The Republican., 1888-11-10
CAUGHT MAPPING.

CAUGHT MAPPING.
popnlous city Ia the west OF
England lately lived a. Jew named
SOLOMON Isaac, He had for many
Years carried on the combined busi-
.'ess d d pawnbroISer and joweler.
At the iime III which we write be-
sas ia sieeilIeday e.ssv circumstances,
l'''i having entered upon the declin
lt'R years slf iifs l1a had transferred
~ his SON the active management OF
els business. and had resolved to take
f''Illes conifnrta6iy. u appearance,
'SploDon bore but little resemblance
sQ|the conventional Hebrew money
iender His features. as II whole.
clearly denotedehis extraction. boi
hknose lacked the significant hook.
a9d his form was portly. While his
afE tua. eheasfsilness eyinced that ne
Fsrs neitlieT. remarkably ayaiicious
Qo' maleyoIent.
In the afternoon of a summer day,
no many years since, Solomon was
seated at his his desk in that part of
his establishment which was known
as ''he office" His son was away
for tle day, The heat was oppres
5iVe,and to an attentive observer il
musthave appeared that Solomon
like Homer-occasionaIly nodded.
Solomon was disturbed in his nap by
the enrance of stranger. He was
a tall, middle.aged man, shoWIly
dressedand seIf-pOssessed. After eX-
planning that unexpected calls had
been made upon his purse, he begged
that SoomOn would accommodate
him unil the morning with loan
Of ten pounds, and he proffered as
securitya valuable-l looking diamond
ring. SOlomon tested the gold and
scrutiniied the stones, and, feeling
satisfied of the sufficient value of the
ring, cmceded the desired advance !;
wherelpOn, with a profusion Of
thanks the siranger-Who had given
the nfme of Wilkins-took his de-
partur.
In tie morning the son resumed
his duies in the business. He also
testedthe ring. and, to the amaze
mentof his father, pronounced the
stone to be paste. and the value Of
the ring to be fifth of the sum for
which it had been pledged. Solo
monaghan examined the stones, and
was Iobliged to concur in his sons
ppirtW. He was extremely morti-
Ed n having proved such an easy
e4y ss'NT feat il siny fndigraht iiat
a''@att, Hipt should have been made
to Swindle him, who had grown old
in the trade, and whose acuteness in
business was "a matter of common
nOtCriety.
1t was not very long, however, be-
fore Solomon regained his usual
composure of mind, and when, a
little later in the day, a second stran-
ger entered the shop, Solomon step
ped forward with alacrity to serve
him. The new arrival NAV be ap-
propriately described as an "elderiy
gentleman of respectable appear
ance," and he made known to Solo
mon his desire to purchase "a trifie
for a present." AS he had previously
inspected, from the outside, the con-
tents of the shop window, Solomon
at once placed before him for selec-
ton a considerable quantity of other
jewelry. The fancy of the gentle
man, oddly enough, was at last taken
by some rather valuable rings. A
nice ring. he thought. would answer
his purpose admirably; hut he was
remarkably fastidious. None of the
rings which he looked at would eX-
actly suit, and it seemed to be inn
possible to please him, when the son
fetched from the office and posted in
his fathers hands the ring pledged
by Mr.. Wilkins on the previous day.
II was strange that it had not occur.
red to Solomon to offer this ring.
Both he and his sn, by an easy pro-
cess of reasoning, had arrived at the
conclusion that Mr.. Wilkins would
be unlikely to relieve them of it, and
they mad therefore determined to sci
it. On beholding this ring, the eyes
of the gentleman sparkled. He fitted
it on his finger, eXtolled its beauty,
and gazed on ii approviugly yet he
seemed unable to come to a decision.
With the ring in his hand, he enter
ed apparently, into an abtruse men
tai calculation, and finally gave back
the ring with a show Of great reluct-
ance, and an expression of regret
that, unless his judgment deceived
him, the price must be more than he
could afford. Solomon generously