The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-04-27

| benevolent old gentleman as he glanced
at placard posted in the car in which
he was riding. 9" Dear me, how sad that,
snaia a Barning should be necessary IN 4
| christian landi"
g Yes, sir" said the young man next
to him, but it's best to be careful, for
there may be pickpockets in this very
car. 1 know all about that, sir. I've
been rescued from the lowest depths l
was pickpocket once, sir"
"Dear me !" said the old gentleman,
starting.
"Pm a respectable person now. Yes,
sir, Pm very respectable; ask anybody
about Jim Tilks and they'll tell you
that; but was brought up a thief.
was born among thieves, and took to the
trade naturally, and l used to pick
pockets when was ten years old. You
needn't look at yours, if you please, SIR.
Pve been converted since, and go to
meeting regular You could trust me
with untold gold now.
"But as l said, was a thief, and
might have been one yet if it hadn't
been Ter what happened at Rickady
station, where / was sitting waiting for
any old lady's reticule, or any forgetful
pers59s parcel, or even an umbrella, or
pocket handkerchief as might be
dropped by chance. For folks that's
anxious about gettin' on the right train
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 portable property as
they would be otherwise. When was
a wicked sinner, l used to take advan-
tage of that, you know. You couldn't
bribe me to do it n01O---oh, no.
But as l said, / was a-lounging about
there, and in came gentleman with
long basket. 1t was the curiusest bas-
ket 1 ever saw. Had two handles and
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 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 wanted it |
for the collection; couldn't do without |
it. So proud of it l brought it along
myself Whew five minutes only, and |
I haven't my ticket, and he rushed |
toward the Office.
" That other man looks at the basket |
a 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 direction. Nobody noticed
me. l didn't run, of course. I Just
went out Of the station and down under
the trees and what meant to do was to
take the valuables out of the basket and
leave it there.
" I'd made up my mind that it was
something very valuable, but what it
could be 1 couldn't guess. L took of
the cord first, and then l took the kew
that hung beside the paddock and un-
locked that, and lifted up the cover a
little. Just then there was noise, and
1 turned my head.
When l found it was nothing to be
afraid of, 1 turned back and opened the
cover wider and peeped in; but there
was nothing there; the basket was empty
not a thing in it.
"'Why, gracious meP says L; only
not in them words-I was a wicked sim
ner then what does this mean? An
empty basket And what did he mean
by talking of its being valuable? {? And
there was l, running a risk for nothing.
" A risk. Why, [ was done for, for
nothing for here were the police after
me; at least, big arm went around nv
waist, all of a sudden like; and when l
ierked it only held me closer and what
was that-another arm?
Z" Well, sir, l thought / should lust
give up that minute, for there and then
l knew what was twisting about me was
something worse than even policeman's
arm to such as | was then.
q 1t was snake-a great snake-the
kind they put in menageries. Beacon
strictor-yes, sir-that was the kinda
constructor and now / remembered
the face of the gentleman who had the
basket-he was the menagerie man. I'd
stolen basket with a snake in it, and 1t
had slipped out when ] opened the cover,
and now it had me.
Tight, sir, was no word. 1t was
twisted around me until had very little
breath left, but with what / did have
set up yell. Would you believe it,
sir, the first person that heard me was
that menageric man he was looking for
his snake, l suppose.
"'Bless my heart" says he, when he
saw me-'bless my heart. Well, the
bitter bit, if ever it happened. You stole
the basket, my friend, and out of it came
the thief-catcher. Now keep still don't
move for your life. There's just one
chance for YOU
Essays L: Hurry, please, sir; Pm
chokin''
He did hurry. He took bottle out
of his pocket, and out of another he took
kind of folding cup, and opened it out.
,---hen he poured something from the bot
tie into the cup.
"'Milk,' says he; it may tempt him
away; if not, say your prayers, friend :
and / tell you that was an anxious mo-
! ment for me.
"At first l thought he had done Tor
me, for the snake only seemed to twist
tighter but in minute the head poked
out towards the cup and felt him drop
of, and saw him .coiled about the milk
cup. I didn't wait TO see him feed. /
went.
| "But it was lesson for me. 1t put
an end to my course of wickedness- This
i ltoo.I 4, fto r,,nor,