The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-05-31

"Beware of pickpockets 7" repeat
Cd q benevolent old gentleman as he
glanced at a placard posted in the
car which he was riding. "Dear me,
how sad that such warning should
be necessary in o Christian land 7"
ayes, sir, said the young man
next Him, "but it's best to be care
ful for. there may be pickpockets in
this very car. know al about
that, sir. I've been rescued from
e lowest depth. l was a pick
!, po4 = once, sir
~ eeF nex said the old gontle-
Tnt respectable person now.
res, sf, I'm very respectable, ask
anybody about Jim Tilks and they II
8 tellEab that, but was brought up
p / was born among thieves
sand box the trade naturally, and /
used to pick pockets when ! was ten
years old. You needn't look ut
yours, . You please, sir, I've been
converted since, and 90 to meeting
regular. You could trust me with
untold gold now.
. ''But as said, I was thief, and
I might have been one yet if il
hadn't been for what happened at
Ricksdy station, where was sitting
waiting for any lsdy's reticule, or
any foregetful persons parcel. or
even An umbrella, or pocket
handkerchief, as might be dropped
by chance. For folks that's anxious
aPout gettin on the right train at
'4he right time, and nobody to do
anything but snub EN-, which is
what the officials are apparently paid
TO do 'ain't as careful Of their porta
BILE property as they would be 9th
erwise. When I was o wicked sin-
ner, / used to take advantage OF
that you know. You couldn' t bribe
me to do it now-oh, no.
"But as said, I was a,lounging
about there, and in came a gentlea
man with q long basket 1t was the
curiousest basket I ever saw. Had
two handles and Z paddock. Never
ssw such Q basket. There was q
cord about it, too. lie put it down
in Q corner as he looked for his
pocket-book, and he spoke to gen.
tleman who was standing near, and
seemed to know him.
"Got it, he said, "and it's cost
me enough, I can tell you, but l
wanted it for the collection--could-
MT do without it. So proud Of it ]
brought it along myself Whew
Eve minutes only, and haven't my
ticket and he rushed towards the
Office.
1.-THE other man looked at the
basket minute and then walked
away, and that was my time. I crept
up TO the basket and took it up and
walked away in another direction.
No body noticed me, didn't run,
Of course. I just went out Of the
station and down under the trees
and what I ment TO do was to take
the valuables out Of the basket and
leave it there.
Id made up my mind that il was
something very valuable, but what
It could be couldn't guess. I took
off the cord first and then took the
key that hung beside the paddock
and unlocked that and lifted up the
cover Q little.-Just then there was
q noise and I tourned my head.
"Whsn I found it was nothing to
be afraid Of ] tournod back. I OPEN
ed the cover wider and peeped in
but there was nothing there, the
basket was empty not a thing in
It.
= s6"Why, gracious me I" said ON.
" not in them words-I was q wick
"a sinner then--"What does this
mean 7 An empty basket !! And
what did he mean by talking of its
being valuable 7" And there was I,
running . risk for nothing. lt4r
~ "a risk. Why, I was done for.
for nothin' for here were the po-
lice after me-, at least, big arm
vent round my wrist, all Of q sud-
!. 6ep Ike and when ] jerlssd IL only
tef ne closer and what was that--
- - am,