,,the ,,strand ,,magazine  ,an          
,illustrated ,monthly                   
,,edited ,,by ,,george ,,newnes         
,vol ,,vii41 ,issue #ci4                
,march1 #ahid    ,illustration3 ,,mr4   
,,thomas ,,sidney ,,cooper1 ,r4,a4      
,from a ,photo4 by ,elliot  ,fry4       
,illustrated ,interviews4               
,,xxxi4--,,mr4 ,t4 ,,sidney ,,cooper1   
,r4,a4    ,illustration    ,the first   
sight ,i obtained of ,mr4 ,cooper was of
 considerable  interest4 ,he lives in a 
beautiful spot1 about a mile and a half 
from  ,canterbury--at ,vernon ,holme1   
,harbledown2 and as ,i entered the gate 
,i caught sight of ,mr4 ,cooper before  
his easel in his studio1 taking         
advantage of the light of a glorious    
winter's day1 and working away at  a    
canvas which ,i subsequently learnt was 
intended1 with another1 to  form his    
contribution to this year's exhibition  
at the ,royal ,academy4  ,i stood for a 
moment quietly and respectfully looking 
on before  ringing the bell at the front

 door4 ,the canvas presented a          
landscape1  and the cattle were just    
outlined in with pencil4 ,the painter   
was  working without the aid of glasses1
 and this for a man who is in his       
ninety-first year may certainly be said 
to be highly respectable4  ,somewhat    
below the medium height1 with           
marvellously penetrating eyes1  scarcely
 the sign of the stoop of old age1 a    
hand as steady as in '#ce1  when he was 
just beginning to make a name1 and      
silvery white hair about  his head--it  
was an impressive picture4 ,t4 ,sidney  
,cooper's brilliant  work of the past   
and to-day calls for all recognition of 
his gifts1 but  it is only when one     
catches sight of him as ,i did--snow1   
nothing but  snow1 everywhere outside1  
and the painter1 now in the winter of   
life1  clinging with all the old love to
 his sheep and cattle--it is only then  
that one realizes the great respect due 
to the ,grand ,old ,academician4        
,illustration3 ,,vernon ,,holme--,,from 

,,the ,,pond4 ,from a ,photo4 by        
,elliott   ,fry4    ,so ,i shook my     
snow-covered boots outside and entered  
the hall of ,vernon  ,holme4 ,the artist
 left his easel4 ,it was a hearty       
welcome to ,vernon  ,holme4 ,there was  
no mistaking the man4 ,he was living    
there a quiet1  happy1 contented1 and   
work-a-day life2 rising at half-past    
seven every  morning in the winter1 and 
in the summer months at seven o'clock4  
,before breakfast the palettes are set  
and the paints made ready4 ,he  will    
work steadily up to dusk4 ,his          
recreation is his ,bible1 and twice  a  
day1 after lunch and dinner1 a chapter  
is read aloud4 ,his voice is  clear1 and
 he reads every word1 and suggests its  
meaning4 ,i heard  ,sidney ,cooper read4
 ,his birthdays are thinking            
days--thankful days  too1 it would seem4
 ,the lines he wrote on ,september      
#bfth1 #ahhi1 reveal  much4 ,he calls   
them ,musings on ,my ,eighty-sixth      
,birthday1 and they  run3--             

,another birthday dawns--the            
eighty-sixth1      ,how little take we  
note of fleeting time6      ,since last 
this day of joyful glee was here        
,what blessings have been mine2 alas6   
how oft      ,have unrequited been6 ,the
 cares of life      ,engross my thoughts
 when holy things my heart      ,should 
fill4 ,thou who hast made my way of life
      ,so full of mercies1 be ,thou     
still my help4      ,when o'er this day 
of life the night shall fall1      ,and 
called my feet to pass thro' ways       
unknown1      ,be near me still2 be     
,thou my strength2 and when      ,the   
walls decay leave not the tenant lone1  
,but by ,thy ,spirit comfort and uphold2
      ,i have but ,thee1 ,i have no     
claim of ,gate      ,of ,pearl1 or      
,street of ,glittering ,gold1 but thro' 
,thy boundless grace1 my good and bad   
are both      ,forgiven4 ,in humble     
fitting place among      ,the many      
mansions1 where there is no sin1        
,and by ,thy ,crystal ,river flowing on 

,through ,heaven's green expanse1 ,i'll 
learn the new      ,and holy song of    
,worthy is the ,lamb1      ,and 'neath  
the ,healing ,tree shall find that life 
,wished for so long666    ,then he loves
 to take you about his house1 for it is 
a very beautiful  home1 and the man who 
owns it enjoys its comforts the more1   
for he will  honestly tell you that it  
meant working for4    ,i don't do       
anything without authority1 he told me2 
,i have authority  for everything ,i    
paint4 ,if ,i want a sky for any        
particular picture1 ,i  do it from my   
house4 ,i have windows from all four    
sides1 so that ,i can  see always4 ,then
 in the summer ,i can sit on the lawn   
and paint4 ,there  are some of my       
sheep--my 'models'6    ,we were standing
 in the recess of the dining-room4      
,before us were the  fields covered with
 snow1 and some sheep were labouring    
hard to find  a stray tuft of grass here
 and there4 ,ever since the artist built
 the  house--forty-five years ago--he   

has kept sheep here and painted them    
every year4 ,these finely coated        
creatures before us now are admirable   
representatives of some ninety ewes and 
a similar number of lambs4  ,of         
bullocks1 the great cattle painter has  
few1 though he invariably  fattens up   
three or four every autumn4    ,some    
hours later we again stood in this      
corner and watched the setting  sun4 ,a 
great cloud edged with gold hung over a 
black patch of trees4    ,ah6 exclaimed 
,mr4 ,cooper1 enthusiastically1 it was  
in that very  wood that ,i first began  
to study trees4 ,there were some fine   
old trees  there--too far gone to cut   
for timber4 ,a farm stood on the        
opposite  side of the hill1 which ,i    
have put in three of my pictures4 ,how  
well ,i  remember seeing the chains and 
the gibbet in the road which skirts the 
wood there--used for hanging ,charles   
,storey1 who committed murder the  year 
after ,i was born4    ,it is not        
necessary to say that the interior of   

,vernon ,holme is  in every way worthy  
of its owner4 ,the land on which it     
stands was  originally a hop ground1 and
 ,mr4 ,cooper tells with great gusto    
that  whilst the people were picking the
 hops his men were getting the ground   
ready for the foundation of the house4  
,the house was built from ,mr4          
,cooper's own designs4 ,the hall1 of    
solid oak1 is very fine and massive1    
and the carving about the ceiling and   
staircases exquisite4 ,the bosses  on   
the ceiling were cut from ,nature's     
models of hops and wild flowers4  ,the  
antlers over the doors were a present   
from ,sir ,edwin ,landseer1  and are    
reminiscences of deer shot by him in    
,scotland4 ,the engravings  comprise    
proofs after ,sir ,edwin and ,tom       
,landseer1 and ,leslie's  ,coronation of
 ,queen ,victoria4    ,there is a little
 story1 said ,mr4 ,cooper1 as to how ,i 
came into  possession of that           
engraving--a very rare one--of ,tom     
,landseer's4 ,i  painted a little       

picture for him1 and ,tom liked it4 ,so 
it was agreed  that ,i should have some 
of his proofs in exchange for it4 ,he   
was very  deaf1 and he wrote on a piece 
of paper3 ',there's my portfolio2 choose
  one1 and ,i'll sign it4' ,i did so4   
',why1' he exclaimed1 'you have chosen  
the one ,i put aside for myself4'    ,i 
had selected the ',deer and ,dog in the 
,snow4'    ,illustration3 ,,the         
,,entrance ,,hall4    ,from a ,photo4 by
 ,elliott  ,fry4    ,only three pictures
 by ,mr4 ,cooper hang in the hall       
proper4 ,these  are over the            
mantelpiece4 ,one of these is peculiarly
 interesting--a  group of three sheep1 a
 calf1 and a cow1 painted three years   
ago4 ,the  work was the result of a     
dream4 ,the ,royal ,academician dreamt  
he was  painting this very scene4 ,in   
the morning he got up and chronicled it 
on canvas4 ,ascending the grand old     
staircase1 a huge space is taken up  by 
,separated1 but not ,divorced1 painted  
in #ahge1 and is a study of a           

magnificent short-horn bull1 ,charlie by
 name4 ,it was exhibited1 but  proved   
too big to sell4 ,just by the bull's    
foreleg is a raven pecking  at a bone4  
,the artist was asked why he put it     
there4    ,oh6 he replied1 ,i wanted a  
little bit of relieving black and white4
  ,besides1 if there is a ,crown case   
over it1 it will typify the lawyers     
picking at the bones4    ,but ,charlie  
is interesting for other reasons4 ,it   
represents a  triumph of art4 ,mrs4     
,cooper did not like the bull's head1   
and said  so4 ,mr4 ,cooper made up his  
mind to paint in another head4 ,it took 
a  long time--many and many were the    
attempts to put a new head on old       
shoulders1 and the one now in the       
picture took as long to paint as  all   
the rest of the picture4 ,it is a       
remarkably real and brilliant  effort4  
,the other large picture by ,mr4 ,cooper
 is ,isaac's ,substitute1  painted in   
#ahhj--;a ,scotch ram the only object in
 the picture being  ,isaac's substitute4

 ,it was suggested one day after reading
 the words  from ,genesis xxii4 #ac3    
,and ,abraham lifted up his eyes1 and   
looked1 and  behold behind him a ram    
caught in a thicket by his horns4 ,close
 by are  some sheep painted on the #bfth
 ,september1 #ahgd1 on the occasion of  
the  artist's seventy-first birthday4   
,it was completed in five hours1 and    
here it should be mentioned that for the
 last twenty years ,mr4 ,cooper  has    
always painted a finished canvas on his 
birthday--pictures which  are never     
sold4    ,illustration3 ,,sidney        
,,cooper1 ,,age #ch4    ,from a         
,painting by ,scott4    ,a peep into    
,mrs4 ,cooper's room revealed something 
that says much for  the continued       
determination of purpose which has      
always characterized  the great         
painter's life1 and his extraordinary   
and persistent powers  of endurance     
under great suffering4 ,i had noted some
 excellent copies  of his father's works
 by ,mr4 ,neville ,cooper1 and a        

portrait of the  ,royal ,academician    
himself1 painted by ,scott in #ahda4    
,also an old  donkey1 done in #ahce1    
belonging to ,mrs4 ,cooper--,mr4 ,cooper
 has been  twice married--seeing that it
 was painted in the year in which she   
was born4 ,two water colour drawings    
were then shown to me4 ,they were       
artistic reminiscences of his severe    
illness last year4 ,beneath a  group of 
cows were written these words3 ,painted 
in bed1 ,november1  #ahic1 for my dear  
wife for her nursing4--,t4,s4,c41 ,r4,a4
 ,the other was  some sheep in the      
snow--reproduced in these pages--and    
inscribed3 ,to  ,neville4 ,painted in   
bed1 with bronchitis1 ,november1        
#ahic4--,t4,s4,c41  ,r4,a4 ,such efforts
 as these betoken much4 ,it is a        
significant fact  that ,sidney ,cooper  
was the last country patient the late   
,sir ,andrew  ,clark ever visited1 for  
he was struck down four days afterwards4
 ,the  great physician's words on saying
 ,good-bye to ,mrs4 ,cooper were3 ,i    

never met a man at eighty with more     
vitality in him than your husband1  and 
he is ninety6 and he added1 upon being  
thanked for his prompt  attendance3 ,i  
look upon this as being one of the      
events of my life4    ,illustration3    
,,picture ,,painted ,,during ,,last     
,,illness4    ,illustration3 ,,the      
,,dining-,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 by  
,elliott  ,fry4    ,the dining-room is  
perhaps the finest room in the          
house--being #ce;ft4  long and #ce;ft4  
high4 ,its carved oak arched ceiling is 
superb--and the  carved fireplace1 round
 which ivy is trailing1 is also a fine  
sample of  this particular art4 ,it was 
in this apartment that ,i had the       
privilege  of going through portfolio   
after portfolio of the daintiest of     
pencil  studies--little artistic efforts
 which seemed to have life and breath   
of their own4 ,there are many personal  
works here--at one end of the  room     
hangs ,scotch ,mountains and ,sheep1 the
 opposite side being  occupied by the   

largest picture the artist has ever     
painted--the canvas  measures #aa;ft1 by
 #g;ft4--,pushing ,off for ,tilbury     
,fort1 on the ,thames1  painted in      
#ahhc1 and exhibited in the ,academy of 
the following year4    ,as we stood     
before this beautiful work--a scene of  
perfect calmness in  the meadows1 with a
 group of cattle lazily lying in the    
foreground1  and a boat full of soldiers
 being rowed towards the guard-ship1    
,ramilies1 in the distance--,mr4 ,cooper
 said3    ,i saw that very scene on my  
fortieth birthday1 when seeing a friend 
off from ,tilbury4 ,its beauty impressed
 me in a way few such scenes  have done1
 and ,i said within myself1 ',should ,i 
ever reach my eightieth  birthday1 ,i   
will paint that4' ,and ,i did4 ,i       
started it on ,september #bf1  #ahhc1   
and it took me exactly forty-nine days  
to paint4    ,illustration3 ,,the       
,,dining-,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 by  
,elliott  ,fry4    ,there is much of    
interest in the drawing-room1 with its  

fine statues by  ,p4 ,mac,dowell1       
,r4,a41 its family portraits            
intermingled with great bowls  of winter
 blossoms and grasses gathered from the 
adjoining fields1 its  many artistic    
treasures--not omitting the tiny canvas 
which the artist  painted at the age of 
seventy4    ,i painted it1 he said1 very
 quietly1 because ,i thought ,i had got 
to  the end6    ,illustration3 ,,the    
,,drawing-,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 by 
,elliott  ,fry4    ,but we only spend a 
moment or so there1 for ,mr4 ,cooper is 
leading the  way to the studio4 ,we     
cross the great hall1 through the       
library1 whose  walls are completely    
hidden by sketches of1 surely1 every    
animal that  ever enjoyed the green fare
 provided by the meadows of             
,britain--the  artist opens the door and
 bids me enter4 ,it is a remarkable     
studio--and  ,i should say stands alone 
and distinct amongst those pertaining to
  ,royal ,academicians4 ,there are a few
 studies hanging on the woodwork  which 

surrounds the window--there are the two 
diplomas1 one of which1  dated ,november
 #crd1 #ahde1 made its possessor an     
,associate of the ,royal  ,academy1 and 
the other a ,royal ,academician on      
,march #bcrd1 #ahfg--;but  otherwise the
 blue walls are bare1 perfectly bare4   
,there may be a  reason for this--a very
 simple one2 an honest recollection of  
the days  that have been is not to be   
forgotten in the comforts and successes 
of  the days that are now6 ,when ,i left
 ,mr4 ,cooper1 and after ,i learnt what 
,i did1 ,i could only put these bare    
walls in the studio at ,vernon ,holme   
down to such thoughts as these4         
,illustration3 ,,the ,,library4    ,from
 a ,photo4 by ,elliott  ,fry4    ,he    
told me that the easels and palettes are
 all old friends--the  ,academy box on  
the floor is chipped and cut about1 and 
goes back to the  forties4 ,it is not   
worth a shilling2 but a big cheque      
wouldn't buy it4  ,packed against the   
walls near the floor are scores of      

canvases1 studies  innumerable1 old time
 and present-time first artistic        
thoughts4  ,nancy ,macintosh is         
particularly interesting1 because it is 
one of the  artist's figure studies of  
the time when his work was just becoming
 to  be recognised--#ahcf4 ,nancy was   
painted in ,cumberland under ,cross     
,fell1  and is a good type of the women 
who used to go up and milk the cows for 
the drovers1 who--it is much to be      
regretted--used to exchange their       
employers' milk for nips of whisky6 ,the
 ,academy pictures are even now  well   
forward4 ,i was just looking at one of  
these--a bridge scene1 and a  subject   
the artist assured me he had long been  
wanting to paint--when ,i  turned       
towards ,mr4 ,cooper again and found him
 in the act of lifting a  large canvas  
on to the easel4 ,he would not allow me 
to assist him4    ,illustration3 ,,the  
,,studio4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,elliott
  ,fry4    ,that1 he said1 after it had 
been securely placed on the easel1 is   

to be the picture of my life6 ,the      
subject is ',the ,high ,hills1 or the   
,refuge for the ,wild ,goats1' from the 
#ajdth ,psalm4 ,it is not finished  yet4
 ,the notion occurred to me when last in
 ,switzerland4 ,i had to go  up the     
mountain some four hours' journey before
 ,i reached the spot from  which the    
idea is partly composed4 ,we went as    
high as the goats would  go in order to 
get the moss1 heather1 and different    
grasses on which  they feed4 ,as far as 
the goats are concerned1 ,i obtained the
 principal  ones when in ,north ,wales4 
,illustration3 ,,nancy ,,macintosh4     
,from an early ,drawing by ,t4,s4       
,cooper1 ,r4,a4    ,a flood of renewed  
light came in at the studio window--for 
the  afternoon was still young--and ,mr4
 ,cooper stood for a moment by the  side
 of the picture and was thus            
photographed4 ,the light lit up the     
canvas--so ,i left ,mr4 ,cooper at work1
 and spent the afternoon in  wandering  
about the ,brotherhood ,farm1 where some

 of his sheep and cows  are to be found4
 ,it is a farm possessing a distinct    
interest1 for on a  grassy slope by the 
side of one of its meadows is situated  
the well of  the ,black ,prince--a well 
roofed in by modern brick1 over which   
the ivy  is growing1 a sublimely        
picturesque corner1 where the first     
bearer of  the motto ,ich ,dien was wont
 to come and bathe his eyes4    ,why1   
sir1 said the old ,sub-,prior with      
pardonable pride when showing  me the   
well1 people send from all over the     
world for that water1 and  the last     
gentleman that had it was ,mr4 ,sidney  
,cooper1 the painter4    ,mr4 ,cooper   
told me that he obtained the water for a
 young lady in his  family4    ,it was  
nearing dusk when ,i returned to ,vernon
 ,holme1 and once again ,i  saw the     
great artist through the window of his  
studio1 packing up his  things and      
taking a last look for the day at his   
work on the easel4 ,we  met in the hall4
    ,then ,i learnt something of his    

eventful life4 ,he looked back on his   
career very quietly--never striving to  
make points1 never yearning  for effect1
 though every incident was in reality a 
picture in itself4  ,imagine the little 
fellow--deserted by his father at the   
age of  five--with the tiniest of       
prospects before him of ever cultivating
 the  gift which was born with him when 
he first opened his eyes in a little    
room in ,st4 ,peter's ,street1          
,canterbury1 on ,september #bfth1 #ahjc4
    ,the mother was left with five young
 children--at the time of the long      
war--terrible days for them4 ,but the   
mother worked hard1 and her  youngest   
boy never forgot it1 as will be seen    
later4 ,he was christened  ,thomas1 and 
the name of ,sidney was added some time 
after--in this  wise3 ,the little       
fellow's great-uncle was in the ,navy1  
and had been  at ,acre with ,sir ,sidney
 ,smith1 who had a great love for ,kent 
and its  surroundings4    ,any news from
 ,kent8 asked ,sir ,sidney of his       

