Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-14
:::::: BY B. L. FARJEON. s.

the shop, appropriated an Old-IaSn-
ioned mirror and made off with it.
Thomas Dexter, whose back for the
moment was turned, detected Foxey in
the act of running away, and he in
1tantly ran after him.
Without assistance Thomas Dexter
might have run to the lands end with
out catching Foxey, but a woman
caught and held the lad till Dexter
reached him.
Then the lad. twisting himself out
che woman's grasp, dashed the mir
70 the ground, shivering it to
pieces, and lodging between
legs, made his escape.
Thomas Dexter picked himself up,
and gazing ruefully at his destroyed
property, returned to his shop.
He declined to charge Foxey with the
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
Foxcy laughed loudly and malicious.
ly, which caused Thomas Dexter to
exclaim, Il could have had him locked
up for it."
"Wcll," retor..ed FoXey, defiantly,
"why didn't yer? don't care for being
locked up. You're too much of sneak,
that's what you are. Yah! l say,
govner, how muca was that bit Of
glass worth?"
ut was worth half a sovereign, you
rascal"
"It would have paid yer to give me a
bob rather than have it broke, wouldn't
it?"
Yes, it would"
"Why didn't you say so, then? A.
ways agreeable, gov'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 1? Oh, no, not bit of it.
There's 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 silk
hat and velvet westcut, and then l
shall be good enough to walk along
side yer. Crikey! what n honor"
And off walked Foxey, initiating the
gait of members Of fashionable circles.
Before another twenty-four hours
had passed over his head, Thomas Dex-
ter had further experience of FoXey.
He missed q small! piece of ivory,
carved into the hdeous 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 Oh his counter for 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:
II say, guv'nor, does yer want to
buy a reg'lar keuriosimosity" ''
''Bc off with yer, yer vagabond,"
cried Thomas Dexter.
Don't be so uppy; ] amt CANNON
ing, shelp me tater. It's the rummest
bit of ivory you ever sor"-Thomas
Dexter pricked up his ears-"with q
face a 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 dust cart. Honor
bright and shining! Will yer give half
a dollar for it,"
"I'll give yer shilling" said Thomas
Dexter, not doubling that the article
was his own.
"a bob! Well, you are mean cuss!
But you shall have it. 1 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 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 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.
Foxeys 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 velvet west
cut" SO that he might "cut reg'lar
swell"