Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-06-08


at the hotel, and his journey TO his des'
tination, However he luckily remem-
bered my address, aud came to ask me
TO lend Him sufficient for these present
needs.
Now, II happened, that very morning
1 had been reading In the Times, M 40,
count Of a swindler who had extracted
money from several physiclans by IN
exactly similar story, aud ] was mol
going TO be taken In after tho same
fashion, Had not the genuine Herr
schlossman Just left mep So ] told tho
German, firmly, that u was useless
coming 10 mo with his rumped'up
story that the dodge was an old one,
and, In fact, that tho sooner he walked
out, the better, must aay hc brazehed
tho matter out we'll enough, He was
furious at being thought IN impoStor
declared Merton could youch Tor INN
Merton being thirty miles OIL, and, gt
last, became no noisy In broken English
and German that ! was obliged 10 tell
him that, II he did not go away quietly
| must send for the police. Then he
seized his hat, and dashed out In a
tornado OF explctiyos In both LANGUAGES
had been no disturbed by oil the
commotion that | felt confused about
my list OF gems, and went to look at
them again before continuing my writ
ing. Was IL to be bclievcdY My best
Jewels were gone Yes, II was too true,
Aunt Dorothy's diamonds, which kept
in small case to themselves; Uncle
Johns Indian collection both had van
ished. Nothing was left except my
own purchases, and not the best OF them
oven for certain ruby ] had given
well, rather long price for was miss
ing likewise, Altogether | had bocn
robbed of nearly f3OOO worth OF prop
erty. When could the theft have been
perpetmted? The jewels were safe an
hour ago, for / had shown them to Herr
Schlossman. | called cab and hurried
to the nearest police.court to give notice
of my loss. As stated my case, the
evidence against the German stranger
seemed to grow yet more conclusive
His ut empt to obtain money by false
representations looked very suspicious,
and the police inspector smiled at the
negative evidence that / had not seen
him touch the jewels.
"You never see conjurer put your
watch up his sleeve, when he makes be-
lieve to slip il into cake, and yon don't
know how ho gets bowl OF water and
gold fish out of an empty cloak, do you,
sir ?' he inquired. "Why, those light
fingered gentry can almost take the
rings of your hand without your know
ing it," He did, however, ask me
whether anyone else had been in the
room during the time the safe was
opened, and l answered, "Only the real
Herr Schlossman, the gentleman this
impostor pretended to represent l
omitted to add that / had never before
seen "the real Herr Schlossman,"
The police authorities held out hopes
of the recovery of my property, as they
had been set so promptly on the track
of the supposed thief; and after taking
all necessary steps in the matter, re-
turned home to wait anxiously for
further tidings. -,
breakfasted early next morning, and
was gratitied to see hanson dash up to
my door between ten and eleven o'clock,
fastening into the hall, hoping to hear
that my swindler was caught, and my
presence required at the police station,
| encountered Merton.
"How about my diamonds p ] cried.
"Hang your diamonds" was Merton's
most uncivil reply, "what could possess
YOU to treat my old friend, Herr Schloss-
man in this--this insane manner? II
you doubted the truth of his story, you
might, at least, have telegnphed to me
to ascertain if it were correct, instead
of first insulting him, and then give him
in charge to the police on some absurd
pretext."
81 never insulted your friend," | re-
piled. "He was most agreeable man,
and we spent pleasant hour together.
I have been robbed and ruined by Il
swindler-a little dirty German, who
came here after your friend left, and
pretended to personate him. He has
carried off the best of my collection,
and will certainly set the police on
his track. You seem under some extra
ordinary delusion, Merton; and your
language is not the politest."
"Your pleasant, agreeable man, went
on Merton, in tone of exasperating
certainty, sis at this moment exulting
in the possession of your lost jewels.
The dirty little German, as you please
to entitle him, is the real Herr Schloss-
man, who has just telegraphed to me
from the police-station, where your
laundering has had him locked up"
"But the other man brought letter
card" gasped.
"Of which he had robbed my friend
at the railway station" said Merton,
coolly.
l accompanied Merton to the police
court, where his injured friend was
identified and set free. I cannot say
that Herr Schlossman showed very
forgiving disposition, for he received
our apologies and explanations with a
remarkably bad grace, and utterly de-
clined to fulfill his engagement of stay
ing with Merton, announcing that he
had "seen enough Of England" and in
tended returning to the continent that
evening. So of he went, and six months
afterwards, when he died, the names of
the Merton family were remitted from
his will, though he had promised them
legacies.
And my lost jewels. They are lost
still. That clever swindler has never
been caught.