great-uncle one day4    ,no1 ,admiral4  
,only ,cooper's got another boy4        
,indeed2 then let him take my name6     
,so ,sidney was set down in the church  
registry4    ,they never would call me  
',sidney1' said ,mr4 ,cooper1 as he     
remembered  this2 but when ,i commenced 
to draw on my slate1 at the age of      
eight1  ,i always used to put           
',t4,s4,c4' in the corner4 ,the very    
first drawing  ,i ever did was with a   
slate pencil1 of the ,bell ,tower of    
,canterbury  ,cathedral1 and one of my  
schoolfellows used to encourage me by   
doing my  sums for me1 if ,i would draw 
him a house with a bird on the chimney4 
,i was always in the fields--my heart   
was in the green valleys and  meadows4  
,i loved to sit by the streams1 and on  
my ,wednesday and  ,saturday            
half-holidays from school ,i would seek 
out some nook and draw  horses and dogs 
and sheep on my slate4 ,i had no paper  
and pencil4 ,it  was not until ,i was   
twelve or thirteen that my career really

 commenced4  ,then ,i started to paint  
coaches for ,mr4 ,burgess1 of           
,canterbury1 at #abs4  a week4 ,every   
moment ,i could spare ,i was trying to  
improve myself in  drawing but even then
 ,i still had to cling to my slate and  
pencil4 ,but1  ,i got some lead pencils 
at last4 ,let me tell you the story1 and
 its  sequel4    ,illustration3 ,,black 
,,prince',s ,,well4    ,from a ,photo4  
by ,elliott  ,fry4    ,i was sketching  
the central tower of the ,cathedral4 ,a 
gentleman was  also drawing another part
 of the sacred edifice4 ,we met often1  
without  speaking4 ,one day he came up  
to me and asked me what ,i was doing4 ,i
  told him4 ,he laughed merrily at the  
idea of thus working on a slate1  and   
some two or three days afterwards he    
made me a present of his  bundle of     
pencils and paper4 ,i could scarcely    
contain myself4 ,he patted  me on the   
head and went his way4 ,but1 ,i had no  
knife6 ,one day ,i saw  a gentleman near
 the ,cathedral--a very solemn-looking  

gentleman in  clerical attire4 ,i went  
up to him4    ',please sir1' ,i said1   
'have you a knife8'    ',yes1 my        
lad--what do you want it for8'    ,i    
told him4 ,and he sharpened all my      
pencils for me--every one of the  dozen4
 ,who was he8 ,the ,archbishop of       
,canterbury6    ,young ,cooper was      
destined to discover who it was that    
gave him his  first pencils4 ,a pleasant
 little party was assembled in          
,london--,mr4  ,cooper was now well     
known--and amongst those gathered at the
 board  were ,stanfield1 ,tom ,landseer1
 and ,george ,cattermole4 ,they were    
telling  little stories of the early    
days1 and the cattle painter related the
  incident of the slate and pencils4    
,cattermole jumped up4    ,why1 ,sidney1
 he cried1 are you the slate8 ,i am the 
pencils6    ,then1 continued ,mr4       
,cooper1 came my work at the theatre4   
,it was one  evening and ,i was         
sketching--when ,i heard a cough behind 
me4 ,i turned  and saw a man looking    

over me4    ',ah6' he exclaimed1 'you   
draw well1 my boy4 ,you have a good     
eye--but  you must learn perspective4'  
',what is that1 sir8 ,i have never heard
 of it before4'    ',well1' he replied1 
'it shows the proper size of objects at 
a  distance--how to draw a street1 a    
road1 a distant hill or tree1 etc4 ,if  
you like to call on me1 ,i'll show you4'
    ',where do you live1 please1 sir8'  
,i asked4    ',in ,canterbury--at the   
theatre6' he answered4    ',oh6 my      
mother wouldn't let me go to the        
theatre6' ,i assured him4               
,illustration3 ,,gateway--,,st4         
,,augustine',s ,,monastery4    ,from an 
early ,drawing by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4
    ,illustration3 ,,high ,,street1     
,,canterbury4    ,from an early ,drawing
 by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4              
,illustration3 ,,rotterdam4    ,from an 
early ,drawing by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4
    ,illustration3 ,,tunford ,,farm4    
,from the ,painting by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1  
,r4,a4    ,however1 ,i went4 ,i vividly 

remember it4 ,when ,i entered1 there was
  the canvas laid down on the stage for 
a ,roman scene4 ,the actors were        
rehearsing on the space in front4 ,so   
,mr4 ,doyle--for that was the man's     
name--instructed me in perspective1 and 
,i learnt the artistic value of  things 
that ,i had long seen in ,nature4 ,the  
theatrical company left--it  used to go 
a sort of circuit to ,canterbury1       
,faversham1 ,hastings1  and ,maidstone1 
and when they came again next year ,i   
helped him once  more4 ,i still         
continued coach-painting--,mr4 ,burgess 
employing me  to do the rough           
work--rubbing down the carriages1 lying 
on my back  underneath--grinding        
colours1 etc4 ,when ,i was sixteen the  
company  returned4 ,poor ,doyle died1   
and ,i was engaged as scene painter at a
  guinea a week4 ,so ,i went with them  
to ,faversham4 ,i well remember my  only
 appearance as an actor4 ,the piece to  
be played was ',macbeth1' and  the      
scenery used was some ,i had painted for

 ',rob ,roy4' ,the manager  told me ,i  
must play the part of the bleeding      
,captain1 and ,i wore a  ,scotch        
dress--intended for ,norval--which ,mr4 
,smollet1 an actor1 had  given to me for
 painting some imitation lace on a dark 
dress he had4  ,well1 ,i simply broke   
down1 and was positively conducted off  
the stage4  ,buckstone played ,ross in  
this production4 ,it was the first time 
,i  ever met him4 ,he was a dapper      
little fellow--very lively and brimming 
over with fun4 ,we remained bosom       
friends to the day of his death4 ,when  
he got prosperous and had married a     
second wife1 every other ,sunday ,i     
used to go and dine with him4 ,he was   
just then beginning to get very  deaf4  
,one night ,i said to him3 ',buck1 ,i   
want a private box4'    ',all right1    
,sidney1 whenever you like4'    ',next  
,tuesday1 eh8'    ',all right1 my       
boy--next ,tuesday4'    ,after dinner we
 were chatting1 and ,i said3 ',well1    
,i've got my  sketch-book with me1 and  

in return for the box ,i'll draw your   
wife's  portrait and the baby4 ,it won't
 take a quarter of an hour4' ,so they   
sat4 ,i drew a sheep and a lamb         
suckling4    ,illustration3 ,,the       
,,flock ,,master',s ,,hope4    ,from the
 ,painting by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4    
,mr4 ,cooper's first work of importance 
was founded on his first love4  ,the    
,cathedral and its precincts was one of 
the dearest spots on earth  to him1 and 
he did some excellent drawings on stone 
of the ,cathedral  and ,canterbury in   
general4 ,the gateway of ,st4           
,augustine's ,monastery and  ,high      
,street1 ,canterbury1 showing the coach 
waiting outside the ,george  and        
,dragon1 are good examples of           
these--particularly the latter1 as  it  
tends to show something of what the     
,cathedral city was like when  ,mr4     
,cooper was unconsciously stepping to   
fame with the aid of a school  slate and
 pencil4 ,at last he got to ,london and 
gained a studentship  at the ,royal     

,academy1 then held at ,somerset ,house4
 ,it filled his  heart with hope--he    
realized all his longings2 but his      
uncle1 who had  promised to support him 
while working away at the ,academy1     
suddenly  threw him over1 and young     
,cooper was forced to go back to        
,canterbury1  and was obliged to paint  
coaches once more and give lessons in   
drawing4  ,it was an important step when
 he1 together with his friend ,william  
,burgess1 decided to try the ,continent4
 ,the young artist was now  twenty-four 
years of age4 ,he positively painted his
 way from ,calais to  ,brussels by doing
 likenesses of the proprietors of small 
hostelries1  together with their        
families1 in return for his board and   
lodging4    ,illustration3 ,a ,,brook   
,,in ,,the ,,meadows4    ,from the      
,painting by ,t4,s4 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4     
,i got on very well in ,brussels1 said  
,mr4 ,cooper1 giving lessons  there1 and
 began to make money--indeed1 ,i must   
have made some five or  six thousand    

francs a year after ,i had been settled 
there some time4  ,it was at ,brussels  
,i met ,verbckhoven1 the great animal   
painter1 whose  drawings of animals were
 absolutely faultless4 ,at that time ,i 
was  confining myself to old buildings1 
,gothic architecture1 picturesque       
bridges1 etc41 and putting them on the  
stone4 ,one day ,verbckhoven was        
looking at some of my pencil drawings   
and said3--    ',you could paint        
cattle4'    ,i assured him ,i could not4
    ',oh1 yes1' he said2 'here is a     
palette--try4'    ,some of his studies  
were tacked on the wall1 and ,i began to
 paint a  black spotted cow4 ,just at   
that moment a ,miss ,searle1 one of my  
pupils1  came in accompanied by her     
father1 and ,mr4 ,searle said to me3--  
',what6 are you taking lessons8'        
',no1' ,i answered2 ',monsieur          
,verbckhoven thinks ,i can paint1 so ,i 
am  copying that cow4'    ',i wouldn't  
try another1' said ,verbckhoven1 looking
 over1 'if  they think you are taking   

lessons ,i shall lose all my pupils6    
,never  mind--let it go--go in and win1 
,cooper6'    ,then came the terrible    
revolution of #ahcj4 ,i was forced to   
return  to ,england1 and ,i did so1 in  
,may1 #ahca1 with a wife and child1 and 
#ac in my pocket4 ,i made my way to     
,london1 and1 fortunately for me1       
,ackerman's1 in the ,strand1 liked a    
bundle of my drawings and purchased     
them at five shillings apiece4 ,then the
 struggle commenced4 ,i had taken  a    
second floor in the ,tottenham ,court   
,road1 and morning after morning1  with 
an orange and a couple of ,abernethy    
biscuits in my pocket1 ,i used  to set  
out for ,regent's ,park1 where there    
were often from #ejj to #a1jjj  cows in 
those days1 and try and sketch them4 ,my
 methods were simple4 ,i  always had six
 or eight sketches going at one time1 so
 that if a cow  moved from one position 
,i could go on with another1 and only   
wait until  ,i caught my cattle friend  
in the old position4 ,at night ,i worked

 at  home over my pipe1 and earned my   
daily bread by drawing them on stone    
for ,ackerman4    ,but success came at  
last--and through an old fellow student1
 ,caterson  ,smith1 who eventually      
became ,president of the ,royal ,academy
 of ,dublin4  ,mr4 ,cooper had painted a
 small canvas1 #aj;in1 by #h;in41 of a  
cow and  two sheep--he had done it when 
it was too wet to go to ,regent's ,park4
  ,caterson ,smith found him out and    
called on him4 ,he caught sight of this 
little group of cattle4                 
,illustration3 ,,farm ,,in ,,east       
,,kent4    ,from the ,painting by ,t4,s4
 ,cooper1 ,r4,a4    ,look here1 ,cooper1
 he said1 ,i should give up             
architectural stuff and  stick to this4 
,i'll buy this picture4 ,how much8      
,oh1 a few shillings1 the young artist  
replied4    ,two pounds8    ,done4      
,so ,caterson ,smith purchased the      
,royal ,academician's first painting of 
cattle4    ,soon after this ,i began a  
larger one1 said ,mr4 ,cooper4 ,i had   

removed  to ,windmill ,street to a first
 floor4 ,the canvas was a #c;ft4 one4   
,one  morning ,i was surprised to have a
 visitor announced4 ,he came up4        
',your name is ,mr4 ,cooper8' he said4  
',yes1 sir4'    ',i've seen a little    
picture of yours1 and ,i was anxious to 
find you  out4'    ,he found me out in a
 strange way1 remarked ,mr4 ,cooper4 ,it
 seems that  ,caterson ,smith had left  
the picture he had purchased at a       
frame-maker's  in ,greek ,street1 ,soho1
 and the shopkeeper liking it had put it
 in his  window4 ,here my strange       
visitor had seen it1 and not until      
,smith wrote  for the picture was he    
able to discover me4    ',what's that   
you are painting8' asked the stranger1  
looking at the  #c;ft4 canvas on the    
easel4    ',oh6 just some cattle coming 
through a stream1 sir4'    ',very       
nice'--rubbing his chin and eyeing it   
critically--'very nice4  ,how much8'    
',i hardly know4'    ',well1' he said1  
'if you will finish it ,i will give you 

#ae for it4'    ,i agreed1 and when he  
left he gave me his card1 and ,i saw his
 name was  ,cribb1 and that he lived at 
,king ,street1 ,covent ,garden4    ,i   
painted another for him4 ,then the      
cholera broke out1 and my wife1  who was
 far from well1 wanted to go to the     
seaside for a few days4  ,cribb had not 
paid me for my second picture--,i wanted
 the money1 so ,i  called on him4 ,he   
sat reading the paper for one hour and a
 half by the  clock in ,covent ,garden  
,market1 without speaking4    ,i woke   
him up again with my request to be paid4
    ',look here1' he said1 suddenly1 ',i
 don't think young men should have  so  
much money to run about with6'          
,however1 he paid me #aj on account4    
,the estimable ,mr4 ,cribb lost a trifle
 by his meanness towards the great      
painter in embryo4 ,a ,mr4 ,carpenter1 a
 ,bond ,street dealer1 had found  young 
,cooper out1 and gave him a commission  
to paint a picture for #cj4  ,it was    
exhibited in #ahcc1 at the ,suffolk     

,street ,gallery--and on the  line--a   
half-length picture of ,a ,kentish      
,farm4 ,the ,press were most            
enthusiastic4 ,here's a new man1 the    
critics said1 a new man who will  create
 a great school4 ,the news sheets were  
full of praise1 and ,mr4  ,cooper told  
me how his wife and children made a     
scrap-book by cutting  out all the      
laudatory notices in the papers and     
pasting them in4 ,young  ,cooper went to
 the private view1 and the keeper came  
up to him and said  that ,mr4 ,vernon   
wished to be introduced to him4 ,mr4    
,vernon--,robert  ,vernon6 ,he was one  
of the great art patrons of the day2 the
 kindest and  most liberal of men       
towards artists4    ,so they were       
introduced4 ,he wanted to buy the       
,kentish ,farm1 but it  was in the hands
 of a dealer1 who was asking a hundred  
guineas for it2  and ,robert ,vernon    
never bought from dealers4 ,however1    
,mr4 ,vernon would  call--he had his    
address from the catalogue4 ,the first  

two men to shake  hands with ,sidney    
,cooper on his success were ,stanfield  
and ,roberts4 ,mr4  ,cooper had now     
moved to ,st4 ,john's ,wood4 ,a few days
 passed by1 when  three gentlemen       
called4 ,one was ,mr4 ,vernon2 the other
 ,fawcett1 the  comedian2 and ,john     
,maddison ,moreton1 who has made us cry 
with laughter  over his ,box and ,cox4  
,i sold ,mr4 ,vernon1 ,mr4 ,cooper said1
 continuing this delightful  narrative1 
a little picture for #ae4 ,it was a     
group of cattle and a  woman with a     
donkey1 the donkey bearing baskets1 in  
one of which sat  a child4 ,that was my 
own little girl--now the only survivor  
of three  daughters4    ,fawcett had    
been examining the sketches in my room4 
,suddenly he cried  out3--    ',vernon1 
,vernon1 look at this6' ,it was a       
picture ,i had begun for the  ,academy  
and one ,i called ',tunford ,farm4'     
,vernon seemed delighted with it4       
',what's the price8' he asked1 suddenly1
 after a good look at it4    ',well1    

sir1' ,i said1 'seeing that it is the   
same size as that  exhibited at ,suffolk
 ,street--#cj--;,i had #cj for that4'   
',yes1' said ,vernon1 'and the dealer   
asks a hundred for it4 ,i'll give  you a
 hundred for that on the easel--on      
condition that you annul the  purchase  
of this little #ae picture6'            
',tunford ,farm' was exhibited in the   
,royal ,academy of #ahcd1 and it now    
hangs in the ,national ,gallery as one  
of the ,vernon collection4 ,that  is    
sixty years ago1 and ,i have never      
missed a year since1 and hope to        
exhibit again this year4                
,illustration3 ,,first ,,sketch ,,for   
,,the ,,monarch ,,of ,,the ,,meadows4   
,,by ,t4,s4 ,,cooper1 ,r4,a4    ,tunford
 ,farm--a subject which ,mr4 ,cooper has
 painted twice--created  a great        
impression4 ,there was no cattle painter
 then1 and as ,wilkie  once             
remarked--and whenever ,wilkie used to  
dine at ,mr4 ,vernon's he  would go up  
and look at the picture--,that's the man

 to fill the gap4  ,the picture was very
 nearly turned out4 ,it was chosen1 but 
had got put  aside4 ,the gallery was    
already hung1 and one of the ,hanging   
,committee1  ,mr4 ,jones1 ,r4,a41       
positively had his own picture taken    
down and ,tunford  ,farm put up in its  
place4 ,this alone should tell of the   
excellence of  the work4 ,from that     
eventful day in '#cd ,mr4 ,cooper has   
gone on year by  year substantiating his
 claim to be regarded as the finest     
painter of  cattle this century has     
seen4 ,it would be impossible to give a 
complete  catalogue of his many works1  
his studies of cattle are countless4    
,one  or two examples of his genius are 
reproduced here--namely1 ,the ,flock    
,master's ,hope1 ,a ,farm in ,east      
,kent1 ,tunford ,farm 7the second       
painting of the picture which realized  
so much for him71 ,the ,brook in  the   
,meadows1 and the original sketch for   
,the ,monarch of the ,meadows1  which   
was so mysteriously stolen in           

,september1 #ahha4 ,no artist has had   
his pictures more counterfeited than    
,mr4 ,cooper4 ,he was so frequently     
asked to say if a picture was his or    
not1 that at last he was obliged  to    
charge a fee4 ,according to ,mr4        
,cooper's certificate book1 during the  
last few years he has had #bda so-called
 ,cooper works submitted to him1  #bai  
out of which proved to be only copies6  
,illustration3 ,,the ,,sidney ,,cooper  
,,school ,,of ,,art ,,and ,,birthplace4 
,from a ,photo4 by ,elliot  ,fry4    ,i 
have referred in the early part of this 
paper to the great love ,mr4  ,cooper   
had for his mother4 ,when ,i said       
,good-bye to him it was with  a         
promise--very happily and readily       
made--to stay for a moment at a  certain
 spot in ,st4 ,peter's ,street1         
,canterbury4 ,there stands the ,sidney  
,cooper ,school of ,art--a school ,mr4  
,cooper founded in #ahgj1 giving        
gratuitous instruction to the students1 
and subsequently presented to  the ,city

 of ,canterbury in #ahhb4    ,i wanted  
the youth of ,canterbury to have the    
shorthand of drawing--,i  had to find it
 out myself1 ,mr4 ,cooper told me4      
,but there was another reason4 ,at the  
banquet given in honour of the  ,royal  
,academician at his birthplace in       
,october1 #ahgj1 ,mr4 ,cooper rose  and 
said3--    ,i had but one object--nay1  
,i had two objects--in erecting that    
,gallery  of ,art which ,i have devoted 
to the inhabitants of my native city and
  its neighbourhood4 ,the one was to    
dedicate it to her who fostered me  in  
my years of infancy and youth--and at   
the recollection of his  mother1 the    
great painter was so overcome that he   
could not for some  time proceed with   
his remarks--and ,i determined to erect 
it on the  very site of my birthplace2  
and the other object was that the youth 
of  ,canterbury who feel a desire for   
the study of art may avail themselves   
of those opportunities which were denied
 to me4    ,half an hour after ,i left  

