Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-07-28

I Nul..
"nel servant came to tell mo trh'4
man had called respecting hook wb;oa
no wished my uncle to see Nv ,raIn
Was wen known as a collector ~, III
thinking this might be a messenger f r,.lu
some dealer, | said that wonId 500 In III
nan on entering the room wbero ha
was saw a tall. fair young na, df ~ ne
twenty seven. His clothes wero @ aoon'
what worn, and he had a detected q v 9orao
sion de held in his hand a brown "a I pres
parcel Z" 'ro"h paper
Il have book here" he said Guilt,
ha slioulu me MIR. Morgan to see, as he has
~; II ii ~ to me as party who
might be willing to buy it," WV
having SAID this he took from the brown
b"pe, NY uhcies First Folio" and placed
II IN nm my trembling hands p'"'0O
ihank heaven | exclaimed in an ev.
clLea tone, while the young man looked at
This This is Mr. Morgans own copv."
continued 1T was lost three DAYS oeo
anu was afraid had been stolen. Wien
you spoke of selling it, you wished NJ
course to sec whether would identify If
90; and so will Mr. Morgan. BIT Won ~,
turn ''"y 'pl re-
ana of went with the Shakespeare /"
nor was content till had locked Il i,
the cabinet where it was usually kant I
tnen went to get some money and ro
turned to give it to the man. IL NV ne
constituent | found that he was ponc and
servant told me that he had left Tho
mousse very hurriedly lie certainly did not
appear to be an individual who wonld be
ABOVE accepting Il reward. That how.
ever ever was a trivial matter, and rave me
ilttle concern in the midst of nv intence
elation 'ii'eii9o
AS soon as my uncle came back nut
the First Folio" into his hands. ibe
tiine had not yet come when | should
Judge 1t proper that he should learn the
ruin l noticed that my uncle was ex
aiming the book very carefully. fearful
l supposed, lest it had received anv in.
jury. AT last he looked at me with q
cunning expression, and said in a low
DO you know this isn't nv copvP"
Not yours?" | exclaimed in surnrise
and alarm. p i'o
No, replied my uncle, lit is not the
one bought, and is a still more perfect
copy IAe title page in my Shakespeare
was torn IN ole corner; in this it is abso
iqtelY without flaw. The first pages Of
Hamlet were foxed' in my copy, but
mere they are as clean as when they were
printed. 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 have been
mixed The man who has got mine is
probably none the wiser, and will be lust
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 uprirhtness
and for the probty of all his dealings. 1t
was only as collector, and when dealing
In scarce books, that he sometimes dis
played q 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 messen.
ger, had come to dispose of it. Con.
GLIDING from my words that the book
had been stolen from my uncle, and under
the belief that had gone for a 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 stroke of apoplexy,
which proved fatal. | 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. am 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, 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 | 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 hlt. occasion
to say that my luck is far beyond my de
serts. j. Crawford Scott in Beigravia.