The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-04-26

NAN
theft, having a horror of police courts,
but when he met the lad and Little
Make-Believe in the street, he laid his
hand upon the girls shoulder and de-
tanned her.
You shouldn't be seen," he said,
with that young thief. He'll make
yer as bad as he is himself"
Here, slash that! cried Foxey,
while Little Make-Believe looked from
one to the other in fear and trembling.
Jest you mind yer own business, and
let Make-Believe 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 it to bits"
Foxey laughed loudly and malicious
", which caused Thomas Dexter to
exclaim, II could have had him locked
up for it,"
Well" retocted Foxey, defantly,
why didn't yer? l don't care for being
locked up. You're too much of a sneak,
that's what you are. Yah! I say,
gov'ner, how much was that bit Of
glass worth?'
1T was worth half a sovereign, you
rascal"
at would have paid yer to give me a
bob rather than have it broke, wouldn't
it," .:,
Eyes, it would"
"Why didn't you say 30, then? A.
ways agreeable, sov'ner, to take any
think that's give to me. Sos Make
Believe, amt yer"
But between these two stools Little
Make Believe was too frightened. to
speak.
II amt good enough for Make-Be-
lieve, amt l? Oh, no, not a bit of it.
There's q bobby. Give me in charge
l don't care! You amt got the sperrit
of a mouse, that's what you amt got.
Look here, Make-Believe, I'll git a silk
hat and velvet westcut, and then I
shall be good enough to walk along
side yer. Crikey! what a honor"
And off walked Foxey, initiating the
| gait Of members Of fashionable circles.
Before another t~wenty-four hours
had passed over his head, Thomas Dex-
ter had a further experience of FoXey.
He missed a small. piece of ivory,
carved into the hideous unlikeness Of
a human being-one of those Chinese
monstrosities which many persons, who
should know better, believe belongs to
high art.
He could not imagine where it had
got to. 1t was on his counter for a few
minutes, during which no 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, g%uv'nor, does yer want to
buy a regular keuriosimosityw
BE off with yer, yer vagabond,"
cried Thomas Dexter,
Don't be so uppy; I amt CANNON
ing, s'help me later. It's the FUNNIEST
bit of ivory you ever sor''-Thomas
Dexter pricked up his ears-"with a
face q good deal uglier nor mine, and
ears as large as his head. Come, now,
what'E yer give for it,"
Have yer got it about yer?"
Not me! A particular friend of
mine found it in Il dust cart. Honor
bright and shining! Will yer give half
q dollar for it,"
"Tll give yer a shilling" said Thomas
| Dexter, not doubling that the article
| was his own.
"A bob! Well, you are q mean cuss!
But you shall have it. I say, honor
among thieves, you know"
Bring it 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 q 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 q stop been put to it
by Foxey being taken into custody,
and put upon his trial for an unblush-
ing theft committed on a tradesman,
who was less tender Of police courts
than the old curiosity dealer.
Foxey's proceedings at his trial were
the cause of a great many leading arti-
Giles il 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 a velvet west
cut" 80 that he might "cut a regular
swell"
AS q further proof of his %effrontery
and absolute recklessness, he called
Thomas Dexter as q 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 by the pris-
oner's running commentaries, to some
such effect as the following: "Ob, what
q whopper!!' Where do you expect
to go for running down a innocent
chap like that?' do yer know the
meaning of q oath?" "Oh, you out
and-out old sinner"
The trial was one Of those which are
occasionally made the medium of an
interchange Of much small wit be-
tween bar and bench, and Foxey's re-