,sidney ,cooper ,i was watching the     
students  at work and carrying out the  
wishes of the thoughtful founder of this
  excellent institution4 ,but1 ,i must  
confess to staying longer outside  than 
,i did inside4 ,next door to the school 
is a quaint old gabled  house1 striking 
in all its picturesqueness1 and even a  
stranger would  not pass it by without  
turning to look at it4 ,how much more   
interesting  it becomes when you know   
that the old-fashioned latticed window  
on the  first floor opens into the room 
where a certain little fellow first saw 
the light ninety years ago1 and that on 
the very stone step which leads  to the 
door that same little fellow1 a few     
years later1 used to sit  with his slate
 and pencil4 ,thomas ,sidney ,cooper1   
,r4,a41 told me so2 and  he1 above all  
others1 ought to know4                  
,,harry ,,how4    ,illustration3        
,,that ,,stout ,,german      ,,by ,f4   
,,bayford ,,harrison4    ,in the ,city  
of ,brussels a great deal of very pretty

 lace is exposed for  sale4             
,englishwomen admire this lace and buy  
it4 ,if they go straight  from ,belgium 
to ,england they can take it home       
without having to pay any  duty2 but if 
they pass through ,france they have to  
pay on all their  new ,brussels lace at 
the ,french ,custom ,house4 ,and many   
,englishwomen  pass through ,france on  
their way from ,belgium to ,england1    
because they  prefer the short passage  
from ,calais to ,dover to the longer one
 from  ,ostend4    ,the ,misses ,wylie  
were charming1 middle-aged ladies1 fond 
of travel1  fond of dress1 fond of lace1
 and very bad sailors4 ,they had been   
excursioning in ,germany1 had come down 
the ,rhine1 and had spent a week  in    
,brussels4 ,more attractive than the    
,field of ,waterloo1 and more           
fascinating than the ,muse ,wiertz1 was 
the ,galerie ,st4 ,hubert4 ,miss        
,melissa ,wylie could not resist the    
white ,brussels lace2 ,miss ,annora     
,wylie could not resist the black4 ,each

 of the ladies bought lace2 led  on by  
the tempter1 in the shape of a seductive
 shopwoman1 the ,misses  ,wylie bought  
lace fichus1 lace collarettes1 lace by  
the mtre4 ,day by  day they added to    
their stock4    ,at length it was       
necessary to make for ,england1 and to  
pass through  that dreadful ,france with
 its protective duties4 ,then they      
realized  their position2 how about the 
lace8    ,we cannot conscientiously say1
 remarked ,miss ,melissa1 that we have  
rien  dclarer1 because this lace is     
dutiable4    ,and we dare not risk      
packing it1 returned ,miss ,annora1     
because they  might take it into their  
heads to examine our boxes4    ,how can 
we get it through8 mused the elder      
sister4    ,we must get it through6     
declared the younger sister4            
,presently ,annora exclaimed1 ,i have   
it6 ,we will wear it6 ,no duty is  paid 
on what one is wearing4    ,yes1 yes1   
said ,melissa1 but how can we wear it8  
,the white will  get soiled and the     

black torn in travelling4 ,besides1 if  
it looks  unnatural1 as it would on our 
dresses and mantles1 the officials will 
be sure to notice it4    ,it would not  
look unnatural on our bonnets1 said     
,annora4    ,they set to work to        
decorate their bonnets with the lace4   
,they mingled  white and black1 fichu   
and flounce1 in the most skilful manner1
 and  though the bonnets looked somewhat
 overdone1 yet they carried the lace1   
and it was probable that the male eyes  
of the ,custom ,house officials  would  
not notice anything abnormal4    ,the   
,misses ,wylie rejoiced in their        
cleverness4 ,they sat in the train  on  
their way to ,france with clear         
consciences and light hearts4 ,they  had
 rien  dclarer1 nothing dutiable4 ,in   
the compartment with  them was only one 
other passenger1 a stout man of         
good-humoured  aspect2 evidently1 from  
his extreme flabby stoutness and his    
extreme  good-humour1 a middle-class    
,german4 ,now1 ,germans who understand  

,english  are very sociable with their  
,english fellow-travellers4 ,as this    
,german  did not address the ,misses    
,wylie1 they felt sure that he did not  
understand ,english1 and they talked    
freely to each other4    ,illustration3 
,,they ,,talked ,,freely4    ,i suppose1
 said ,melissa1 that my bonnet looks all
 right8 ,it does not  strike the eyes as
 being too much trimmed1 eh1 ,annora8   
,well1 said ,annora1 laughing1 it is too
 much trimmed for good taste1  but then 
on this occasion you have bad taste4    
,what about mine8    ,oh1 quite         
artistic2 'a study in black and white1' 
as the artists say4    ,the ladies      
laughed together1 full of glee at their 
coming triumph over  the ,custom ,house 
officers4 ,the ,german wore the fatuous 
grin affected by  people who listen to a
 language which they do not understand4 
,at last the train slowed into ,blandain
 ,station1 the frontier6 ,out  jumped   
the ,misses ,wylie with their hand      
baggage4 ,they calmly awaited  the      

approach of the officers4 ,out lumbered 
the ,german with his fatuous  smile4 ,he
 sauntered up to one of the chiefs of   
the douane4    ,rien  dclarer1 said both
 ladies4    ,eau de ,cologne1 dentelles1
 tabac1 spiritueux-- the officer ran    
off4    ,rien1 rien1 said the ,misses   
,wylie4    ,the man said nothing more1  
and the ladies1 expecting the cry of ,en
  voiture1 s'il vous plat6 felt         
extremely happy4    ,but at that moment 
the official to whom the ,german had    
been speaking  came up to them and said1
 in very fair ,english1 ,the ladies are 
fond of  lace8    ,their hearts sank    
within them4 ,rather1 they conceded4    
,and to carry it on the bonnet is a     
convenient manner of avoiding the  duty4
    ,they were undone6    ,but we are   
wearing it6 screeched ,annora2 ,melissa 
panted4    ,mesdames1 ,i admire your    
ingenuity1 but such an amount of new    
lace  cannot be passed1 even on your    
bonnets4 ,two1 three1 five mtres1 he    
went on1 measuring the unlucky lace with

 his eye1 fichu1 flounce1  and so forth2
 so many francs1 or ,i confiscate it4   
,en voiture1 s'il vous plat6 was heard4 
,the sum demanded by the officer1 added 
to what they had paid in  purchase1     
would have made the lace the dearest    
that ever was bought4  ,they tore off   
their bonnets1 pulled out innumerable   
pins1 set free the  fichus1 flounces1   
etc41 put them into the officer's hands1
 and ran to  their seats4 ,out of breath
 and out of pocket1 they were most      
unhappy4  ,successful cheating is one   
thing2 but unsuccessful cheating is     
another1  and causes sharp pangs of     
conscience4    ,too bad6 cried ,melissa1
 as the train moved on2 we were entitled
 to  what we wore4    ,illustration3    
',,we ,,are ,,wearing ,,it6' ,,screeched
 ,,annora4    ,it was that ,german1 said
 ,annora4 ,he understood ,english2 he   
heard  what we said2 he told the        
official4 ,oh1 a man may grin1 and grin1
 and  be a villain6    ,they groaned    
over their misfortune4 ,the first time  

the train stopped  the villain entered  
their compartment1 still grinning4 ,they
 glared at  him1 but he still grinned4  
,they took refuge in silence2 he began  
to  speak4    ,ladies1 he said in       
,londonese ,english1 ,i was very sorry  
to have to  incur your displeasure1 but 
,i felt that it was my duty to report   
you  at the douane4 ,you had innocently 
told me all about the lace on your      
bonnets1 and for the credit of our      
country1 for the sake of ,english       
honesty1 ,i was constrained to point out
 your bonnets to that official4  ,can   
you forgive me8    ,no1 said ,annora4   
,but ,melissa thought that1             
notwithstanding his wicked cruelty1     
there was  something very pleasant in   
his smile4    ,i entreat your           
forgiveness1 ladies2 more1 ,i humbly ask
 a favour4    ,sir8 exclaimed ,annora4  
,miss ,wylie1 ,miss ,annora ,wylie--the 
presuming wretch had seen their  names  
on their luggage1 even their ,christian 
names--you will confer a  great favour  

on me if you will tell me your address4 
,annora reddened1 ,melissa blushed4     
,perhaps he was ashamed of the cruel    
part he had played and was about to     
offer an apology2 perhaps their  brave  
and gentle endurance of misfortune had  
touched him2 perhaps their  charms had  
so won upon him that he wished to see   
more of them1 with a  view to--their    
suppositions broke off abruptly4        
,annora looked at ,melissa1 and ,melissa
 looked at ,annora4 ,then the elder     
sister spoke4 ,we live at #aac1         
,angelina ,gardens1 ,edwin ,square1     
,south  ,kensington1 ,s4,w4    ,the     
stranger made a note of the address4    
,melissa was on the point of  asking his
 name1 when he said abruptly1 ,you shall
 hear from me4  ,then he discoursed on  
the country through which they were     
passing2  after which he buried himself 
in a ,figaro and talked no more4 ,at the
  next stoppage he said a brusque ,good 
morning1 ladies1 and left the           
compartment1 and they saw no more of    

him4    ,there was a considerable       
flutter in the breast of ,melissa1 who  
was of a  romantic turn of mind1 and who
 could only imagine one reason why this 
stranger should want her address4 ,she  
still believed that he was a  ,german   
who spoke ,english remarkably well1 and 
she had seen that he was  not a         
gentleman2 she therefore made up her    
mind to refuse the offer of  marriage   
which1 no doubt1 he would shortly make4 
,arrived in ,angelina ,gardens1 the     
,misses ,wylie were occupied in         
arranging the household1 and a couple of
 busy days were spent by them4  ,on the 
third day after their home-coming they  
received1 by the same  post1 a parcel   
and a letter4 ,annora opened the        
carefully tied and  sealed parcel1 while
 ,melissa read the letter4 ,having read 
it once to  herself1 she next read it   
aloud to her sister3    ,,mesdames1--,i 
felt myself under a very great          
obligation to you the  other day at     
,blandain4 ,i am a very thin man1 but ,i

 was swathed round  with hundreds of    
yards of fine ,brussels lace1 and ,i    
thought that the  best way of drawing   
the attention of the ,custom ,house     
officers from  myself was to draw it to 
you4 ,it was purely in self-defence that
 ,i  directed the raid on your bonnets4 
,having been the cause of the loss of   
your lace1 ,i wish to make you due      
compensation1 and ,i beg leave to send  
you some finer lace than that which you 
lost4                           ,i am1  
obediently yours1                       
,,your ,,stout ,,fellow-,,traveller4    
,illustration3 ,,you ,,shall ,,hear     
,,from ,,me4    ,melissa took possession
 of a black lace flounce1 and ,annora of
 a dozen  yards of white lace and a     
lace-edged handkerchief1 and they quite 
forgave the stout ,german for his       
cruelty and for his stoutness4          
,illustration    ,illustration3         
,,zig-,,zags ,,at ,,the ,,zoo      ,by  
,arthur ,morrison and ,j ,a ,shepherd   
,,xxi4--,,zig-,,zag ,,scansorial4       

,now1 a scansorial zig-zag may be       
interpreted to mean a graded path  up a 
cliff--does mean it1 in fact1 if you    
like to use the phrase in  that sense4  
,i don't4 ,scansores are climbing       
birds--toucans1 parrots1  parrakeets1   
cockatoos1 macaws1 lories1 and          
woodpeckers4 ,in the house  numbered #ed
 and #ee on the plan of the ,gardens    
7having two numbers for  no particular  
reason except that one would be quite   
enough71 all these  birds are           
represented except the woodpecker4 ,the 
woodpecker is also  excluded from this  
zig-zag for similar reasons1 which ,i   
can't remember  at this moment4 ,one may
 be the fact of the woodpecker tapping1 
whereas  all taps is vanities4          
,illustration3 ,,yes8    ,illustration3 
,,really8    ,illustration3 ,,dear1     
,,dear6    ,illustration3 ,,indeed6     
,illustration3 ,,there ,,now6    ,a     
toucan is a beak1 fitted with an        
inadequate bird at the hinder end4  ,it 
is over against the wall1 opposite the  

front door of #ed and #ee1 that  one    
recognises the fine ,roman nose of the  
toucan4 ,a green nose1 a red  nose1 a   
yellow nose1 a black nose1 all these    
colours you may see1 but  all nobly     
,roman as to shape4 ,the toucan will not
 talk in the manner of  the parrot1 but 
he 7or she7 is an admirable listener4 ,i
 have told the  green-billed toucan many
 stories of bird-scandal without        
interruption1  and1 on the whole1 the   
conversation has been most improving4   
,dear1  dear6--,really1 now--,who'd have
 thought it8--,no--o--o--o6 ,you  don't 
really say so8 ,well1 you do surprise   
me6 ,these are the only  contributions  
offered to the talk by the green-billed 
toucan1 and even  these are only in     
pantomime4 ,an ideal listener1 the      
toucan4 ,i have a  horrible temptation  
to say that toucan play at that game1   
and that if  you are anxious not to be  
toucandid1 you toucan say nothing1 and  
the  bird will listen just as           
respectfully2 but a pious bringing-up   

enables  me to cast the temptation from 
me--toucancel the inclination1 in fact4 
,howbeit1 the truth remains that the    
toucan will listen with perfect         
attention whether you proffer           
information aloud or get no further than
  inventing it4    ,the toucan will     
chatter horribly in native freedom1 but 
that is  only when many hundreds of     
other toucans are present to keep it in 
countenance2 for the toucan's voice is  
not pretty1 and he knows it4  ,still1   
when hundreds assemble1 every one with a
 discordant voice1  nothing is more     
natural than that they should all shout 
at once1 and  unite in the belief that  
the performance is admirable4 ,if there 
were  any ugly women 7there are not1 of 
course--it is a mere hypothesis71  and  
they were all collected together to the 
number of many hundreds on  a solitary  
island1 the first thing they would do   
would be to hold a  beauty show with a  
prize for everybody1 and next they would
 fight over  the distribution of those  

prizes4 ,the toucans do something very  
much  like this--minus the fighting1    
because the prize is mutual admiration4 
,they chatter and scream in their       
hundreds--taking care to leave a        
sentinel on guard1 because other animals
 won't stand anything1 even in  ,south  
,america--and at intervals they all join
 in a simultaneous yell  of approbation1
 audible half a league off4 ,the whole  
performance is a  sad piece of humbug1  
which makes one marvel greatly that     
because of it  the ,south ,american     
natives call the toucan the             
,preacher-bird4 ,here1  with so many    
gorgeous parrots and macaws about1 the  
toucan behaves  with becoming modesty1  
but in the presence of any duller-clad  
bird  than itself its arrogance is      
frightful4 ,a great crowd of toucans    
will  mob any such unfortunate creature 
with much chatter1 till1 surrounded  by 
long and threatening bills1 like a      
despairing debtor1 he hops the  twig--if
 he can4    ,illustration3 ,,sleep4     

,illustration3 ,,gradual--              
,illustration3 ,,awakening4             
,illustration3 ,,oh1 ,,such ,a ,,head6  
,illustration3 ,,try ,,breakfast4       
,illustration3 ,,oh1 ,i ,,can',t6       
,illustration3 ,,well1 ,,here ,,goes    
,illustration3 ,,oh6    ,illustration3  
,,no4    ,illustration3 ,i ,,can',t--   
,illustration3 ,,touch ,,another4       
,illustration3 ,,ugh6    ,perhaps the   
most dissipated-looking creature in the 
animal kingdom is a  toucan during a bad
 moult4 ,you long to give him a gallon  
of soda-water  and a temperance tract4  
,he sleeps much 7a toucan always sleeps 
with his  beak over his shoulder and    
covered by his wing--he doesn't mean to 
have  that nose stolen7--he sleeps as   
much as possible1 and wakes as seedy  as
 one can imagine4 ,he can scarcely drag 
his beak off his back without  banging  
it on his perch1 and considers the      
question of breakfast with  a shudder4  
,with many blinks he strives desperately
 to pull himself  together--to pull     

together a handful of loose quills and a
 beak4 ,they  give him grapes2 it is a  
mockery4 ,who can eat grapes with such a
 head8  ,he may struggle with a grape   
perhaps for a few seconds1 but breakfast
  beats him in the end1 and he retires  
to a repentant corner4 ,what a  night it
 must have been6    ,illustration3 ,a   
,,little ,,horsey    ,out of his moult1 
however1 and in good feather1 the toucan
 is rather a  fine bird1 so long as you 
forget his nose4 ,the ,ariel toucan     
here--with  the black beak--is a little 
horsey in aspect--a very little--but    
quite  neat and gentlemanly4 ,not such a
 real old crusted ,tory-club-window     
gentleman as the ,triton cockatoo1 but  
still a gentleman4 ,as for the          
green-billed toucan1 she can never be   
anything but a good-natured  ,jewess in 
her most gorgeous ,shabbos clothes4     
,illustration3 ,,vell ,,rachael6    ,the
 comparative quietness of the toucans in
 house number #ed-ee is1  probably1 due 
to a worse thing--the noise of the      

parrots and cockatoos2  the house can   
hold no more noise1 and the toucans     
altogether despair  of ever making      
themselves heard4 ,why the windows are  
so rarely broken  ,i can scarcely       
understand1 except on the hypothesis of 
a suspension of  natural laws for the   
benefit of natural science and its      
institutions4  ,the keeper says he      
doesn't mind the noise--to such torture 
may human  nature be accommodated by    
long habit4 ,saint ,cecilia would have  
become  accustomed to boiling if she had
 had forty years of it4 ,the other      
saint 7male1 but ,i forget which7 who   
was grilled could never have done       
without his hot gridiron if he had been 
able to keep on it for forty  years1 the
 time this keeper has been among these  
parrots4 ,personally1 ,i  should expect 
to become reconciled to boiling1        
grilling1 or any other  class of plain  
cookery1 in about half the time that    
would elapse before  a few hundred      
competitive parrot-yells began to feel  

soothing to the  nerves4    ,there is no
 other house in these ,gardens where the
 unobtrusive visitor  is so made to feel
 his utter smallness and                
insignificance--and that  by mere brazen
 clamour--as in this4 ,the elephants    
look large--they  are large--but the    
elephants behave with gentlemanly       
quietness and  self-respect4 ,the       
parrots rise up and curse you 7and      
everything else7  with sudden and       
painful unanimity4 ,you are appalled1   
dwarfed1 made  insignificant and ashamed
 by the overpowering vastness of--the   
mere row4    ,illustration3 ,,portrait  
,,of ,a ,,gentleman 7,,crusted74    ,the
 fact is that each single individual of 
this crowd of parrots1  cockatoos1      
macaws1 and parrakeets holds his own    
importance above every  other created   
thing as a prime article of belief1 and 
is naturally and  most virtuously       
indignant when he finds that you don't  
go directly to  him and load him with   
presents4 ,therefore1 he blares and     

