The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-10-01

conveyancer, but nature had intended
himytor q new Houdin, or Wizard of
the North. He was more than half a
professional by the time he was full
grown. In addition to the quick eye
and the facile wrist, he had the rarer gifts
of suave manner and the face of brass.
They entered the miserable dwelling
together. The children--eight of them
were skirmishing all over the floor.
They were quite Interchangeable, and be-
yond the control of the eldest sister, who
was busted in setting out the table for
the midday meal; one other child, Of six
or seven, a bright-eyed, exceedingly beau
tiful boy, the rleast-were notnature's va
carries well known-likely to be born
among and belong to such surroundings,
stood between the legs of the man him
self, who had his back turned to the Wis
itors and was crouching over the scanty
| fire. ..a... 80 ..t:sa ~" @tI&t
The man turned his head for moment,
gave blank stare, than an impercepti
BILE nod, and once more he glowered down
upon the fire. s. $3.50 %s#. ~ r +.
"Here, little ones, do you see this gen
tleman2 he's conjuror. Know what
conjurer is, Tommy" cried the parson,
catching up mite of four or five from
the floor. mo, not you; nor you, Sarah
nor you, Jacky"-and h eran through all
their names. st .. .,'a-'
They had now ceased their gambols,
and were staring hard at their visitors
the moment was propitious; Jack New
lbiggin began. He had fortunately filed
his pockets with nuts, oranges, and cakes
no ho h0 hoH
half his apparatus ready to hand.
The pretty boy had very soon left the
father at the fire, and had come over to
join in the fun, going back, however, to
exhibit his share of the spoil and describe
| unanimously what had occurred. This
and the repeated shouts Of laughter SEEM
ed to produce some impression on him.
Presently he looked over his shoulder,
and said-but without animation
ut be very good Of you, sir, surely;
very good for to take so kindly 10 the
little chicks. It does them good to laugh
a bit, and it amt much as they've had to
make 'em lately"
1T is good for all of us, now and again,
I take it," said Jack, desisting, and going
toward him-the children gradually col
lecting IN far-off corner and comparing
! notes.
'You can't laugh, sir, if your hearts
heavy; if you do, it can be only sham"
While he was speaking he had taken
thu Bible from the shelf, and resuming
his seat, began to turn the leaves slowly
over.
I'm an untaught, rough countryman,
sir, but I've heard tell that these strange.
things you do are only tricks; amt it so,
sir?"
Here was, indeed, a hopeful symptom !
He was reused then, to take some inter-
est in what had occurred.
"A;l tricks of course; it all comes from
long PRACTICE" said Jack, as he proceed
ed to explain some of the simple processes,
hoping to enchain the mans attention.
'That's what thought, sir, or I'd have
given you job to do. I've been in want
of a real conf uror many long day, and
nothing less'll do. See here, sir" he
said, as he took a small, carefully-folded
paper from between the leaves Of the BIZ
bic; "do you see this?''
| 1t was half of a Bank of England note
tor $780,
":Now, sir, could any my corjuror help me
to find the other half?''
"How did you come by it," asked
jack, at once.
"I'll tell you, sir, short as I can make
it: Conjuror or no conjuror, you've got
a kindly heart, and Pm main sure that
you'll help me if you can"
Dan then described how he had picked
up the basket from the 1915 LIVERPOOL
express.
''There was the linen; I've kept it.
See here; all marked quite pretty and
proper, with lace around the edges, as
though its mother loved to make the lit
tie one SMART N .'5''5'i
Jack examined the linen; it bore a
monogram and crest. The first he made
out to mean H. L. M; and the crest was
plainly two hammers crossed, end the mot
to, II strike"-not a common crest-and
he never remembered to have seen it be-
fore. -.,
Sand this was all?'
accept the banknote. That was in a
poor old purse, with pawn ticket and a
thimble. I kept them ALL" .n.,,' o.
:. Like true detective, Jack examined
every article infinitely. The purse bore
the name of Hester Georgian, in rude let
tiers inside, and the pawn ticket was made
out in the same name.
| II cannot give you much hope that
shall succeed, but I will do my best
| Will you trust me with the note for a
timc?' -
"surely, sir, with the greatest of pleas
ure. If you could but find the other
half, it would give Harry-that's what
we call him-such grand start in life ;
schooling and the price of binding him
to some honest trade"
| Jack shook the mans hand and prom
ised to do his best and left the cottage
T. X X X y - t..
| When Jack Newbiggin got back to the
parsonage he found that his host had &C.
cepted an invitation flor them both to
dine at the Big House," as it was called
the country seat of the squire Of the Far
| They were cordially received at the
"Big House," Jack was handed over
forewith to his old friends, who figura-
lively rushed into his arms. They were
London acquaintance, no more: of the