, ] was done for, for
nothing, for here were the police
after me, at least a big arm went
round my waist, all Of q sudden