screams at  you1 till the air swims in  
your ears and eyes and the outer world  
is  but a chaos of great beaks1 angry   
combs1 and streaks of red1 green1  and  
white4 ,if you venture so far as to make
 an invidious selection1  and tender a  
peace-offering to a particular bird1 you
 draw down upon  your devoted head the  
double rage and united jealousy of all  
the other  parrots1 cockatoos1          
parrakeets1 and macaws1 each convinced  
that you  couldn't possibly have seen   
him or you would never have slighted  so
 superlative a creature2 and again the  
air and the colours swim to  your       
senses4 ,the whole sensation is not     
unlike that produced by a long          
inspection of immense thundering and    
shrieking engineering works4  ,you feel 
bewildered and you feel small3 and      
everything about you is  metallic and   
mechanical4 ,every movement of a parrot1
 if you will but  notice it1 is         
suggestive of metal joints and          
mechanical action2 and the  voice--but  

there is no metal metallic enough to    
emit such a voice as  that at its worst4
    ,illustration    ,illustration      
,there is a married couple here--,triton
 cockatoos--near the keeper's  room4    
,they nag and quarrel and snarl at one  
another1 and all on  strictly mechanical
 principles4 ,their only gibe is an     
inarticulate  snarl delivered when      
repartee seems unlikely4 ,thus1 ,mr4 ,c4
 observing  ,mrs4 ,c4 apparently asleep 
will snarl ferociously1 and compose     
himself  to rest4 ,in a little while    
,mrs4 ,c4 will rouse herself1 and       
perceiving  the placid quiescence of    
,mr4 ,c41 will snarl at him and go to   
sleep  again3 all this with a mechanic  
jerk of the head and neck suggestive  of
 ,punch or an automaton4 ,after a while1
 perhaps1 the inclination for  a snarl  
will take both at once1 and1 finding    
themselves face to face1  with nothing  
original to say1 they will subside and  
sulk for the rest  of the day1 each     
trying hard to think of some            

particularly unkind  remark to hurl at  
the other4    ,illustration3            
,,yap--,,yap6    ,illustration3 ,,yap6  
,illustration3 ,,sulk4    ,illustration3
 ,y----    ,illustration3 ,,sulk4       
,cocky1 the big ,triton1 has been moved 
here from the insect-house1 and  shows  
signs of forgetting his ,english4 ,that 
is what will occur in a  congregation of
 this sort4 ,the marvel is that many of 
the birds will  still talk at all4 ,an  
old1 rose-crested cockatoo will dance   
gracefully1  with his head on one side  
7and his eye on the reward71 at the     
offer of  a nut4 ,he is called ,cocky1  
in common with all of his kind1 just as 
the  parrot is always ,polly2 but ,i    
prefer to call him ,richardson1 because 
his is1 practically speaking1 the only  
show in the fair4 ,there is a           
slender-billed cockatoo1 who offers me a
 warlike challenge to come  on whenever 
,i approach him1 and a few more who have
 a word or two1  but ,richardson is the 
only bird capable of a decent show4 ,he 

will  stand at his cage wires and bawl  
out ,what ho6 what ho6 what ho6 in a    
way that confirms his classification as 
a showman and gives a hint of           
aspirations to tragedy4 ,richardson is  
the least mechanical of the birds  here1
 and is a most respectable and          
old-fashioned veteran1 who would  look  
quite in character taking snuff1 and    
whose polite accomplishments  have not  
been ruined by his residence among      
unmannered crowds of other  birds4      
,illustration    ,illustration3 ,,open4 
,illustration3 ,,shut4    ,but1 mannered
 or not1 here is nothing but a crowd of 
screaming1  unfeeling1 snapping painted 
machines4 ,i have never seen a plucked  
parrot1 but ,i know1 without seeing1    
that you have only to pluck one to  lay 
bare nuts and bolts1 cams1 hinges1      
springs1 cranks1 and metallic  joints4  
,see a cockatoo spread and shut his     
crest3 clearly it is just  the motion   
that could be actuated by a string on   
the wooden harlequin  principle3        

probably1 as there is no string1 there  
is a long spiral  spring under the      
feathers of the head 7just lying along  
where some  people part their hair7 set 
going by a catch on the principle of the
  air-gun trigger4 ,as to the gorgeous  
mechanisms on perches that hang  in a   
line down the main aisle1 every joint1  
sound1 and motion spells  clockwork     
aloud4 ,such of these as speak have one 
word1 which is  ,hullo6 ,this1 in       
varying degrees of urgency and          
gruffness1 will  greet you as you pass  
along the line--if you show any         
indication of  nuts2 otherwise you are  
insignificant1 and unworthy of notice4  
,one  fine blue and yellow machine will 
not say ,hullo without receiving a  nut 
in advance2 probably being constructed  
on the familiar automatic  principle4   
,but it is all an expressionless outcome
 of clockwork4    ,illustration3 ,hullo6
    ,illustration3 ,,what ,,ho6         
,illustration3 ,hullo6    ,illustration3
 ,hullo6    ,illustration3 ,hullo6      

,illustration3 ,,hullo6                 
,illustration3 ,,hullo6                 
,illustration3 ,,hullo6                 
,illustration3 ,,hullo6    ,we seldom   
see among the lists of patents sealed   
and provisional  protections granted1   
any reference to an invention for       
improvements in  the mechanism of       
parrots and cockatoos4 ,it is a         
remarkable thing that  so obvious a     
field for invention and improvement     
should have been so  much neglected4    
,plainly1 an easy and obvious           
improvement would be the  provision of a
 simple shut-off valve1 by which the    
suffering proprietor  could stop the    
parrot's steam whistle when desired4    
,the desirability  of some such         
improvement need not be enlarged upon1  
and1 once the  appliance were in the    
market1 every parrot-owner would hasten 
to have  it fitted to his machine4      
,another contrivance1 having the same   
object1  would consist of a self-acting 
escape valve1 by which the familiar     

scream of the mechanism would be        
diverted1 and escape noiselessly        
through a small grating at the back of  
the neck after a certain degree  of     
pressure had been attained4 ,moreover1  
what more easy than to have  the outer  
side of the jaw-hinge fitted with a     
convenient butterfly-nut1  by tightening
 which1 after the periodical stoking    
with maize and so  forth1 the engine    
would be prevented from nipping         
carelessly-offered  fingers8 ,as it is  
at present1 the jaw-hinge is a mere     
ordinary pair  of sharp pincers         
barbarically ornamented with feathers   
and colours4  ,improvements suggest     
themselves at every point4 ,many of     
these otherwise  amusing instruments    
cause trouble by occasionally breaking  
out into  startling and exceedingly     
forcible language4 ,it would seem that a
  pressure valve might be profitably    
employed in this case also1 by  means of
 which1 as soon as the expressions      
reached to the degree of  blow it1 or   

shut up1 the power would be immediately 
diverted1 and  either allowed to escape 
harmlessly through a small chimney at   
the  top of the head1 or else conducted 
by a power-transmitting mechanism  to an
 adjacent musical-box1 which would play 
,pop ,goes the ,weasel1  or something   
else of a similarly moral tendency4 ,the
 whole subject  is full of profitable   
suggestions1 which are offered1 free of 
any  expense beyond a small royalty to  
myself1 to the notice of persons of     
mechanical genius4    ,illustration3 ,a 
,,mere    ,illustration3 ,,pair         
,illustration3 ,,of ,,pincers4          
,stories from the ,diary of a ,doctor4  
,by the ,authors of ,,the ,,medicine    
,,lady4      ,,ix4 ,,an ,,oak ,,coffin4 
,on a certain cold morning in early     
spring1 ,i was visited by two ladies1   
mother and daughter4 ,the mother was    
dressed as a widow4 ,she was a tall1    
striking-looking woman1 with full1      
wide-open dark eyes1 and a mass of  rich
 hair turned back from a white and noble

 brow4 ,her lips were firm1  her        
features well formed4 ,she seemed to    
have plenty of character1 but  the deep 
lines of sadness under her eyes and     
round her lips were very  remarkable4   
,the daughter was a girl of fourteen1   
slim to weediness4 ,her  eyes were dark1
 like her mother's1 and she had an      
abundance of tawny  brown and very      
handsome hair4 ,it hung down her back   
below her waist1  and floated over her  
shoulders4 ,she was dressed1 like her   
mother1 in  heavy mourning1 and round   
her young mouth and dark1 deep eyes     
there  lingered the same inexpressible  
sadness4    ,i motioned my visitors to  
chairs1 and waited as usual to learn the
  reason of their favouring me with a   
call4    ,my name is ,heathcote1 said   
the elder lady4 ,i have lately lost my  
husband4 ,i have come to you on account 
of my daughter--she is not well4    ,i  
glanced again more attentively at the   
young girl4 ,i saw that she  looked     
overstrained and nervous4 ,her          

restlessness1 too1 was so apparent  that
 she could scarcely sit still1 and      
catching up a paper-knife which  stood  
on the table near1 she began twirling it
 rapidly between her  finger and thumb4 
,it does me good to fidget with         
something1 she said1 glancing           
apologetically at her mother4    ,what  
are your daughter's symptoms8 ,i asked4 
,mrs4 ,heathcote began to describe them 
in the vague way which  characterizes a 
certain class of patient4 ,i gathered at
 last from her  words that ,gabrielle   
would not eat--she slept badly--she was 
weak and  depressed--she took no        
interest in anything4    ,how old is    
,miss ,gabrielle8 ,i asked4    ,she will
 be fifteen her next birthday1 replied  
her mother4    ,all the while ,mrs4     
,heathcote was speaking1 the young      
daughter kept her  eyes fixed on the    
carpet--she still twirled the           
paper-knife1 and once  or twice she     
yawned profoundly4    ,i asked her to   
prepare for the usual medical           

examination4 ,she complied  without any 
alacrity1 and with a look on her face   
which said plainly1  ,young as ,i am1 ,i
 know how useless all this fuss is--,i  
only submit  because ,i must4    ,i felt
 her pulse and sounded her heart and    
lungs4 ,the action of the  heart was a  
little weak1 but the lungs were         
perfectly healthy4 ,in  short1 beyond a 
general physical and mental debility1 ,i
 could find  nothing whatever the matter
 with the girl4    ,after a time1 ,i    
rang the bell to desire my servant to   
take ,miss  ,heathcote into another     
room1 in order that ,i might speak to   
her mother  alone4    ,the young lady   
went away very unwillingly4 ,the        
sceptical expression on  her face was   
more apparent than ever4    ,you will be
 sure to tell me the exact truth8 said  
,mrs4 ,heathcote1 as  soon as we were   
alone4    ,i have very little to tell1  
,i replied4 ,i have examined your       
daughter  carefully4 ,she is suffering  
from no disease to which a name can be  

attached4 ,she is below par1 certainly2 
there is weakness and general           
depression1 but a tonic ought to set all
 these matters right4    ,i have tried  
tonics without avail1 said ,mrs4        
,heathcote4    ,has not your family     
physician seen ,miss ,heathcote8    ,not
 lately4 ,the widow's manner became     
decidedly hesitating4 ,the fact  is1 we 
have not consulted him since--since ,mr4
 ,heathcote's death1 she  said4    ,when
 did that take place8    ,six months    
ago4    ,here she spoke with infinite   
sadness1 and her face1 already very     
pale1  turned perceptibly paler4    ,is 
there nothing you can tell me to give me
 a clue to your daughter's  condition8  
,is there anything1 for instance1       
preying on her mind8    ,nothing        
whatever4    ,the expression of her face
 is very sad for so young a girl4       
,illustration3 ,i ,,felt ,,her ,,pulse4 
,you must remember1 said ,mrs4          
,heathcote1 that she has lately lost her
  father4    ,even so1 ,i replied2 that 

would scarcely account for her nervous  
condition4 ,a healthy-minded child will 
not be overcome with grief to  the      
serious detriment of health after an    
interval of six months4 ,at  least1 ,i  
added1 that is my experience in ordinary
 cases4    ,i am grieved to hear it1    
said ,mrs4 ,heathcote4    ,she looked   
very much troubled4 ,her agitation was  
apparent in her  trembling hands and    
quivering lips4    ,your daughter is in 
a nervous condition1 ,i said1 rising4   
,she  has no disease at present1 but a  
little extra strain might develop  real 
disease1 or might affect her nerves1    
already overstrung1 to a  dangerous     
degree4 ,i should recommend complete    
change of air and scene  immediately4   
,mrs4 ,heathcote sighed heavily4    ,you
 don't look very well yourself1 ,i said1
 giving her a keen glance4    ,she      
flushed crimson4    ,i have felt my     
sorrow acutely1 she replied4    ,i made 
a few more general remarks1 wrote a     
prescription for the  daughter1 and bade

 ,mrs4 ,heathcote good-bye4 ,about the  
same hour on the  following morning ,i  
was astonished when my servant brought  
me a card  on which was scribbled in    
pencil the name ,gabrielle ,heathcote1  
and  underneath1 in the same upright1   
but unformed hand1 the words1 ,i want   
to see you most urgently4    ,a few     
moments later1 ,miss ,gabrielle was     
standing in my consulting-room4  ,her   
appearance was much the same as         
yesterday1 except that now her face  was
 eager1 watchful1 and all awake4    ,how
 do you do8 she said1 holding out her   
hand1 and blushing4 ,i have  ventured to
 come alone1 and ,i haven't brought a   
fee4 ,does that matter8    ,not in the  
least1 ,i replied4 ,pray sit down and   
tell me what you  want4    ,i would     
rather stand1 she answered2 ,i feel too 
restless and excited  to sit still4 ,i  
stole away from home without letting    
mother know4 ,i  liked your look        
yesterday and determined to see you     
again4 ,now1 may ,i  confide in you8    

,you certainly may1 ,i replied4    ,my  
interest in this queer child was a good 
deal aroused4 ,i felt  certain that ,i  
was right in my conjectures of          
yesterday1 and that this  young creature
 was really burdened with some secret   
which was gravely  undermining her      
health4    ,i am willing to listen to   
you1 ,i continued4 ,you must be brief1  
of  course1 for ,i am a very busy man1  
but anything you can say which will     
throw light on your own condition1 and  
so help me to cure you1 will1 of        
course1 be welcome4    ,you think me    
very nervous8 said ,miss ,gabrielle4    
,your nerves are out of order1 ,i       
replied4    ,you know that ,i don't     
sleep at night8    ,yes4    ,miss       
,gabrielle looked towards the door4     
,is it shut8 she asked1 excitedly4      
,of course it is4    ,she came close to 
me1 her voice dropped to a hoarse       
whisper1 her face  turned not only white
 but grey4    ,i can stand it no longer1
 she said4 ,i'll tell you the truth4    

,you  wouldn't sleep either if you were 
me4 ,my father isn't dead6    ,nonsense1
 ,i replied4 ,you must control such     
imaginings1 ,miss  ,gabrielle1 or you   
will really get into a very unhealthy   
condition of  mind4    ,that's what     
mother says when ,i speak to her1       
replied the child4 ,but  ,i tell you1   
this thing is true4 ,my father is not   
dead4 ,i know it4    ,how can you       
possibly know it8 ,i asked4    ,i have  
seen him--there6    ,you have seen your 
father6--but he died six months ago8    
,yes4 ,he died--and was buried1 and ,i  
went to his funeral4 ,but all the  same 
he is not dead now4    ,my dear young   
lady1 ,i said1 in as soothing a tone as 
,i could assume1  you are the victim of 
what is called a hallucination4 ,you    
have felt  your father's death very     
acutely4    ,i have4 ,i loved him beyond
 words4 ,he was so kind1 so             
affectionate1 so  good to me4 ,it almost
 broke my heart when he died4 ,i thought
 ,i could  never be happy again4 ,mother

 was as wretched as myself4 ,there      
weren't  two more miserable people in   
the wide world4 ,it seemed impossible to
  either of us to smile or be cheerful  
again4 ,i began to sleep badly1 for  ,i 
cried so much1 and my eyes ached1 and ,i
 did not care for lessons any  more4    
,all these feelings will pass1 ,i       
replied2 they are natural1 but time     
will abate their violence4    ,you think
 so8 said the girl1 with a strange      
smile4 ,now let me go on  with my story3
 ,it was at ,christmas time ,i first saw
 my father4 ,we live  in an old house at
 ,brixton4 ,it has a walled-in garden4  
,i was standing  by my window about     
midnight4 ,i had been in bed for an hour
 or more1  but ,i could not sleep4 ,the 
house was perfectly quiet4 ,i got out of
 bed  and went to the window and drew up
 the blind4 ,i stood by the window  and 
looked out into the garden1 which was   
covered with snow4 ,there1  standing    
under the window1 with his arms folded1 
was father4 ,he stood  perfectly still1 

and turned his head slowly1 first in the
 direction of  my room and then in that 
of mother's4 ,he stood there for quite  
five  minutes1 and then walked across   
the grass into the shelter of the       
shrubbery4 ,i put a cloak on and rushed 
downstairs4 ,i unbolted the front  door 
and went into the garden4 ,i shouted my 
father's name and ran into  the         
shrubbery to look for him1 but he wasn't
 there1 and ,i--,i think ,i  fainted4   
,when ,i came to myself ,i was in bed   
and mother was bending over  me4 ,her   
face was all blistered as if she had    
been crying terribly4 ,i  told her that 
,i had just seen father1 and she said it
 was a dream4    ,so it was1 ,i replied4
    ,miss ,gabrielle's dark brows were  
knit in some pain4    ,i did not think  
you would take that commonplace view1   
she responded4    ,i am sorry ,i have   
offended you1 ,i answered4 ,girls like  
you do have  bad dreams when they are in
 trouble1 and those dreams are often so 
vivid1 that they mistake them for       

realities4    ,very well1 then1 ,i have 
had more of those vivid dreams4 ,i have 
seen my  father again4 ,the last time ,i
 saw him he was in the house4 ,it was   
about  a month ago4 ,as usual1 ,i could 
not sleep1 and ,i went downstairs quite 
late to get the second volume of a novel
 which interested me4 ,there was  father
 walking across the passage4 ,his back  
was to me4 ,he opened the  study door   
and went in4 ,he shut it behind him4 ,i 
rushed to it in order  to open it and   
follow him4 ,it was locked1 and though  
,i screamed through  the key-hole1 no   
one replied to me4 ,mother found me     
kneeling by the  study door and shouting
 through the key-hole to father4 ,she   
was up and  dressed1 which seemed       
strange at so late an hour4 ,she took me
 upstairs  and put me to bed1 and       
pretended to be angry with me1 but when 
,i told  her that ,i had seen father she
 burst into the most awful bitter tears 
and said3--    ',oh1 ,gabrielle1 he is  
dead--dead--quite dead6'    ',then he   

comes here from the dead1' ,i said4     
',no1 he is not dead4 ,i  have just seen
 him4'    ',my poor child1' said mother1
 ',i must take you to a good doctor     
without delay4 ,you must not get this   
thing on your brain4'    ',very well1'  
,i replied2 ',i am quite willing to see 
,dr4 ,mackenzie4'    ,i interrupted the 
narrative to inquire who ,dr4 ,mackenzie
 was4    ,illustration3 ,i ,,screamed   
,,through ,,the ,,key-,,hole4    ,he is 
our family physician1 replied the young 
lady4 ,he has attended  us for years4   
,and what did your mother say when you  
proposed to see him8    ,she shivered   
violently1 and said1 ',no1 ,i won't have
 him in the house4'  ,after a time she  
decided to bring me to you4    ,and have
 you had that hallucination again8 ,i   
inquired4    ,it was not a              
hallucination1 she answered1 pouting her
 lips4    ,i will humour you1 ,i        
answered4 ,have you seen your father    
again8    ,no1 and ,i am not likely to4 
,why do you think that8    ,i cannot    

