The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-29

MT Pickwick, deceived by a story Job had told Sam, was waiting in the garden of a young ladies' seminary at night to intercept the rascal in mythical elope
 ment. MT. Pickwick was nearly shot for a burglar, and caught such cold that he was laid up for some time with attack of rheumatism as a result Whenever l meet that xingle again." said MT. Pick wick, T will nflict personal chastisement upon him. And whenever I meets that there melancholy chap with the black hair" said Sam, If I don't bring some real water into his eyes for once my names not Veler.'' It should be ex- plained that Job Trotter was much given to the reading of serious books and to weeping over the sins of mankind in which latter he was an expert.
 MT. Pickwick was recovering from his rheumatism at Bury, when who should appear there but MT. Wardle, come to shoot over the estate of a friend of his in the neighborhood. The .Pickwickians were invited to join the shooting party, and did so. MT. Pickwick, still unable to walk, was wheeled to the scene in a
  Tupman distinguished himself When it came his turn to fire he shut his eyes and let her go. But instead of winging his friend MT. Wrinkle by way of return play for the compliment of the shooting at Dingley Dell he brought down a bird. q congratulate you' cried Wardle, rushing up, "I saw you single out that bird It was wonderful shot" MT. Tupman blushed modestly and mildly protested that it was luck. But as he refused to shoot again he kept to his dying day the reputation of crack shot It is not the the only reputation that has been acquired as easily, nor are such fortunate circum- stances confined to partridge shooting.
 Just across the bounds of the land of MT. Wardle's friend was pleasant knoll shaded by an oak tree. It looked so tempting that at noon they trespassed there and refreshed themselves. When luncheon was over. MT. Pickwicl fell quietly asleep in his wheelbarrow. He had partaken literally of cold punch and his last coherent words were those of a blithe roundelay. Let him sleep" said Warde, i've will come back for him." And off they went shooting again. Sam, for once unfaithful to his trust, fol- lowed to see the sport When they re- turned later in the afternoon MT. Pick wick was gone-wheelbarrow and all he had vanished. The party was in dismay. The fact was that Captain Boldwig, the owner of the invaded premises, had dis covered Pickwick sleeping there and, filled with wrath, had poked him in the ribs demanding "Who are you sir?' Cold punch" murmured MT. Pckwick He says he is Punch,' cried the irascible captain. 'Ill teach him to jest with me- Wheel him to the pound" The gardner addressed obeyed and when Mr. Pick wick woke up he found himself sitting in his barrow amid stray pigs and other impounded animals with half the popula- tion of the village gazing at him. Sam" he called in bewilderment, and Sam an- swered his call before the good man real ized where he was. For Sam had tracked him to his place, of repose with that in- genuity peculiar to the Weller family.
 But Mr. Pckwick was rescued from the pound only to be conrronted with more serious and more startling matter of disquietude. He received from Messrs. Dodson & Fogg, a firm of London attor- neys, a, letter saying that they had been retained by Mrs. Martha Bardell in a suit for breach of promise of marriage, in which the damages were laid at a150O and asking for the names of MT. Pick wick's attorneys who would accept serv- ice of writ which had been issued in the case. It was some time before MT. Pickwick could regain his power of speech after reading the letter. Then he broke out; Its a conspiracy of those two