Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-07-17

zen times that sum This rare hoo,
kept not merely as a curiosity i
owner as he was able to put it TO
ical use; lis state of preservation W
perfect as 10 render it unioue cor
was considerably surprised one dav
ne told me that he had promised h
II LOT snort time to distinpu
member of parliament, whom he h..
most Won over to his own views 70
ing the authorship Of the plavs
commissioned to convey the precious
TO It's destination, and INV
gratltied me by saying that he
trust it for that purpose into the !
OF no one else. He was going ont ID
mat night, and as | saw him into III
rage the last thing he said TO m
that, as the distance which shouId
70 go was not great, he would prefe,
! should walk instead of taking $
pelng' suppose, of the opinion this
DOCK would run greater risk of
injured or lost if | used a convevon5
promised. therefore, to carry it. An
later, when | left the house with III
liable book in my hand, found mvs
the midst of the densest London for
ever experienced Not only was if
eating and binding, but as it 4
along and met my face the heavy
seemed almost tangible. To add T.
discomfort caused by the fog the
was bitterly cold and the pavemen
slippery. | had not gone many
when | began to deliberate wbet
ought not to return, but. as | knew
my uncle's friend was STAYING at
TINS evening in order to receive the
thought it better that he should n
disappointed. | had proceeded O
way not more than few hundred
when, on turning a corner,
against some one who was &C
IN the opposite direction The
sion was sharp one, and we
slipped and fell With mutual apo
we scrambled to our feet, and the str
politely lifted the copy of ''Shakesp
which had fallen from my hand an
turned it to me. We were standing
under lamp, and could see, thouaa.
distinctly, the manner of man h was
with whom had come in contact; he was
middle aged, short, spare and dressed
shabby genteelly in black, apparently a
second rate solicitors or barristers clerk
or perhaps copyist for law stationer.
After expressing hope that | was not
hurt he moved away, and | remained
standing, somewhat dazed by my tumble.
AS | had still about half a mile to go
resolved to run the risk of no more acct
dents, so | turned and began to retrace
my steps. In a few minutes | was again
within my uncle's house | went at once
to the library in order to restore the
First Folio to its place.
How warm and comfortable the room
seemed after the miserable weather tC
which had just been exposed. The fire was
blazing brightly, and | warmed my cold
hands As soon as a lamp was brought
in l approached table, where | had laid
the Shakespeare, as | was anxious to
know if 1t had received any Slight damage
through falling, l lifted the book, and
suddenly felt faint, while the room
seemed to spin round me. The book
held i'll my hand was not the First
Folio, but law book of the same size
and appearance Ere | opened it | saw
by the printing on the back of the binding
that it was Robbins on Contracts ?
The truth flashed upon me instantaneous.
ly. That miserable LAWYERS clerk in the
darkness and fog had inadvertently hand,
ed me this wretched book he was carving
and had taken away the Shakespeare >
in its stead. | was convinced that never
again would ! behold the First Folio. .
1t is true that my uncle's name and
address were written on slip of paper
which was gummed to the cover, but
from the momentary glimpse had of this
man | felt sure he would not return it.
The temptation by which lie found him
self assaulted would be too great for him
to resist, when he learnt that he had in
his possession a book which, if sold, would
procure him a comfortable annuity for
the remainder of his life He would know
that the book must be the property of
some wealthy collector, who. he would
imagine, could afford to purchase an
other Though his conduct would be
| morally as culpable as theft, knew that
many a man, who was incapable of delib,
erately stealing, would be unable to with.
stand the temptation of appropriating
that which came into his possession un.
Willingly, and, i'll manner, might seem
| to have been thrust upon him, especially il
| he were in needy circumstances, as this
man whom | had encountered in the fog
undoubtedly was. There would be no use
in advertising the loss, as my uncle's
name would be seen, and the book restor
| ed if it had fallen into the hands of al
honest person. had strong conviction
| however, that the book would never be
| brought back. did not doubt for a mo
ment the consequences which my care
| lessness would entail upon myself. Not
| only would | lose my fortune, but | would
| be banished from my uncle's house, anC
| be thrown upon the world without means
and without the ability to earn my living
| | knew that he had disinherited my
| cousins for reasons which would seen
| 1 I
! enOrmitv of nv ofIense This would bt
more ineligible to the reader if coult
! explain the inordinate value which h.
| placed upon the book, and the veneratiol
| in which he held it, or could describe his
! irascible, crotchety temperament, or the
! contempt in which he held such re
missness at that of which l haC
! been guilty | knew it would be use
less to urge that, as he had made me
resign my profession, he ought III justice
| to give me an allowance, as he would
think was only being justly punished il
being consigned to penury.
When he returned that night | was
! thankful that he made no reference to the
! book. | did not dare to look him in the
! face | am aware that, if | had acted
| rightly, l should have made confession
! to him Of my faults, and that my behav
iQr will be pronounced by some to have
been cowardly. But ''cowardice' is /
very ugly word to use in reference to one
wi.D had just ceased to be soldier; and
VIA it, therefore, to be known that il
| va II action that lost the two chargers
! 0 which | have made mention, anG
that on that occasion my name ap.
pearcd in the dispatches But
| would rather have faced a battery,
and had ten chargers shot under me, with
| the los Of limb to boot, than | would
/ have told my uncle that in the fog had
! exchanged his First Folio for Robbins
Il 1n.nn