quite tell you--,i think mother is in   
it4 ,mother is very  unhappy about      
something1 and she looks at me at times 
as if she were  afraid of me4 ,here     
,miss ,heathcote rose4 ,you said ,i was 
not to stay  long1 she remarked4 ,now ,i
 have told you everything4 ,you see that
 it  is absolutely impossible for       
ordinary medicines to cure me1 any more 
than ordinary medicines can cure mother 
of her awful dreams4    ,i did not know 
that your mother dreamt badly1 ,i said4 
,she does--but she doesn't wish it      
spoken of4 ,she dreams so badly1  she   
cries out so terribly in her sleep1 that
 she has moved from her  old bedroom    
next to mine1 to one in a distant wing  
of the house4 ,poor  mother1 ,i am sorry
 for her1 but ,i am glad at least that  
,i have had  courage to tell you what ,i
 have seen4 ,you will make it your      
business to  find out the truth now1    
won't you8    ,what do you mean8 ,i     
asked4    ,why1 of course1 my father is 
alive1 she retorted4 ,you have got to   

prove that he is1 and to give him back  
to me again4 ,i leave the matter  in    
your hands4 ,i know you are wise and    
very clever4 ,good-bye1 good-bye6       
,the queer girl left me1 tears rolling  
down her cheeks4 ,i was obliged  to     
attend to other patients1 but it was    
impossible for me to get ,miss          
,heathcote's story out of my head4      
,there was no doubt whatever that she   
was telling me what she firmly believed 
to be the truth4 ,she had either  seen  
her father once more in the flesh1 or   
she was the victim of a very  strong    
hallucination4 ,in all probability the  
latter supposition was  the correct one4
 ,a man could not die and have a funeral
 and yet still  be alive3 but1 then1 on 
the other hand1 when ,mrs4 ,heathcote   
brought  ,gabrielle to see me yesterday1
 why had she not mentioned this central 
and principal feature of her malady8    
,mrs4 ,heathcote had said nothing       
whatever with regard to ,gabrielle's    
delusions4 ,then why was the mother  so 

nervous8 ,why did she say nothing about 
her own bad dreams1 dreams so           
disturbing1 that she was obliged to     
change her bedroom in order that  her   
daughter should not hear her scream8    
,i leave the matter in your hands6 ,miss
 ,heathcote had said4 ,poor  child1 she 
had done so with a vengeance4 ,i could  
not get the story out  of my thoughts1  
and so uncomfortable did the whole thing
 make me that ,i  determined to pay ,dr4
 ,mackenzie a visit4    ,mackenzie was a
 physician in very large practice at    
,brixton4 ,his name  was already        
familiar to me--on one or two occasions 
,i had met him in  consultation4 ,i     
looked up his address in the ,medical   
,directory1 and  that very evening took 
a hansom to his house4 ,he happened to  
be at  home4 ,i sent in my card and was 
admitted at once4    ,mackenzie received
 me in his consulting-room1 and ,i was  
not long in  explaining the motive of my
 visit4 ,after a few preliminary        
remarks1 ,i  said that ,i would be glad 

if he would favour me with full         
particulars  with regard to ,heathcote's
 death4    ,i can easily do so1 said    
,mackenzie4 ,the case was a perfectly   
straightforward one--my patient was     
consumptive1 had been so for years1  and
 died at last of hemoptysis4    ,what   
aged man was he8 ,i asked4    ,not      
old--a little past forty--a tall1       
slight1 good-looking man1 with  a       
somewhat emaciated face4 ,in short1 his 
was an ordinary case of  consumption4   
,i told ,mackenzie all about the visit  
which ,i had received from ,mrs4        
,heathcote1 and gave him a faithful     
version of the strange story which      
,miss ,gabrielle ,heathcote had told me 
that day4    ,miss ,gabrielle is an     
excitable girl1 replied the doctor4 ,i  
have  had a good deal to do with her for
 many years1 and always thought her     
nerves highly strung4 ,she is evidently 
the victim of a delusion1 caused  by the
 effect of grief on a somewhat delicate 
organism4 ,she probably  inherits her   

father's disease4 ,mrs4 ,heathcote      
should take her from home  immediately4 
,mrs4 ,heathcote looks as if she needed 
change almost as badly as her  daughter1
 ,i answered2 but now you will forgive  
me if ,i ask you a few  more questions4 
,will you oblige me by describing       
,heathcote's death as  faithfully as you
 can8    ,illustration3 ,i ,,was        
,,paying ,,the ,,cabman ,,his ,,fare4   
,certainly1 replied the physician4      
,he sank down into a chair at the       
opposite side of the hearth as he       
spoke4    ,the death1 when it came1 he  
continued1 was1 ,i must confess1        
unexpected4 ,i had sounded ,heathcote's 
lungs about three months previous  to   
the time of his death seizure4 ,phthisis
 was present1 but not to an  advanced   
degree4 ,i recommended his wintering    
abroad4 ,he was a solicitor  by         
profession1 and had a good practice4 ,i 
remember his asking me1 with  a comical 
rise of his brows1 how he was to carry  
on his profession  so many miles from   

,chancery ,lane4 ,but to come to his    
death4 ,it took  place six months ago1  
in the beginning of ,september4 ,it had 
been a hot  season1 and ,i had just     
returned from my holiday4 ,my           
portmanteau and  ,gladstone bag had been
 placed in the hall1 and ,i was paying  
the cabman  his fare1 when a servant    
from the ,heathcotes arrived1 and begged
 of me  to go immediately to her master1
 who was1 she said1 dying4    ,i hurried
 off to the house without a moment's    
delay4 ,it is a stone's  throw from     
here4 ,in fact1 you can see the walls of
 the garden from the  windows of this   
room in the daytime4 ,i reached the     
house4 ,gabrielle was  standing in the  
hall4 ,i am an old friend of hers4 ,her 
face was quite  white and had a stunned 
expression4 ,when she saw me she rushed 
to me1  clasped one of my hands in both 
of hers1 and burst into tears4    ',go  
and save him6' she gasped1 her voice    
choking with sobs1 which were  almost   
hysterical4    ,a lady who happened to  

be staying in the house came and drew   
the  girl away into one of the          
sitting-rooms1 and ,i went upstairs4 ,i 
found  ,heathcote in his own room4 ,he  
was lying on the bed--he was a ghastly  
sight4 ,his face wore the sick hue of   
death itself2 the sheet1 his  hair1 and 
even his face were all covered with     
blood4 ,his wife was  standing over him1
 wiping away the blood1 which oozed from
 his lips4 ,i  saw1 of course1          
immediately what was the matter4        
,hemoptysis had set in1  and ,i felt    
that his hours were numbered4    ',he   
has broken a blood vessel1' exclaimed   
,mrs4 ,heathcote4 ',he was  standing    
here1 preparing to go down to dinner1   
when he coughed  violently--the blood   
began to pour from his mouth3 ,i got him
 on the bed  and sent for you4 ,the     
hemorrhage seems to be a little less    
violent now4'    ,i examined my patient 
carefully1 feeling his pulse1 which was 
very  weak and low2 ,i cautioned him not
 to speak a single word1 and asked      

,mrs4 ,heathcote to send for some ice   
immediately4 ,she did so4 ,i packed  him
 in ice and gave him a dose of ergotine4
 ,he seemed easier1 and ,i  left him1   
promising to return again in an hour or 
two4 ,miss ,gabrielle  met me in the    
hall as ,i went out4    ',is he any     
better8 ,is there any hope at all8' she 
asked1 as ,i left the  house4    ',your 
father is easier now1' ,i replied2 'the 
hemorrhage has been  arrested4 ,i am    
coming back soon4 ,you must be a good   
girl and try to  comfort your mother in 
every way in your power4'    ',then     
there is no hope8' she answered1 looking
 me full in the face4    ,i could not   
truthfully say that there was4 ,i knew  
poor ,heathcote's  days were numbered1  
although ,i scarcely thought the end    
would come so  quickly4    ,what do you 
mean8 ,i inquired4    ,why this1 he     
replied4 ,less than an hour after ,i got
 home1 ,i received  a brief note from   
,mrs4 ,heathcote4 ,in it she stated that
 fresh and very  violent hemorrhage had 

set in almost immediately after ,i left1
 and that  her husband was dead4        
,and-- ,i continued4    ,well1 that is  
the story4 ,poor ,heathcote had died of 
hemoptysis4    ,did you see the body    
after death8 ,i inquired1 after a pause4
    ,no--it was absolutely              
unnecessary--the cause of death was so  
evident4  ,i attended the funeral1      
though4 ,heathcote was buried at ,kensal
 ,green4    ,i made no comment for a    
moment or two4    ,i am sorry you did   
not see the body after death1 ,i said1  
after a  pause4    ,my remark seemed to 
irritate ,mackenzie4 ,he looked at me   
with raised  brows4    ,would you have  
thought it necessary to do so8 he asked4
 ,a man known  to be consumptive dies of
 violent hemorrhage of the lungs4 ,the  
family  are in great trouble--there is  
much besides to think of4 ,would you    
under the circumstances have considered 
it necessary to refuse to give  a       
certificate without seeing the body8    
,i thought for a moment4    ,i make a   

rule of always seeing the body1 ,i      
replied2 but1 of course1  you were      
justified1 as the law stands4 ,well1    
then1 there is no doubt  ,heathcote is  
really dead8    ,really dead8 retorted  
,mackenzie4 ,don't you understand that  
he  has been in his grave for six       
months8--,that ,i practically saw him   
die8--,that ,i attended his funeral8 ,by
 what possible chance can the man  be   
alive8    ,none1 ,i replied4 ,he is     
dead1 of course4 ,i am sorry for the    
poor  girl4 ,she ought to leave home    
immediately4    ,girls of her age often 
have delusions1 said ,mackenzie4 ,i     
doubt not  this will pass in time4 ,i am
 surprised1 however1 that the           
,heathcotes  allowed the thing to go on 
so long4 ,i remember now that ,i have   
never  been near the house since the    
funeral4 ,i cannot understand their not 
calling me in4    ,that fact puzzles me 
also1 ,i said4 ,they came to me1 a total
  stranger1 instead of consulting their 
family physician1 and ,mrs4  ,heathcote 

carefully concealed the most important  
part of her daughter's  malady4 ,it is  
strange altogether2 and1 although ,i can
 give no  explanation whatever1 ,i am   
convinced there is one if we could only 
get  at it4 ,one more question before ,i
 go1 ,mackenzie4 ,you spoke of          
,heathcote  as a solicitor3 has he left 
his family well off8    ,they are not   
rich1 replied ,mackenzie2 but as far as 
,i can tell1  they don't seem to want   
for money4 ,i believe their house1 ,ivy 
,hall is  its name1 belongs to them4    
,they live there very quietly1 with a   
couple  of maid-servants4 ,i should say 
they belonged to the well-to-do middle  
classes4    ,then money troubles cannot 
explain the mystery8 ,i replied4        
,believe me1 there is no mystery1       
answered ,mackenzie1 in an annoyed      
voice4    ,i held out my hand to wish   
him good-bye1 when a loud peal at the   
front  door startled us both4 ,if ever  
there was frantic haste in anything1    
there was in that ringing peal4         

,someone wants you in a hurry1 ,i said  
to the doctor4    ,he was about to      
reply1 when the door of the             
consulting-room was flung  wide open1   
and ,gabrielle ,heathcote rushed into   
the room4    ,mother is very ill1 she   
exclaimed4 ,i think she is out of her   
mind4  ,come to her at once4            
,illustration3 ,,gabrielle ,,heathcote  
,,rushed ,,into ,,the ,,room4    ,she   
took ,mackenzie's hand in hers4         
,there isn't a minute to lose1 she said1
 she may kill herself4 ,she  came to me 
with a carving-knife in her hand2 ,i    
rushed away at once for  you4 ,the two  
servants are with her now1 and they are 
doing all they  can2 but1 oh6 pray1 do  
be quick4    ,at this moment            
,gabrielle's eyes rested on me4 ,a look 
of relief and  almost ecstasy passed    
over her poor1 thin little face4    ,you
 are here6 she exclaimed4 ,you will     
come1 too8 ,oh1 how glad ,i am4    ,if  
,dr4 ,mackenzie will permit me1 ,i      
replied1 ,i shall be only too  pleased  

to accompany him4    ,by all means come1
 you may be of the greatest use1 he     
answered4    ,we started at once4 ,as   
soon as we left the house ,gabrielle    
rushed from  us4    ,i am going to have 
the front door open for you both when   
you arrive1  she exclaimed4 ,she        
disappeared as if on the wings of the   
wind4    ,that is a good girl1 ,i said1 
turning to the other doctor4    ,she has
 always been deeply attached to both her
 parents1 he answered4    ,we did not   
either of us say another word until we  
got to ,ivy ,hall4  ,it was a rambling  
old house1 with numerous low rooms and a
 big  entrance-hall4 ,i could fancy that
 in the summer it was cheerful enough1  
with its large1 walled-in garden4 ,the  
night was a dark one1 but there  would  
be a moon presently4    ,gabrielle was  
waiting in the hall to receive us4    ,i
 will take you to the door of mother's  
room1 she exclaimed4    ,her words came 
out tremblingly1 her face was like      
death4 ,she was  shaking all over4 ,she 

ran up the stairs before us1 and then   
down a long  passage which led to a room
 a little apart from the rest of the    
house4    ,i told you mother wished to  
sleep in a room as far away from me as  
possible1 she said1 flashing a glance   
into my face as she spoke4    ,i nodded 
in reply4 ,we opened the door and went  
in4 ,the sight which met  our eyes was  
one with which most medical men are     
familiar4    ,the patient was lying on  
the bed in a state of violent delirium4 
,two  maid-servants were bending over   
her1 and evidently much exciting her    
feelings in their efforts to hold her   
down4 ,i spoke at once with  authority4 
,you can leave the room now1 ,i         
said--only remain within call in case   
you are wanted4    ,they obeyed         
instantly1 looking at me with surprised 
glances1 and at  ,mackenzie with        
manifest relief4    ,i shut the door    
after them and approached the bed4 ,one 
glance showed  that ,mrs4 ,heathcote was
 not mad in the ordinary sense1 but that

 she  was suffering at the moment from  
acute delirium4 ,i put my hand on  her  
forehead3 it burned with fever4 ,her    
pulse was rapid and uneven4  ,mackenzie 
took her temperature1 which was very    
nearly a hundred and  four degrees4     
,while we were examining her she        
remained quiet1 but  presently1 as we   
stood together and watched her1 she     
began to rave  again4    ,what is it1   
,gabrielle8 ,no1 no1 he is quite dead1  
child4 ,i tell you ,i  saw the men screw
 his coffin down4 ,he's dead--quite     
dead4 ,oh1 ,god6 oh1  ,god6 yes1 dead1  
dead6    ,she sat up in bed and stared  
straight before her4    ,you mustn't    
come here so often1 she said1 looking   
past us into the  centre of the room1   
and addressing someone whom she seemed  
to see with  distinctness1 ,i tell you  
it isn't safe4 ,gabrielle suspects4     
,don't come  so often--,i'll manage some
 other way4 ,trust me4 ,do trust me4    
,you know ,i  won't let you starve4 ,oh1
 go away1 go away4    ,she flung herself

 back on the bed and pressed her hands  
frantically to  her burning eyes4       
,your father has been dead six months   
now1 ,gabrielle1 she said1  presently1  
in a changed voice4    ,no one was ever 
more dead4 ,i tell you ,i saw him die2  
he was buried1  and you went to his     
funeral4 ,here again her voice altered4 
,she sat  upright and motioned with her 
hand4 ,will you bring the coffin in     
here1  please1 into this room8 ,yes2 it 
seems a nice coffin--well finished4 ,the
  coffin is made of oak4 ,that is right4
 ,oak lasts4 ,i can't bear coffins  that
 crumble away very quickly4 ,this is a  
good one--you have taken  pains with    
it--,i am pleased4 ,lay him in gently4  
,he is not very heavy1  is he8 ,you see 
how worn he is4 ,consumption6--yes1     
consumption4 ,he had  been a long time  
dying1 but at the end it was sudden4    
,hemorrhage of  the lungs4 ,we did it to
 save ,gabrielle1 and to keep           
away--what1 what1  what did we want to  
keep away8--,oh1 yes1 dishonour6        

,the--the-- ,here  she burst into a loud
 laugh4    ,you don't suppose1 you      
undertaker's men1 that ,i'm going to    
tell you  what we did it for8 ,dr4      
,mackenzie was there--he saw him just at
 the  end4 ,now you have placed him     
nicely in his coffin1 and you can go4   
,thank you1 you can go now4 ,i don't    
want you to see his face4 ,a dead  face 
is too sacred4 ,you must not look on it4
 ,he is peaceful1 only  pale1 very pale4
 ,all dead people look pale4 ,is he as  
pale as most dead  people8 ,oh1 ,i      
forgot--you can't see him4 ,and as cold8
 ,oh1 yes1 ,i think  so1 quite4 ,you    
want to screw the coffin down1 of       
course1 of course--,i  was forgetting4  
,now1 be quick about it4 ,why1 do you   
know1 ,i was very  nearly having him    
buried with the coffin open6 ,screw away
 now1 screw  away4 ,ah1 how that noise  
grates on my nerves4 ,i shall go mad if 
you are  not quick4 ,do be quick--be    
quick1 and leave me alone with my dead4 
,oh1 ,god1 with my dead1 my dead6       

