Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-24

nave taken my departure Ior GoOQ- 1
knew it was useless to expect bis forgive
ness, and, frankly, had not the courage
to face his anger. So l determined to
write and informing him of his loss, and
request small sum sufficient to allow me
to emigrate. was arranging my plans,
when q servant came to tell me that
nan had called respecting book which
he wished my uncle to see. My unclo
was well known as collector, ana,
thinking this might be messenger from
some dealer, said that / would see the
man. On entering the room where he
was saw tall, fair young man of about
twenty seven. His clothes were some
what worn, and be had a detected express
sion. He held in his hand brown paper
parcel.
Il have book here" he said, (which
should like Mr.. Morgan to see, as he has
been mentioned to me as a party who
might be willing to buy it."
Having said this he took from the brown
paper my uncle's First Folio" and placed
1t in my trembling hands.
Thank heavenl' exclaimed in an e1
cited tone, while the young man looked at
me in surprise.
This is Mr. Morgan's own copy"
continued; 'it was lost three days ago,
and was afraid had been stolen. When
you spoke of selling it, You wished, of
course, to see whether would identify it.
l do; and so viii Mr. Morgan But you
shall have your reward; stay till I re-
turn"
And off I went with the Shakespeare, t"
nor was l content till had locked it in
the cabinet where it was usually kept. |
then went TO get some money and re-
turned to give it to the man. To my as
constituent found that he was gone, and
@ servant told me that he had left the
house very hurriedly. He certainly did not
appear to be sn individual who would be
above accepting q reward. That, how
ever, was q trivial matter, and gave me
little concern in the midst of my intense
citation.
AS soon as my uncle came back I put
the First Folio" into his hands. The
time had not yet come when l should
Judge it proper that he should learn the
truth. l noticed that my uncle was ex-
aiming the book very carefully, fearful,
/ supposed, lest it had received any in
jury. At last he looked at me with q
cunning expression, and said in low
tone:
do you know this isn't my copy?"
"Not yours2" l exclaimed in surprise
and alarm.
NO" replied my uncle, 'it is not the
one bought, and is still more perfect
copy. The title page in my Shakespeare
was torn in one corner; in this it is abso
lutely without flaw. The first pages Of
Hamlet were 'foxed' in my copy, but
here they are as clean as when they were
printed l know what has happened"
continued my uncle with another cunning
glance towards NE. a and his
friends have been comparing my Shake
speare' with some others, and my name
has become detached, so they have been
mixed. The man who has got mine is
probably none the wiser, and will be just
as well satisfied with it as with this, and
/, of course, won't complain. D"
Now, although the reader may have
formed contrary opinion, my uncle when
in the city was famed for his uprightness
and for the probity of all his dealings. 1t
was only as collector, and when dealing
in scarce books, that he sometimes dis
played laxity Of honor which distressed
NE. What has occurred was clear to me,
The book which WIS now in my uncle's
possession had been stolen. and not the
actual thief, but o resetter, or meSSen-
ger, had come to dispose of it. Con-
Guiding from my words that the book
had been stolen from my uncle, and under
the belief that l had gone for policeman,
the fellow had made his escape.
| am sorry TO relate that my uncle's In
terest in this fresh copy Of the First
Folio" coupled with his devotion to the
Shakespearean question, proved injurious
to his health, and several weeks later he
was seized with a stroke of apoplexy,
which proved fatal. l inherited all his
property, including his valuable collection
Of rare books. From the time when first
conjectured the truth regarding the stolen
book / resolved that ultimately it would
be restored to its owner. lam preserving
it carefully; and take this opportunity
Of stating that it viii be delivered to any
one who Identifies it and is able to prove
his claim; or, if he prefers it, l shall have
the book valued by Mr.. Quaritch, and
purchase it at his estimate.
There is another act of restitution
which remains for me TO DO. | have said
that l was distressed by the thought OF
having supplanted my fair cousin IN my
uncle's will; but she has at last consented
to accept that reparation which will give
me the greatest satisfaction to bestow.
So it is probable that soon people will
once more be making free Of my name;
and my friends will again find occasion
to say that my luck is far beyond my de-
serts.-J. Crawford Scott in Belgravia.