The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
:.:::: BY B. L. FARJEON. 80:


property, returned to his shop.
He declined to charge Foxey with tn
theft having horror OF police courts
but when he met the lad and Littl,
Make Believe In the street, he laid hi
hand upon the girls shoulder and de
talned ke-.
"You shouldn't be seen." he said
with that young thief. He'll make
yer as bad as he is himself"
Here, slash tbatw cried Foxey
while Little Mske-Believe looked from
one to the other in fear and trembling
Jest you mind yer own business, and
let Make-Belieye mind her'n."
you know I'm yer friend" said
Thomas Dexter, still addressing Little
Make Believe. THAT little villain there
stole a mirror from me, and when he
was caught shivered IL to bits"
Foxey laughed loudly and malicious.
eIclaim, II could have had him locked
up for it,"
"Well," retorted FoIey, dehantly,
"wby didn't yer? don't care for being
locked up. You're too much OF sneak,
that's what you are. Yah! j say,
goy'ner, how much was that bit OF
glass worth"
1T was worth half sovereign, you
rascal"
| 1T would have paid yer 20 give me q
bob rather than have it broke, wouldn't
tf" .,...,..E,L,
"Why didn't you say 10, then? A.
ways agreeable, gov'ner, to take any
think that's give to me. Sos Make
Believe, amt yerT"
But between these two stools Little
Make Believe was too frightened 10
speak.
II amt good enough for Make-Be-
lievc, amt i? Oh, no, not bit OF It.
There's bobby. Give me in charge
! don't care! You amt got the sperrit
OF mouse, that's what you amt got.
Look here, Make Believe, III git silk
hat and velvet westcut, and then j
shall be good enough to walk along
side yer. Crikey! what a honorw
And of walked Foxey, initiating the
gait Of members Of fashionable circles.
Before another twenty-four hours
had passed over his head, Thomas Dex-
ter had n further experience OF Foxey.
He missed smal. piece of ivory,
carved into the hldeous unlikeness of
q human being-one OF those Chinese
monstrostles which many persons, who
should know better. believe belongs to
| high art.
He could not imagine where II had
| got to. IL was on his counter for few
minutes, during which 10 suspicious
person had been in the shop.
While he was hunting about and per
picking himself over his loss, he saw
Foxey grinning in his shop windows.
He went TO the door TO hunt the
scamp away, when Foxey, touching his
cap with mock respect, said:
IL say, guv'nOr, does yer want to
buy a reg'lar keuriosimosity
BE off with yer, yer vagabond,"
cried Thomas Dexter.
Don't be so uppy; l amt CANNON
ing, s'help me tater. It's the FUNNIEST
bit of ivory you ever sor"-Thomas
Dexter pricked up his ears-"with
face good deal uglier nor mine, and
ears rs large as his head. Come, now,
what! yer give for it,"
Have yer got IL about yerw
mot mel A particular friend OF
mine found ii In dust cart Honor
bright and shining! VIII yer give half
n dollar for it?"
'I'll give yer shilling" said Thomas
| Dexter, not doubling that the article
was his own.
"A bob! Well, you are a mean cuss!
But you shall have il. say, honor
among thieves, you know"
Bring il to me, and you shall have
your shilling"
Foxey departed, and In the course OF
an hour returned with the ivory cary.
| ing, for which, in state of great in
dignation, Thomas Dexter gave him a
shilling.
This kind Of persecution might have
developed into something serious for
Dexter, had not stop been put TO il
| 10y FoXey being taken into custody,
and put upon his trial for an unblush-
ing theft committed on tradesman,
who was less tender of police courts
than the old curiosity dealer.
| Foxey's proceedings at his trial were
the cause of great many leading arti-
cles in the newspapers.
He conducted his own defense with
extraordinary impudence and shrewd-
ness, and pleaded that he stole the
goods for the simple purpose of pur-
chasing "a silk hat and w,,wet west
cut" SO that he might "cut a reg'lar
swell"
AS further proof of his cfrrontcry
and absolute recklessncss, he called
Thomas Dexter as witness Of char
acter.
LOath as he was, Thomas Dexter
was compelled to appear in the witness
box and tell all he knew OF Foxey. his
evidence being enlivened 10y the prls-
oner's running commentaries, 10 some
such effect as the following: "Oh. what
whopperr Where do you expect
70 80 for running down innocent
! chap like thatT DO yer know the
} meaning of oathJ" "oh, you out
andout old sinner"
, The trial was one OF those which arc
, occasionally made the medium of ar
= interchange OF much small wit be
tween bar and bench. and Foxey's re
2 marks were provocative Of convulsiv,
D laughter, in which the hardened young