,illustration3 ,,have ,,mercy ,,upon    
,,me ,,and ,,upon ,,my ,,dead4    ,the  
wretched woman's voice sank to a hoarse 
whisper4 ,she struggled on  to her      
knees1 and folding her hands1 began to  
pray4    ,god in ,heaven have mercy upon
 me and upon my dead1 she moaned4 ,now1 
now1 now6 where's the screwdriver8 ,oh1 
heavens1 it's lost1 it's lost6  ,we are 
undone6 ,my ,god1 what is the matter    
with me8 ,my brain reels4 ,oh1  my ,god1
 my ,god6    ,she moaned tearfully4 ,we 
laid her back on the bed4 ,her          
mutterings  became more rapid and       
indistinct4 ,presently she slept4       
,she must not be left in this condition1
 said ,mackenzie to me4 ,it  would be   
very bad for ,gabrielle to be with her  
mother now4 ,and those  young servants  
are not to be trusted4 ,i will go and   
send in a nurse as  soon as possible4   
,can you do me the inestimable favour of
 remaining  here until a nurse arrives8 
,i was going to propose that ,i should1 
in any case1 spend the night  here1 ,i  

replied4    ,that is more than good of  
you1 said the doctor4    ,not at all1 ,i
 answered2 the case interests me        
extremely4    ,a moment or two later    
,mackenzie left the house4 ,during his  
absence  ,mrs4 ,heathcote slept1 and ,i 
sat and watched her4 ,the fever raged   
very high--she muttered constantly in   
her terrible dreams1 but said  nothing  
coherent4 ,i felt very anxious about    
her4 ,she had evidently  been subjected 
to a most frightful strain1 and now all 
her nature was  giving way4 ,i dared not
 think what her words implied4 ,my      
mission was at  present to do what ,i   
could for her relief4    ,the nurse     
arrived about midnight4 ,she was a      
sensible1 middle-aged  woman1 very      
strong too1 and evidently accustomed to 
fever patients4 ,i  gave her some       
directions1 desired her to ring a       
certain bell if she  required my        
assistance1 and left the room4 ,as ,i   
went slowly downstairs  ,i noticed the  
moon had risen4 ,the house was perfectly

 still--the sick  woman's moans could   
not be heard beyond the distant wing of 
the house  where she slept4 ,as ,i went 
downstairs ,i remembered ,gabrielle's   
story  about the moonlit garden and her 
father's figure standing there4 ,i felt 
a momentary curiosity to see what the   
garden was like1 and1 moving  aside a   
blind1 which concealed one of the lobby 
windows1 looked out4  ,i gave one       
hurried glance and started back4 ,was   
,i1 too1 the victim of  illusion8       
,standing in the garden was the tall    
figure of a man with  folded arms4 ,he  
was looking away from me1 but the light 
fell on his  face3 it was cadaverous and
 ghastly white2 his hat was off2 he     
moved  into a deep shadow4 ,it was all  
done in an instant--he came and went    
like a flash4    ,i pursued my way      
softly downstairs4 ,this man's          
appearance seemed  exactly to coincide  
with ,mackenzie's description of        
,heathcote3 but was  it possible1 in any
 of the wonderful possibilities of this 

earth1 that  a man could rise from his  
coffin and walk the earth again8        
,gabrielle was waiting for me in the    
cheerful drawing-room4 ,a bright  fire  
burned in the grate1 there were candles 
on brackets1 and one or  two shaded     
lamps placed on small tables4 ,on one   
table1 a little larger  than the rest1 a
 white cloth was spread4 ,it also       
contained a tray with  glasses1 some    
claret and sherry in decanters1 and a   
plate of sandwiches4    ,you must be    
tired1 said ,gabrielle4 ,please have a  
glass of wine1 and  please eat          
something4 ,i know those sandwiches are 
good--,i made them  myself4    ,she     
pressed me to eat and drink4 ,in truth1 
,i needed refreshment4 ,the  scene in   
the sick room had told even on my iron  
nerves1 and the sight  from the lobby   
window had almost taken my breath away4 
,gabrielle attended on me as if she were
 my daughter4 ,i was touched  by her    
solicitude1 and by the really noble way 
in which she tried to  put self out of  

sight4 ,at last she said1 in a voice    
which shook with  emotion3--    ,i know1
 ,dr4 ,halifax1 that you think badly of 
mother4    ,your mother is very ill     
indeed1 ,i answered4    ,it is good of  
you to come and help her4 ,you are a    
great doctor1 are  you not8    ,i smiled
 at the child's question4    ,i want you
 to tell me something about the         
beginning of your mother's  illness1 ,i 
said1 after a pause4 ,when ,i saw her   
two days ago1 she  scarcely considered  
herself ill at all--in fact1 you were   
supposed to  be the patient4            
,gabrielle dropped into the nearest     
chair4    ,there is a mystery somewhere1
 she said1 but ,i cannot make it  out4  
,when ,i came back1 after seeing you    
to-day1 mother seemed very  restless and
 troubled4 ,i thought she would have    
questioned me about  being so long away1
 and ask me at least what ,i had done   
with myself4  ,instead of that1 she     
asked me to tread softly4 ,she said she 
had such  an intolerable headache that  

she could not endure the least sound4 ,i
  saw she had been out1 for she had her 
walking boots on1 and they were  covered
 with mud4 ,i tried to coax her to eat  
something1 but she would  not1 and as ,i
 saw she really wished to be alone1 ,i  
left her4    ,at tea time1 our          
parlour-maid1 ,peters1 told me that     
mother had gone  to bed and had given   
directions that she was on no account to
 be  disturbed4 ,i had tea alone1 and   
then came in here and made the place  as
 bright and comfortable as ,i could4    
,once or twice before1 since my         
father's death1 mother has suffered from
 acute headaches1 and has gone  to bed2 
but when they got better1 she has       
dressed and come downstairs  again4 ,i  
thought she might like to do so         
to-night1 and that she would  be pleased
 to see a bright room and everything    
cheerful about her4    ,i got a         
story-book and tried to read1 but my    
thoughts were with  mother1 and ,i felt 
dreadfully puzzled and anxious4 ,the    

time seemed  very long too1 and ,i      
heartily wished that the night were     
over4 ,i went  upstairs about eight     
o'clock1 and listened outside mother's  
door4 ,she  was moaning and talking to  
herself4 ,it seemed to me that she was  
saying  dreadful things4 ,i quite       
shuddered as ,i listened4 ,i knocked at 
the  door1 but there was no answer4     
,then ,i turned the handle and tried to 
enter1 but the door was locked4 ,i went 
downstairs again1 and ,peters  came to  
ask me if ,i would like supper4 ,she was
 still in the room1 and  ,i had not made
 up my mind whether ,i could eat        
anything or not1 when ,i  heard her give
 a short scream1 and turning round1 ,i  
saw mother standing  in the room in her 
nightdress4 ,she had the carving-knife  
in her hand4    ,illustration3 ,,is     
,,there ,,any ,,blood ,,on ,,my ,,hands8
    ',gabrielle1' she said1 in a quiet  
voice1 but with an awful look in her    
eyes1 ',i want you to tell me the truth4
 ,is there any blood on my hands8'      

',no1 no1 mother1' ,i answered4    ,she 
gave a deep sigh1 and looked at them as 
if she were ,lady ,macbeth4             
',gabrielle1' she said again1 ',i can't 
live any longer without your  father4 ,i
 have made this knife sharp1 and it     
won't take long4'    ,then she turned   
and left the room4 ,peters ran for cook1
 and they went  upstairs after her1 and 
,i rushed for ,dr4 ,mackenzie4    ,it   
was a fearful ordeal for you1 ,i said1  
and you behaved very  bravely2 but you  
must not think too much about your      
mother's condition1  nor about any words
 which she happened to say4 ,she is     
highly feverish  at present1 and is not 
accountable for her actions4 ,sit down  
now1  please1 and take a glass of wine  
yourself4    ,no1 thank you--,i never   
take wine4    ,i'm glad to hear you say 
so1 for in that case a glass of this    
good  claret will do wonders for you4   
,here1 ,i'm going to pour one out--now  
drink it off at once4    ,she obeyed me 
with a patient sort of smile4 ,she was  

very pale1 but the  wine brought some   
colour into her cheeks4    ,i am        
interested in your story1 ,i said1 after
 a pause4 ,particularly  in what you    
told me about your poor father4 ,he must
 have been an  interesting man1 for you 
to treasure his memory so deeply4 ,do   
you mind  describing him to me8    ,she 
flushed up when ,i spoke4 ,i saw that   
tears were very near her eyes1  and she 
bit her lips to keep back emotion4      
,my father was like no one else1 she    
said4 ,it is impossible for me to  make 
a picture of him for one who has not    
seen him4    ,but you can at least tell 
me if he were tall or short1 dark or    
fair1  old or young8    ,no1 ,i can't1  
she said1 after another pause4 ,he was  
just father4  ,when you love your       
father1 he has a kind of eternal youth  
to you1 and  you don't discriminate his 
features4 ,if you are his only child1   
his  is just the one face in all the    
world to you4 ,i find it impossible  to 
describe the face1 although it fills my 

mind's eye1 waking and  sleeping4 ,but1 
stay1 ,i have a picture of him4 ,i don't
 show it to many1  but you shall see it4
    ,she rushed out of the room1        
returning in a moment with a morocco    
case4  ,she opened it1 and brought over 
a candle at the same time so that the   
light should fall on the picture within4
 ,it represented a tall1 slight  man1   
with deep-set eyes and a very thin face4
 ,the eyes were somewhat  piercing in   
their glance2 the lips were closely set 
and firm2 the chin  was cleft4 ,the face
 showed determination4 ,i gave it a     
quick glance1  and1 closing the case1   
returned it to ,gabrielle4    ,the face 
was the face of the man ,i had seen in  
the garden4           99       99       
99       99       99    ,my patient     
passed a dreadful night4 ,she was no    
better the next morning4  ,her          
temperature was rather higher1 her pulse
 quicker1 her respiration  more hurried4
 ,her ravings had now become almost     
incoherent4 ,mackenzie  and ,i had an   

anxious consultation over her4 ,when he 
left the house ,i  accompanied him4     
,i am going to make a strange request of
 you1 ,i said4 ,i wish for your         
assistance1 and am sure you will not    
refuse to give it to me4 ,in short1  ,i 
want to take immediate steps to have    
,heathcote's coffin opened4    ,i am    
quite sure ,mackenzie thought that ,i   
was mad4 ,he looked at me1  opened his  
lips as if to speak1 but then waited to 
hear my next words4    ,i want to have  
,heathcote's body exhumed1 ,i said4 ,if 
you will listen  to me1 ,i will tell you
 why4    ,i then gave him a graphic     
account of the man ,i had seen in the   
garden4    ,there is foul play          
somewhere1 ,i said1 in conclusion4 ,i   
have been  dragged into this thing      
almost against my will1 and now ,i am   
determined  to see it through4          
,mackenzie flung up his hands4    ,i    
don't pretend to doubt your wisdom1 he  
said2 but to ask me gravely  to assist  
you to exhume the body of a man who died

 of consumption six  months ago1 is     
enough to take my breath away4 ,what    
reason can you  possibly give to the    
authorities for such an action8    ,that
 ,i have strong grounds for believing   
that the death never took  place at all1
 ,i replied4 ,now1 will you co-operate  
with me in this  matter1 or not8    ,oh1
 of course1 ,i'll co-operate with you1  
he answered4 ,but ,i don't  pretend to  
say that ,i like the business4    ,we   
walked together to his house1 talking   
over the necessary steps which  must be 
taken to get an order for exhumation4   
,mackenzie promised to  telegraph to me 
as soon as ever this was obtained1 and  
,i was obliged to  hurry off to attend  
to my own duties4 ,as ,i was stepping   
into my hansom  ,i turned to ask the    
doctor one more question4    ,have you  
any reason to suppose that ,heathcote   
was heavily insured8 ,i  asked4    ,no1 
,i don't know anything about it1 he     
answered4    ,you are quite sure there  
were no money troubles anywhere8    ,i  

do not know of any2 but that fact       
amounts to nothing1 for ,i was not      
really intimate with the family1 and1 as
 ,i said yesterday evening1  never      
entered the house until last night from 
the day of the funeral4 ,i  have never  
heard of money troubles2 but1 of course1
 they might have  existed4    ,as soon  
as ever ,i hear from you1 ,i will make  
an arrangement to meet  you at ,kensal  
,green1 ,i replied1 and then ,i jumped  
into the hansom and  drove away4    ,in 
the course of the day ,i got a telegram 
acquainting me with ,mrs4  ,heathcote's 
condition4 ,it still remained absolutely
 unchanged1 and  there was1 in          
,mackenzie's opinion1 no necessity for  
me to pay her  another visit4 ,early the
 next morning1 the required order came  
from the  coroner4 ,mackenzie wired to  
apprise me of the fact1 and ,i          
telegraphed  back1 making an appointment
 to meet him at ,kensal ,green on the   
following morning4    ,i shall not soon 
forget that day4 ,it was one of those   

blustering and  intensely cold days     
which come oftener in ,march than any   
other time  of the year4 ,the cemetery  
looked as dismal as such a place would  
on  the occasion4 ,the few wreaths of   
flowers which were scattered here  and  
there on newly-made graves were sodden  
and deprived of all their  frail beauty4
 ,the wind blew in great gusts1 which   
were about every ten  minutes           
accompanied by showers of sleet4 ,there 
was a hollow moaning  noise distinctly  
audible in the intervals of the storm4  
,i found1 on my arrival1 that ,mackenzie
 was there before me4 ,he was           
accompanied by one of the coroner's men 
and a police-constable4 ,two  men who   
worked in the cemetery also came forward
 to assist4 ,no one  expressed the least
 surprise at our strange errand4 ,around
 ,mackenzie's  lips1 alone1 ,i read an  
expression of disapproval4    ,kensal   
,green is one of the oldest cemeteries  
which surround our vast  ,metropolis1   
and the ,heathcotes' burying-place was  

quite in the oldest  portion of this    
,god's acre4 ,it was one of the hideous1
 ancient1  rapidly-going-out-of-date    
vaults4 ,a huge brick erection was      
placed over  it1 at one side of which   
was the door of entrance4    ,the earth 
was removed1 the door of the vault      
opened1 and some of the  men went down  
the steps1 one of them holding a torch1 
in order to  identify the coffin4 ,in a 
couple of minutes' time it was borne    
into the  light of day4 ,when ,i saw it 
,i remembered poor ,mrs4 ,heathcote's   
wild  ravings4    ,a good1 strong oak   
coffin1 which wears well1 she had       
exclaimed4    ,mackenzie and ,i1        
accompanied by the police-constable and 
the coroner's  man1 followed the bearers
 of the coffin to the mortuary4    ,as  
we were going there1 ,i turned to ask   
,mackenzie how his patient was4    ,he  
shook his head as he answered me4    ,i 
fear the worst1 he replied4 ,mrs4       
,heathcote is very ill indeed4 ,the     
fever rages high and is like a consuming

 fire4 ,her temperature was a  hundred  
and five this morning4    ,i should     
recommend packing her in sheets wrung   
out of cold water1 ,i  answered4 ,poor  
woman6--how do you account for this     
sudden illness1  ,mackenzie8    ,he     
shrugged his shoulders4    ,shock of    
some sort1 he answered4 ,then he        
continued3 ,if she really  knew of this 
day's work1 it would kill her off pretty
 quickly4 ,poor  soul1 he added1 ,i hope
 it may never reach her ears4           
,illustration3 ,,they ,,unscrewed ,,the 
,,lid4    ,we had now reached the       
mortuary4 ,the men who had borne the    
coffin on  their shoulders lowered it on
 to a pair of trestles4 ,they then took 
turn-screws out of their pockets1 and in
 a business-like and callous  manner    
unscrewed the lid4 ,after doing this    
they left the mortuary1  closing the    
door behind them4    ,the moment we     
found ourselves alone1 ,i said a word to
 the  police-constable1 and then going  
quickly up to the coffin1 lifted the    

lid4 ,under ordinary circumstances1 such
 a proceeding would be followed  by     
appalling results1 which need not here  
be described4 ,mackenzie1  whose face   
was very white1 stood near me4 ,i looked
 at him for a moment1  and then flung   
aside the pall which was meant to       
conceal the face of  the dead4    ,the  
dead truly6 ,here was death1 which had  
never1 in any sense1 known  life like   
ours4 ,mackenzie uttered a loud         
exclamation4 ,the constable and  the    
coroner's man came close4 ,i lifted a   
bag of flour out of the coffin6         
,there were many similar bags there4 ,it
 had been closely packed1 and  evidently
 with a view to counterfeit the exact   
weight of the dead man4    ,poor        
,mackenzie was absolutely speechless4   
,the coroner's man began to  take       
copious notes2 the police-constable     
gravely did the same4    ,mackenzie at  
last found his tongue4    ,i never felt 
more stunned in my life1 he said4 ,in   
very truth1 ,i  all but saw the man die4

 ,where is he8 ,in the name of ,heaven1 
what has  become of him8 ,this is the   
most monstrous thing ,i have ever heard 
of in  the whole course of my life1     
and--and ,i attended the funeral of     
those  bags of flour6 ,no wonder that   
woman never cared to see me inside the  
house again4 ,but what puzzles me1 he   
continued1 is the motive--what  can the 
motive be8    ,perhaps one of the       
insurance companies can tell us that1   
said  the police-officer4 ,it is my duty
 to report this thing1 sir1 he          
continued1 turning to me4 ,i have not   
the least doubt that the ,crown  will   
prosecute4    ,i cannot at all prevent  
your taking what steps you think proper1
 ,i  replied1 only pray understand that 
the poor lady who is the principal      
perpetrator in this fraud lies at the   
present moment at death's door4    ,we  
must get the man himself1 murmured the  
police-officer4 ,if he is  alive we     
shall soon find him4    ,half an hour   
later1 ,mackenzie and ,i had left the   

dismal cemetery4    ,i had to hurry back
 to ,harley ,street to attend to some   
important  duties1 but ,i arranged to   
meet ,mackenzie that evening at the     
,heathcotes' house4 ,i need not say that
 my thoughts were much occupied  with   
,mrs4 ,heathcote and her miserable      
story4 ,what a life that wretched       
,heathcote must have led during the last
 six months4 ,no wonder he looked       
cadaverous as the moonlight fell over   
his gaunt figure4 ,no ghost truly  was  
he1 but a man of like flesh and blood to
 ourselves--a man who was  supposed to  
be buried in ,kensal ,green1 but who yet
 walked the earth4    ,it was about     
eight o'clock when ,i reached the       
,heathcotes' house4  ,mackenzie had     
already arrived--he came into the hall  
to meet me4    ,where is ,miss          
,gabrielle8 ,i asked at once4    ,poor  
child1 he replied2 ,i have begged of her
 to stay in her room4  ,she knows       
nothing of what took place this morning1
 but is in a  terrible state of grief   

about her mother4 ,that unfortunate     
woman's  hours are numbered4 ,she is    
sinking fast4 ,will you come to her at  
once1  ,halifax--she has asked for you  
several times4    ,accompanied by       
,mackenzie1 ,i mounted the stairs and   
entered the sick  room4 ,one glance at  
the patient's face showed me all too    
plainly that ,i  was in the chamber of  
death4 ,mrs4 ,heathcote lay perfectly   
motionless4  ,her bright hair1 still the
 hair of quite a young woman1 was flung 
back  over the pillow4 ,her pale face   
was wet with perspiration4 ,her eyes1   
solemn1 dark1 and awful in expression1  
turned and fixed themselves on  me as ,i
 approached the bedside4 ,something like
 the ghost of a smile  quivered round   
her lips4 ,she made an effort to stretch
 out a shadowy  hand to grasp mine4     
,don't stir1 ,i said to her4 ,perhaps   
you want to say something8 ,i will      
stoop down to listen to you4 ,i have    
very good hearing1 so you can speak  as 
low as you please4    ,she smiled again 

with a sort of pleasure at my           
understanding her4    ,i have something 
to confess1 she said1 in a hollow       
whisper4 ,send the  nurse and--and ,dr4 
,mackenzie out of the room4    ,i was   
obliged to explain the dying woman's    
wishes to my brother  physician4 ,he    
called to the nurse to follow him1 and  
they immediately  left the room4    ,as 
soon as they had done so1 ,i bent my    
head and took one of ,mrs4  ,heathcote's
 hands in mine4    ,now1 ,i said1 take  
comfort--,god can forgive sin4 ,you have
 sinned8    ,oh1 yes1 yes2 but how can  
you possibly know8    ,never mind4 ,i am
 a good judge of character4 ,if telling 
me will relieve  your conscience1 speak4
    ,my husband is alive1 she murmured4 
,yes1 ,i said1 ,i guessed as much4      
,he had insured his life1 she continued1
 for--for about fifteen  thousand       
pounds4 ,the money was wanted to--to    
save us from dishonour4 ,we  managed to 
counterfeit--death4    ,she stopped1 as 
if unable to proceed any further4 ,a    

week ago1  she continued1 ,i--,i saw the
 man who is supposed to be dead4 ,he is 
really dying now4 ,the strain of knowing
 that ,i could do nothing for           
him--nothing to comfort his last        
moments--was too horrible4 ,i felt that 
,i could not live without him4 ,on the  
day of my illness ,i took--poison1  a   
preparation of ,indian hemp4 ,i meant to
 kill myself4 ,i did not know  that my  
object would be effected in so terrible 
a manner4    ,here she looked towards   
the door4 ,a great change came over her 
face4  ,her eyes shone with sudden      
brightness4 ,a look of awful joy filled 
them4  ,she made a frantic effort to    
raise herself in bed4    ,i followed the
 direction of her eyes1 and then1       
indeed1 a startled  exclamation passed  
my lips4    ,gabrielle1 with her cheeks 
crimson1 her lips tremulous1 her hair   
tossed  wildly about her head and       
shoulders1 was advancing into the room1 
leading a cadaverous1 ghastly-looking   
man by the hand4 ,in other words1       

