, 1888-10-11

that on that occasion my name ap-
would rather nave faced a battery,
and had ten chargers shot under me, with
the loss of a limb to boot, than l would
have told my uncle that in the fog l ] had
exchanged his First Folio" for Robbins
on Contracts" Discovery could not long
be delayed, as the book was only to have
been lent for three days. | was in con-
slant dread lest my uncle should receive
some communication from his friend, and
thus learn that the Shakespeare" had
never reached him.
1t was the fourth day after my mishap
that my uncle said to me in a highly dis
satisfied tone:
II amt understand what A means
by keeping my First Folio so long. l
told him distinctly that l could not spare
it for more than three days. l trust he
has taken good care of it; but | heartily
wish now that 1 had never lent it at all.
l wish you to go and fetch it. Hunt him
up wherever he may be, and don't return
without it. l am going out for a few
hours, and shall expect to see it when /
come back"
AS soon as my oncle left the house l
resolved that, ere he returned, l should
AVE taken my departure for good. 1
NEW it was useless to expect his forgive
ness, and, frankly, l had not the courage
to face his anger. So / determined to
write and informing him of his loss, and
request a small sum sufficient to allow me
to emigrate. l was arranging my plans,
when a ervant came to tell me that a
man had called respecting a book which
he wished my uncle to see. My uncle
was well known as a collector, and,
thinking this might be a messenger from
some dealer, l said that / would see the
man. On entering the room where he
was l saw a tall. fair young man of about
t~wenty-seven. His clothes were some
what worn, and he had a detected express
sion. DC held in his hand a brown paper
parcel.
| should like Mr.. Morgan to see, as he hns
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
it in my trembling hands.
Thank heavenl' l exclaimed in an ex-
cited tone, while the young man looked at
me in surprise.
This is Mr.. Morgan's own copy" 1
continued, lit was lost three days ago,
and l was afraid had been stolen. When
you spoke of selling it, you wished, of
course, to see whether l would identify it.
l do; and so will Mr.. Morgan. But you
shall have your reward; stay till 1 re-
turn"
And off l Went =. ! the Shakespeare"
nor was | conte.-. 81 | had locked it in
the cabinet where it was usually kept. l
then wen to get some money and re-
turned to give it to the man. To my as
constituent | found that he was gone, and
a servant told me that he had left the
house very hurriedly. He certainly did not
onDoor e., Io ~ ;aI;-,lyo1 ,u1a -ua-1l l..
above accepting u reward. That, how
ever, was a trivial matter, and gave me
little concern in the midst of my intense
citation.
As soon as my uncle came back l 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. 1 noticed hat my uncle was ex-
aiming the book very carefully, fearful,
l supposed, lest it had received any in
jury. At last he looked at me with a
cunning expression, and said in a low
tone:
do you know this isn't my copy?"
Not yours?" l exclaimed in surprise
and alarm.
NO" replied my uncle, lit is not the
n | bought, and is q still moro perfect
copy. The title page in my Shakespeare
was torn in one corner; in this it is abso-
lutely without a 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 me. a. and his
friends have been comparing my Shake
speare' with some others, and my name
has become detached, so they nave been
mixed. The man who has got mine is
probably non the wiser, and will be just
as well satisfied with it as with this, and
|, of course, won't complain"
Now, although the reader may have
formed a 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 a collector, and when dealing
in scarce books, that he sometimes dis
played a laxity of honor which distressed
me. What has occurred was clear to me,
The book which was now in my uncle's
possession had been stolen, and not the
actual thief, but a resetter, or a 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 a policeman,
the fellow had made his escape.
l am sorry to relate that my uncle's in
terest in this fresh copy of the First
Folio" coupled with his devotion to the
queStiou, proved injurious
to his health, and several weeks later he
was seized with a stroke of apoplexy,
which proved fatal. 1 inherited all his
property, including his valuable collection
of rare books. From the time when l first
co~njectured the truth regarding the stolen
book l resolved that ultimately it would
be restored to its owner. lam preserving
it carefully; and l take this opportunity
of stating that it will be delivered to any
one who identifies it and is able to prove
his claim; or, if he prefers it, 1 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. l nave 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 PREPARATION which will give