,heathcote himself in the flesh had come
 into his wife's dying chamber4    ,oh1 
,horace6 she exclaimed2 ,horace--to die 
in your arms--to know that  you will    
soon join me4 ,this is too much         
bliss--this is too great joy6    ,the   
man knelt by her1 put his dying arms    
round her1 and she laid her  head on his
 worn breast4    ,we will leave them    
together1 ,i said to ,gabrielle4        
,illustration3 ,,leading ,a             
,,cadaverous1 ,,ghastly-,,looking ,,man 
,,by ,,the ,,hand4    ,i took the poor  
little girl's hand and led her from the 
room4    ,she was in a frantic state of 
excitement4    ,i said he was not dead1 
she repeated--,i always said it4 ,i was 
sitting by my window a few minutes ago1 
and ,i saw him in the garden4  ,this    
time ,i was determined that he should   
not escape me4 ,i rushed  downstairs4   
,he knew nothing until he saw me at his 
side4 ,i caught his  hand in mine4 ,it  
was hot and thin4 ,it was like a        
skeleton's hand--only  it burned with   

living fire4 ',mother is dying--come to 
her at once1' ,i  said to him1 and then 
,i brought him into the house4    ,you  
did well--you acted very bravely1 ,i    
replied to her4    ,i took her away to a
 distant part of the house4    ,an hour 
later1 ,mrs4 ,heathcote died4 ,i was not
 with her when she  breathed her last4  
,my one object now was to do what ,i    
could for poor  little ,gabrielle4 ,in  
consequence1 therefore1 ,i made         
arrangements to  have an interview with 
,heathcote4 ,it was no longer possible  
for the  wretched man to remain in      
hiding4 ,his own hours were plainly     
numbered1  and it was more than evident 
that he had only anticipated his real   
death by some months4    ,i saw him the 
next day1 and he told me in a few brief 
words the story  of his supposed death  
and burial4    ,i am being severely     
punished now1 he said1 for the one great
 sin  of my life4 ,i am a solicitor by  
profession1 and when a young man was    
tempted to appropriate some trust       

funds--hoping1 like many another has    
done before me1 to replace the money    
before the loss was discovered4 ,i      
married1 and had a happy home4 ,my wife 
and ,i were devotedly attached  to each 
other4 ,i was not strong1 and more than 
one physician told me  that ,i was      
threatened with a serious pulmonary     
affection4 ,about eight  months ago1 the
 blow which ,i never looked for fell4 ,i
 need not enter  into particulars4      
,suffice it to say that ,i was expected 
to deliver  over twelve thousand pounds1
 the amount of certain trusts committed 
to  me1 to their rightful owners within 
three months' time4 ,if ,i failed  to   
realize this money1 imprisonment1       
dishonour1 ruin1 would be mine4  ,my    
wife and child would also be reduced to 
beggary4 ,i had effected an  insurance  
on my life for fifteen thousand pounds4 
,if this sum could be  realized1 it     
would cover the deficit in the trust1   
and also leave a  small overplus for the
 use of my wife and daughter4 ,i knew   

that my days  were practically numbered1
 and it did not strike me as a          
particularly  heinous crime to forestall
 my death by a few months4 ,i talked the
  matter over with my wife1 and at last 
got her to consent to help me4 ,we      
managed everything cleverly1 and not a  
soul suspected the fraud which  was     
practised on the world4 ,our old        
servants1 who had lived with us  for    
years1 were sent away on a holiday4 ,we 
had no servant in the house  except a   
charwoman1 who came in for a certain    
number of hours daily4    ,you managed  
your supposed dying condition with great
 skill1 ,i  answered4 ,that hemorrhage1 
the ghastly expression of your face1    
were  sufficiently real to deceive even 
a keen and clever man like ,mackenzie4  
,heathcote smiled grimly4    ,after all1
 he said1 the fraud was simple enough4  
,i took an emetic1  which ,i knew would 
produce the cadaverous hue of           
approaching death1 and  the supposed    
hemorrhage was managed with some        

bullock's blood4 ,i got it  from a      
distant butcher1 telling him that ,i    
wanted it to mix with meal  to feed my  
dogs with4    ,and how did you deceive  
the undertaker's men8 ,i asked4    ,my  
wife insisted on keeping my face        
covered1 and ,i managed to simulate     
rigidity4 ,as to the necessary coldness1
 ,i was cold enough lying with  only a  
sheet over me4 ,after ,i was placed in  
the coffin my wife would  not allow     
anyone to enter the room but herself3   
she brought me food1 of  course4 ,we    
bored holes1 too1 in the coffin lid4    
,still1 ,i shall never  forget the awful
 five minutes during which ,i was       
screwed down4    ,it was all managed    
with great expedition4 ,as soon as ever 
the  undertaker's men could be got out  
of the way1 my wife unscrewed the       
coffin and released me4 ,we then filled 
it with bags of flour1 which we  had    
already secured and hidden for the      
purpose4 ,my supposed funeral  took     
place with due honours4 ,i left the     

house that night1 intending  to ship to 
,america4 ,had ,i done this1 the        
appalling consequences which  have now  
ended in the death of my wife might     
never have taken place1  but1 at the    
eleventh hour1 my courage failed me4 ,i 
could do much to  shield my wife and    
child1 but ,i could not endure the      
thought of never  seeing them again4    
,contrary to all my wife's entreaties1  
,i insisted on  coming into the garden1 
for the selfish pleasure of catching    
even a  glimpse of ,gabrielle's little  
figure1 as she moved about her bedroom4 
,she saw me once1 but ,i escaped through
 the shrubbery and by a door  which we  
kept on purpose unlocked1 before she    
reached me4 ,i thought ,i  would never  
again transgress1 but once more the     
temptation assailed me1  and ,i was not 
proof against it4 ,my health failed     
rapidly4 ,i was really  dying1 and on   
the morning when my wife's illness      
began1 had suffered  from a genuine and 
very sharp attack of hemorrhage4 ,she   

found me in the  wretched lodging where 
,i was hiding in a state of complete    
misery1 and  almost destitution4        
,something in my appearance seemed      
suddenly to make  her lose all          
self-control4    ,illustration3 ,,when  
,,you ,,die1 ,i ,,will ,,die4           
',horace1' she exclaimed1 ',i cannot    
stand this4 ,when you die1 ,i will  die4
 ,we will carry our shame and our sorrow
 and our unhappy love into  the grave1  
where no man can follow us4 ,when you   
die1 ,i will die4 ,oh1 to  see you like 
this drives me mad6'    ,she left me4   
,she told me when ,i saw her during     
those last few moments  yesterday1 that 
she had hastened her end by a powerful  
dose of ,indian  hemp4 ,that is the     
story4 ,i know that ,i have laid myself 
open to  criminal prosecution of the    
gravest character1 but ,i do not think  
,i  shall live to go through it4        
,heathcote was right4 ,he passed away   
that evening quite quietly in his       
sleep4    ,poor little ,gabrielle6 ,i   

saw her once since her parents' death1  
but it  is now a couple of years since  
,i have heard anything about her4 ,will 
she ever get over the severe shock to   
which she was subjected8 ,what  does the
 future hold in store for her8 ,i cannot
 answer these questions4  ,time alone   
can do that4                            
,beauties3--,children4                  
,illustration3 ,from a ,photo4 by ,a4   
,w4 ,cox1 ,nottingham4    ,muriel       
,glanville ,taylor      ,gladys ,huddart
                                        
,doris ,mamie ,butler    ,from a ,photo4
 by ,c4 ,vandyk1 #abe1 ,gloucester      
,road1 ,s4 ,w4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,c4
 ,vandyk1 #abe1 ,gloucester ,road1 ,s4  
,w4    ,illustration3 ,from a ,photo4   
,by ,arthur ,neale1 ,nottingham4        
,gladys ,lilian ,tansley      ,cuthbert 
,eustace    ,michael    and    ,cyril   
,cox4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,vickery    
,bros41 ,barnstaple4    ,illustration3  
,from a ,photo4 by ,j4 ,bacon1          
,newcastle-on-,tyne4    ,gracie ,dodds  

,may ,barnes    ,doris ,g ,clegg        
,from a ,photo4 by ,bullingham1 ,south  
,kensington1 ,s4 ,w4    ,from a ,photo4 
by ,vandyck1 ,melbourne4                
,crimes and ,criminals4      ,,no4 ,,ii4
 ,,burglars ,,and ,,burgling4    ,of all
 the more hazardous--though thoroughly  
romantic--professions1  none is more    
interesting than that of burgling4 ,the 
art of burgling and  housebreaking has  
positively developed into a fine art1   
and1 although  we do not admire the     
members of the craft1 yet every         
individual  representative of it is     
undeniably interesting4 ,there is       
something  irresistibly tantalizing1 yet
 at the same time fascinating1 about    
your  average burglar4 ,those of nervous
 temperament may look under their  beds 
for a whole twelvemonth--from the #ast  
of ,january to the #cast of  ,december4 
,but he is never there4 ,he is a playful
 fellow--a merry man2  he likes his     
joke1 for on the very night you forget  
to peep under the  couch where ,morpheus

 receives you for a few hours1 he is    
bound to be  there1 and the next morning
 you find all your drawers ransacked4   
,at  first you put it down to the dog1  
but when you discover that something    
like a cart-load of valuables has       
disappeared1 you come to the  conclusion
 that no representative of the canine   
world who ever barked  or picked an     
honest bone could possibly help himself 
so freely and with  so liberal a hand4  
,the ,new ,scotland ,yard ,museum will  
provide much practical information on   
the ways and means which our friend the 
enemy utilizes for the purpose  of thus 
annoying you4 ,your enterprising burglar
 shall have what he  thoroughly         
deserves--a complete chapter to himself1
 and illustrated  with his own weapons  
of warfare into the bargain4 ,not that  
we expect  that he will be much         
gratified at the publicity here given to
 his  methods--a publicity which is all 
to the advantage of his enemy1 the      
householder1 for whom to be forewarned  

is to be forearmed4    ,our burglar     
friends may find a grain of comfort in  
this fact--that we  frankly acknowledge 
that it is impossible for us to give    
them as much  space in these pages as   
their unquestionable genius deserves4   
,they are  really too inventive--too    
enterprising4 ,still1 the exhibits in   
the  museum will be of considerable     
help4 ,the exhibits here comprise       
samples  of probably every tool used in 
the pursuit of this profession4 ,it has 
always been an open question as to where
 burglars and housebreakers  obtain     
their tools4 ,some three or four years  
ago it was stated at the  ,dalston      
,police ,court that one man makes all   
the burglars' jemmies in  ,london1 and  
further that the police knew the man    
well1 were on familiar  terms with his  
own particular trade1 but there was     
positively no law by  which he could be 
arrested or stopped4    ,illustration3  
,,safe-,,breaker',s ,,outfit4           
,illustration3 ,,burglars' ,,lanterns4  

,again1 a burglar--who was the terror of
 ,birmingham for many years1 and  who   
had done fourteen years' penal servitude
 for burglary and attempted  murder--was
 of the decided opinion that more tools 
were manufactured  in ,birmingham than  
in any town in the country1 while the   
greatest  authority on burglars' tools  
in general1 and jemmies in particular1  
was the famous ,american bank burglar1  
,adams1 whose instruments were          
treasured and preserved at the ,new     
,york police headquarters4 ,it is       
probable1 however1 that most instruments
 are home-made1 or manufactured  by an  
honest--in a strictly burglarian        
sense--blacksmith4    ,the first object 
of housebreaking curiosity you meet with
 at the  ,new ,scotland ,yard ,black    
,museum is a complete safe-breaker's    
outfit1  collected at different times by
 ,superintendent ,shore1 and most       
artistically set out on a board covered 
with red baize4 ,the dark  lantern is in
 the centre1 the steel jemmy surmounts  

the whole1 running  in a symmetrically  
decorative line along the top1 and      
amongst the  various items one notices  
the prising instrument1 steel wedges1   
wood  used for obtaining leverage1      
delicately constructed saws1 files1 and 
a  box of ,graduated ,schultz powder1   
the latter explosive being used for     
blowing in a lock when the place where  
the safe is situated is left  totally   
unattended1 and there is no fear of the 
explosion acting as an  alarum4         
,illustration3 ,,key-,,hole ,,lanterns4 
,burglars' lanterns vary in size--they  
are known as darkeys in the             
profession--the better class of lantern 
now in use being of the police  pattern2
 a trifle bulky1 perhaps1 but           
nevertheless being very reliable1       
seeing that they are similar to those of
 ,government make4 ,the group  of       
lanterns at the museum may have cost    
anything between fourpence  and a       
shilling each1 certainly no more4 ,their
 owners invariably carry  them away1    

unless disturbed1 when they are left    
behind as a legacy4  ,the police seldom 
attach any importance to the finding of 
a lantern4  ,yet one or two of them are 
ingeniously made4 ,here is one made out 
of a  ,bryant and ,may's match-box4 ,a  
handle has been put on to the box proper
  and a space made for the light to come
 through1 so as to be easily  covered   
with the thumb4 ,such a lantern as this 
would be used when using  a small jemmy4
 ,its companions have a light-hole even 
smaller still4  ,they are ordinary      
lanterns with the glass taken out1 a    
piece of tin  inserted1 and a hole made 
only just of sufficient size to allow   
enough  light to pick a key-hole4       
,perhaps1 however1 the most ingenious of
  them all is a small bottle containing 
a tiny piece of phosphorus4 ,our        
friend--once the owner of this highly   
interesting relic--merely had to  shake 
the bottle1 when1 lo and behold6 he had 
all the light he needed  on that very   
useful subject for operating upon--the  

key-hole4    ,illustration3 ,a          
,,phosphorus ,,lantern4    ,there is one
 other method of gaining light4 ,this is
 by means of a piece  of wax candle     
stuck in a square bit of yellow soap4   
,perhaps the jemmy is the most popular  
burglar's tool with which the  public   
are on disagreeably familiar terms4     
,they can supply you with any  size at  
,new ,scotland ,yard4 ,here you have a  
pretty little group of eight  large     
jemmies--all of which are used for      
safe-breaking purposes4  ,they are all  
made of the best steel4 ,this extra long
 one--it measures  #c;ft4--is called    
,the ,lord ,mayor1 whilst its two next  
sized ones are  dubbed ,the ,alderman   
and ,common ,councilman4 ,it is a       
significant  fact1 which has never been 
satisfactorily explained1 that the      
members  of the fraternity of which we  
are now treating go to the ,city for    
names for their jemmies4 ,possibly some 
of them may have uncomfortable          
recollections of the ,mansion ,house1   

and thus take revenge on the ,lord      
,mayor and his colleagues by using      
them--in the shape of jemmies--for      
burglarious purposes6    ,illustration3 
,,eight ,,large ,,jemmies    ,the       
smaller jemmies are for housebreaking4  
,one of these--made out of an  old      
file--is robed in a cloth case2 another 
unscrews in the centre1 so  as to be    
more readily carried4 ,another is a     
packing-case opener1 such  as is used in
 ,covent ,garden every day for prising  
open boxes of fruit4  ,many are the ways
 adopted for carrying these4 ,it is     
generally believed  by the authorities  
that in the conveying of burglars' tools
 cabmen are  often in league with the   
offending parties4 ,a cabman going      
through the  streets at night can jog   
along unnoticed1 especially if a lady   
and  gentleman in evening dress are     
inside4    ,there is a record at ,new   
,scotland ,yard of a burglar stealing a 
four-wheeler from a rank and driving the
 cab himself1 with a friend  inside with

 the tools4 ,tools have been carried in 
hat-boxes1  carpenters' baskets1 and    
even in a silk hat on the head4 ,peace1 
the  king of all burglars1 frequently   
carried the implements of his craft  in 
a violin case--but of this worthy more  
anon4 ,the general rule is to  carry    
jemmies down the leg of the trousers or 
up the sleeve2 whilst  other tools are  
smuggled into long pockets of the rabbit
 pattern1  such as used by the old-time 
poachers4    ,perhaps the most          
remarkable place in which a burglar     
carried his tools  was a euphonium6     
,however1 he succeeded in passing       
through the ,city as a  wait1 and made a
 fairly good profit out of the night's  
proceedings4  ,it is not on record      
whether the constable on point wished   
him a merry  ,christmas or not4    ,we  
are inclined to tell a story which we   
have every reason to believe  to be     
perfectly true4 ,it was told to the     
writer by a burglar4 ,the  burglar      
stated that in country affairs it is    

always deemed wise to  hide the tools to
 be used somewhere near to the spot to  
be operated  upon1 and not to carry them
 about the person4 ,he had hidden his   
tools  in a hedge in the morning4 ,when 
he arrived in the afternoon to get      
them--previous to setting out for the   
scene of the burglary--he found  them   
gone4 ,whilst hunting around1 he noticed
 some children romping  about in an     
adjoining field4 ,one little bright-eyed
 lassie saw him1  and leaving her       
companions1 ran up to him and said1 in  
childlike way3  ,please1 sir1 ,i've     
found this4 ,this was the burglar's     
tools tied up  in a piece of black      
cloth4 ,the little girl was rewarded    
with sixpence4    ,of skeleton keys     
there is a very admirable selection at  
,new ,scotland  ,yard4 ,they are made   
both of iron and steel--mostly of       
scrap-iron1 as it  is tougher and has no
 grain in it4 ,burglars and             
housebreakers usually  make their own   
skeleton keys--some of which are very   

rough4 ,the key is  bought in the block1
 and the wards are cut out as needed4   
,those shown  are of two kinds4 ,the    
bunch consists of pick-locks1 which are 
made  of stout wire4 ,a housebreaker has
 been caught with as many as thirty  of 
these pick-locks in his possession4 ,for
 larger locks1 the keys are  much       
stronger4 ,this pretty little cloth case
 was found on a gentleman4  ,these would
 be used for opening heavy doors4 ,of   
those shown it will be  noticed that all
 save two are made with the wards to    
both ends4 ,there  can be no doubt as to
 the efficacy of skeleton keys1 and     
lever locks  are strongly recommended to
 the wise1 as it would be impossible to 
open  one with a skeleton4              
,illustration3 ,,skeleton ,,keys4    ,we
 now come to the wedges--apparently very
 small1 but incalculably  important     
items in the particular branch of art   
with which we are  now dealing4 ,wedges 
may be either of wood or steel1 and are 
used for  driving under doors whilst    

working in a room4 ,they are usually    
held  tight to the floor by a gimlet1 so
 that if the housebreakers were         
disturbed and an attempt was made to    
open the door1 the more the  opposing   
party was to push outside1 the tighter  
the door would be held4  ,the only hope 
would be to force the door and the      
thieves in nine cases  out of ten would 
have ample opportunity to get away4     
,you may find at ,scotland ,yard the    
mahogany leg of a parlour chair1  with a
 number of wedges by its side1 which    
tells a story of ingenuity  as clever as
 anything of its kind ever conceived by 
any novelist4  ,more than that1 it      
reflects the greatest credit upon the   
skill of  our detectives and police     
officials4 ,these simple1               
harmless-looking  little wedges were    
quite sufficient to get three men twenty
 years'  penal servitude for burglary4  
,it was in #ahge4 ,a number of          
burglaries  were committed in a certain 
district in ,london4 ,the almost        

invariably  careful perpetrators were   
foolish on these particular occasions1  
for  they left their wedges behind them4
 ,these were1 however1 treasured by  the
 police4 ,when the men were eventually  
arrested1 it was found that  a chair at 
their lodgings was minus a leg1 and when
 the wedges were  pieced together--hey1 
presto6 here was the mahogany leg6      
,there are  other exhibits at ,new      
,scotland ,yard equally                 
interesting--simple little  items which 
tell a big story and carry with them    
heavy punishments4  ,in a case is a     
group of articles comprising a number of
 bullets1 a  wooden wedge1 a truncheon  
case--showing bullet marks--a soft black
  felt hat1 and two chisels4 ,above the 
case is an enlarged photo of one  of the
 chisels4 ,they are relics of the murder
 of ,police-constable  ,cole1 on        
,december #a1 #ahhb1 by ,thomas ,henry  
,orrocks4 ,orrocks left  behind him1 in 
a turning out of ,dalston ,lane1 where  
the affray took  place1 the old hat1 the

 wooden wedge1 and the two chisels4 ,he 
was  suspected4 ,the discovery was made 
that he had been practising with  a     
revolver at ,tottenham ,marshes1 and a  
bullet found in a tree there  was       
identical with those found in the       
constable's truncheon case4 ,but  the   
most convincing evidence was the fact   
that when the chisels were  photographed
 the word ,rock was found scratched near
 the handle4 ,it is  a fact1 not        
generally known1 that photography can   
render visible what  the eye is quite   
unable to discern4 ,it was sufficient to
 hang ,thomas  ,henry ,orrocks4         
,illustration3 ,,wedges ,,made ,,from   
,,chair-,,leg4    ,illustration3        
,,relics ,,of ,,the ,,orrocks ,,case4   
,perhaps1 however1 the button incident  
is the prettiest of all4 ,what a        
warning to burglars6 ,the relics consist
 of an old black overcoat with  a broken
 bone button4 ,the piece broken off is  
carefully preserved in  a small wooden  
box4 ,in ,january1 #ahgd1 a burglary was

 committed in the  vicinity of          
,westminster4 ,a little piece of freshly
 broken off bone  button was foolishly  
left on the window-sill4 ,this the      
police kindly  and considerately took   
charge of4 ,a man was suspected1 but    
there was  no evidence against him to   
justify an arrest4 ,but an enterprising 
police-officer clung to that bit of     
button1 and one night he chanced to     
come across a gentleman with a button   
that had a piece missing4               
,illustration3 ,a ,,convicting ,,chisel4
    ,halloa6 he exclaimed1 button       
broken1 eh8    ,yes1 replied the        
proprietor of the old black overcoat1   
,i've lost it4  ,i don't know where it  
is4    ,i know1 said the calculating    
detective4 ,here it is6 ,why1 bless me1 
it just fits1 my friend6    ,some of the
 stolen property was found in his       
pockets4 ,the cap--we mean  the         
button--fitted4 ,he got three years6    
,illustration3 ,,the ,,broken ,,button4 
,amongst the miscellaneous exhibits at  

the ,new ,yard is a piece of wood  cut  
out of a stable door at ,kensington4 ,it
 is thick and bulky2 would  take ten    
minutes or a quarter of an hour to cut2 
and is a good example  of the work done 
with the ordinary stock and centre-bit4 
,it is of  sufficient size to allow the 
hand and arm to go through comfortably1 
so that the bolt of the door may be     
drawn back4 ,an artist's palette  knife 
is by its side1 which is used for       
opening window sashes4 ,if your         
housebreaker found that he had to deal  
with a patent lock1 he would  cut the   
window pane1 by placing brown paper over
 the glass and working  over that1 so   
that no noise is made4 ,but it may be   
mentioned that this  is rarely done now1
 as an entrance is usually effected     
through the  front door or trap-door in 
the roof4 ,it is a long time since the  
police  have had a case1 however1 where 
the panel of a door has been cut1 as  it
 would too readily betray the operation 
to the passer-by2 the more  familiar    

method adopted now is to work through an
 empty house1 and so  gain an entrance4 
,illustration3 ,,candles1 ,,piece ,,cut 
,,out ,,of ,,door1 ,,and ,,palette      
,,knife4    ,an illustration is given of
 a lock of a safe cut away by a ratchet4
  ,it is an ordinary ratchet about      
#b;ft4 long4 ,it is in reality a common 
workman's tool1 and is used every day on
 palings in the streets4 ,such  an      
article as this is bought in any        
ironmonger's shop4 ,no up-to-date       
safe-breaker would ever think of using  
such a tool as this4 ,the  instrument   
for cutting through shutters is rather  
more ingenious4 ,this  is evidently a   
home-made tool4 ,it is a steel-cutter1  
and can be made  any size by moving the 
centre-bit4 ,a knife is at each end1    
being kept  in position by a long screw4
 ,a hole is made in the shutter first1  
the graduated screw is inserted1 and1 as
 this is driven in1 so the  knives cut  
their way4 ,it is surmised that this    
shutter cutter was not  found to answer 

the purpose for which it was intended1  
as it is the  only one ever found by the
 police4 ,the other specimen is for     
wooden  shutters--the tridents being so 
made that whilst one cuts the other     
scoops out4    ,illustration3           
,,safe-,,lock ,,cut ,,with ,,ratchet4   
,the collection of revolvers is unique  
in its way1 and they are arranged  about
 the walls of the museum with a decided 
eye to effect4 ,they  comprise weapons  
of every type and pattern4 ,the two     
specially selected  which appear above a
 very formidable dagger1 evidently of   
,eastern  manufacture--have their own   
peculiar history4 ,the small one is the 
centre of attraction amongst a strange  
group of relics1 consisting of  a pair  
of links1 the clasp of a purse1 a little
 piece of steel which  fitted inside a  
bracelet1 and even a piece of a         
heel-tip4 ,the heel-tip  corresponded   
with the footprints of a suspected man1 
and1 together with  the remains of the  
trinkets1 helped to bring a verdict of  

,guilty4 ,all  these are associated with
 the ,muswell ,hill burglary in         
,january1 #ahhi4  ,the revolver was used
 by one of three men--who were all      
subsequently  sentenced to penal        
servitude for life--for shooting at ,mr4
 ,atkins4    ,illustration3             
,,shutter-,,cutter4    ,the larger      
revolver--which has an exceptionally    
heavy central  fire--belonged to a      
top-hat shooter4 ,on ,july #ahth1 #ahhd1
 a burglary  was attempted at ,hoxton4  
,the police chased the burglars over the
  roofs of the houses1 and a worthy     
named ,wright1 who had attempted to     
make himself look highly respectable in 
a silk hat1 amused himself by  clinging 
to a chimney-pot with one arm and using 
the other to practise  firing with--the 
targets being the constables4 ,mr4      
,wright is not likely  to play at this  
very risky pastime again4 ,he is ,her   
,majesty's guest  for life in a palatial
 residence specially constructed for    
dispensing  hospitality to such         

gentlemen4    ,illustration3 ,,revolvers
 ,,and ,,dagger    ,the life-preservers 
are interesting4 ,they hang in a        
delicious group  just by the window4    
,they are of all sorts and sizes4 ,one  
swings on a  piece of thick cord heavily
 loaded2 another is made of rhinoceros  
hide4  ,a pretty little invention in    
these specialities doubles up and fits  
the  waistcoat pocket1 the more popular 
example being made out of a piece  of   
cord twisted round a short cane with a  
lead shot at both ends4 ,the            
life-preservers have a curious          
companion--a pair of coverings1 very    
rudely made out of coarse linen1 for the
 feet1 which the burglar puts  over his 
boots out of thoughtful consideration   
for the slumbers of his  victims4       
,illustration3 ,,life-,,preservers ,,and
 ,,boot ,,covers4    ,illustration3     
,,the ,,new ,,north ,,road ,,mask4      
,the disguises used--and treasured at   
,new ,scotland ,yard--chiefly  consist  
of false whiskers and beards4 ,they are 

all made of dark crpe  hair and fastened
 to wires1 which fit over the ear and   
keep them in  position4 ,the most       
original idea for concealing the face1  
however1  is given a prominent place    
near the board on which are arranged the
  before-mentioned complete set of      
tools4 ,it consists of a hard1 black    
hat1 attached to which is a piece of    
black ,american cloth with openings  to 
give sight1 cut very much to the size of
 old-fashioned goggles4 ,this  is       
fastened round the chin with a piece of 
cord4    ,illustration3 ,,beards1       
,,whiskers1 ,,etc4    ,illustration3    
,,wire1 ,,string1 ,,jemmy1 ,,screws1    
,,wedges ,,and ,,socks ,,of ,,portico   
,,thieves4    ,its wearer was a most    
unfortunate individual1 and there is    
every  reason to believe that he has the
 warm sympathy of all his brother       
professionals4 ,he was specially engaged
 on a public-house in the ,new  ,north  
,road after closing time4 ,he was found 
under a bed1 and hurried  to get away1  

being most determinedly chased by the   
energetic landlord4  ,the owner of the  
black billycock1 fancying he saw a means
 of escape1  made for a window4 ,but his
 patent hat and face protector served   
him a  shabby trick4 ,the man only saw a
 window and not the iron bars1 between  
a couple of which his head lodged as    
though specially designed for the       
purpose4    ,illustration3 ,,peace',s   
,,ladder4    ,the landlord--who was     
fortunately blessed with a delightfully 
humorous  disposition--prodded the bar  
lodger with a sword-stick4 ,the poor    
prodded one assisted his captor by      
yelling for the police himself6 ,five   
years4    ,illustration3 ,,sliding      
,,ladder ,,and ,,rope ,,ladder4    ,we  
now come to the most artistic kind of   
burglar--the portico thief1  the man who
 goes in for great things in the way of 
jewellery4 ,there  are many exhibits at 
the museum used in this special branch  
of  burglary--rope ladders1 treadles1   
strings1 coils of copper wire1  gimlets1

 wedges1 woollen stockings to go over   
boots1 etc4 ,the rope  ladders1 known as
 slings1 are often #be;ft4 and #cj;ft4  
long1 and are  made with rope treads    
just sufficient to put the foot in4 ,a  
hook is at  the end1 which is lodged on 
some convenient support strong enough to
  hold the weight of the man ascending4 
,they are generally carried by  winding 
them about the body4    ,illustration3  
,,peace',s ,,outfit4    ,the wire1      
string1 wedges1 socks1 etc41 in the     
illustration were found  at ,ealing when
 the men escaped4 ,they had wired the   
house and grounds  all over4 ,this is   
done in order that1 if they are chased1 
the wires1  which are placed at ankle   
height1 trip the pursuer up1 the thieves
  themselves knowing of their           
whereabouts by putting a piece of white 
paper in their immediate vicinity4      
,these are the simple appliances of your
 truly artistic burglar--the  man who   
has been laying his plans for months1   
the individual who will  pay a hundred  

visits to the house before he brings    
about his grand  coup1 who will know the
 value of every piece of jewellery the  
ladies  are wearing at the dinner-table1
 and be fully aware of the exact place  
where to lay his wily fingers on them in
 the dressing-room4    ,this is the     
class of men who are the greatest       
trouble to the  police--these are the   
best customers of the receivers4        
,frequently a man  is employed to do all
 the planning and mapping out for the   
party who  will do the actual job4 ,for 
this he is paid a certain price or      
perhaps  a commission on the results of 
the robbery4 ,this person will draw up  
a plan of the house as true--though     
perhaps not quite as artistic--as  any  
architect4 ,but he gives the thief the  
very information he needs1  and puts on 
the map of the house and grounds the    
exact position where  the operator must 
beware of the dog4 ,a man named ,connor 
is credited  at ,new ,scotland ,yard    
with being one of the finest adepts at  

this  particular work of all which have 
come under their notice4 ,he used to    
lecture on this peculiar art to young   
thieves1 and whilst in prison  wrote a  
work giving them practical advice on the
 subject4 ,the prison  officials allowed
 him to finish his literary effort1 and 
when his time  expired coolly           
appropriated the same4    ,illustration3
 ,,peace',s ,,crucible4    ,no article  
dealing even in a small way with        
,burglars and ,burgling  would be       
complete without some reference to ,the 
,king1 and the relics  of this talented 
individual are of a highly interesting  
character4  ,charles ,peace thoroughly  
deserved to be crowned king of all      
burglars1  housebreakers1 and scoundrels
 in general4 ,peace always worked       
single-handed4 ,he had no receiver1 and 
melted down all his own stuff  and sold 
it as a matter of business4 ,all his    
stock-in-trade is to be  found at the   
museum4 ,his tools are only ten in      
number1 and comprise a  skeleton key1   

two pick-locks1 a centre-bit1 a large   
gimlet1 a gouge1 a  chisel1 a small vice
 7for turning keys on the outside of    
doors--used  when people leave the key  
in the lock71 a jemmy 7about #b;ft4     
long71 and  a knife4 ,with these ,peace 
worked4 ,his blue spectacles and case   
are not  missing4 ,these he used for    
purposes of disguise1 though when       
arrested  at ,blackheath his face was   
stained with walnut-juice1 in the hopes 
of  passing off as a ,mulatto4    ,his  
ladder was quite a unique arrangement4  
,when doubled up it is to  all outward  
appearances simply a bundle of blocks of
 wood such as any  carpenter might carry
 home for firewood4 ,but it opens out to
 a length  of some #ac;ft41 working on a
 bolt1 with a hole at one end to hook on
  to a nail in the wall1 and so complete
 facilities were afforded for  climbing 
to window or veranda4 ,in addition to   
his tools he called into  requisition a 
pony and trap at night4 ,he practically 
killed the pony  with hard work4    ,the

 crucible in which he did his melting   
down is of clay1 and was  found at      
,peckham4 ,its interior is much         
scorched4 ,it is about #f;in4  deep     
inside1 and the diameter of the orifice 
is #d;in4 ,peace was truly  magnificent 
in all he undertook--in his own peculiar
 profession he  positively arose to     
greatness4 ,in the midst of his         
burglaries he kept  up a fine house at  
,peckham1 with two housekeepers and a   
servant4 ,his  drawing-room suite was   
worth sixty guineas1 a ,turkey carpet   
was laid on  the floor1 gilded mirrors  
decorated the walls1 and on the grand   
piano  was a beautifully inlaid ,spanish
 guitar worth some thirty guineas4 ,he  
lived the life of an independent        
gentleman4 ,he was passionately fond  of
 music1 and on the night of the         
attempted robbery at ,blackheath he  had
 an at-home concert1 and whilst one     
housekeeper played the piano and        
another sang1 ,charles joined in with   
the violin4    ,his audacity was such   

that at the time his name was on        
everybody's  lips1 and ,scotland ,yard  
was full of him1 he visited the ,yard   
disguised  as a clergyman and asked a   
number of questions about himself6      
,his false arm was a unique idea4 ,he   
was minus the fore-finger of the  left  
hand1 and after he left ,sheffield on   
#bith ,november1 #ahgf1 his  description
 was posted at every police-station in  
the country4 ,so  he made himself this  
arm which he placed in his sleeve1      
hanging his  violin on the hook when    
engaged in walking about and taking     
stock of  crackable residences1 and     
screwing in a fork in the place of the  
hook  for use at meals4 ,so for         
something like two years the            
irrepressible  ,peace walked this earth 
short of a hand1 whilst the police were 
looking for a man short of a finger6    
,illustration3 ,,peace',s ,,spectacles  
,,and ,,dummy ,,arm4    ,illustration3  
,,lost ,,in ,a ,,blizzard      ,,by ,g4 
,h4 ,,lees        ,the following is an  

absolutely true narrative of actual     
facts1 and was written down from ,mr4   
,lees' dictation1 the loss      of both 
his hands1 of course1 precluding him    
from writing4    ,on ,christmas morning1
 #ahhf1 ,i started about ten o'clock    
from ,indian  ,head1 ,manitoba1 ,canada1
 with ,her ,majesty's mail1 to travel   
forty miles4  ,it was a very cold       
morning1 and blowing #cj below zero4 ,i 
had been on  my journey about an hour1  
when ,i began to feel very sleepy1      
through the  intense cold1 and so got   
out to walk for a time4 ,the storm      
increased so  that ,i could not see     
twenty yards before me1 but ,i still    
kept the trail  till something happened 
to the harness4 ,i threw my gloves into 
the  sleigh while ,i put it right1      
hanging the reins on the front board4   
,when ,i went back to get in1 the ponies
 bolted1 leaving me without  gloves4 ,i 
ran some distance1 when the cold seemed 
to make me faint2 ,i  lay down an hour  
before ,i could recover myself          

sufficiently to start  again2 when ,i   
did1 both hands were frozen stiff4      
,the blizzard cleared1 and when ,i had  
thawed my eyes 7which were frozen  up   
with the drifting snow7 ,i could see a  
shanty about a mile off the  trail4 ,i  
started to it1 but bad luck attended me4
 ,when ,i reached it1 it  was           
uninhabited1 and my hands were so frozen
 that ,i could not move a  finger to get
 in1 so sat down in a shed to consider  
what would be best  to do4    ,feeling  
perished as my feet began to freeze1 ,i 
was obliged to walk on4  ,i saw another 
place ,i knew across the prairie1 about 
two miles from  where ,i stood1 and     
started for it as well as ,i could get  
along1 but  still worse luck attended   
me4 ,i had gone only half my journey    
when the  blizzard increased1 so that it
 froze my eyes up and nearly choked me4 
,i  turned my back to the storm and     
tried to retrace my footsteps1 but the  
snow had completely swept them out2 and 
,i was lost1 as ,i thought1 for  ever4  

,i walked on1 both sore and hungry1 but 
dared not sleep1 knowing it  would mean 
death2 but could see nothing4 ,as night 
came on the blizzard  abated1 but it was
 no help to me when darkness had set in4
 ,i knew it  meant that ,i must walk or 
die4    ,suffering now with hunger and  
thirst1 ,i ate some snow1 but every     
time ,i took it1 it pulled the skin off 
my lips4 ,i walked on until ,i  was     
completely played out1 falling down some
 twenty times1 sometimes  seven or eight
 feet1 and it took me some time to      
recover myself1 not  being able to use  
my hands1 and afraid they would break2  
my elbows1  too1 began to feel sore1    
through the frost and falls4 ,once or   
twice ,i  followed a bright star1       
thinking it might be a light in a       
shanty2 it  seemed about on a level with
 the snow4    ,i had been walking until 
about midnight1 when ,i fell down a bank
 about  ten feet right into the snow1   
where ,i thought ,i should lay and die4 
,i  had a ,scotch collie with me1 and he

 curled up close and kept me warm4  ,i  
think ,i must have slept a little time1 
as the dog was howling when ,i  awoke4  
,i was very stiff1 and struggled more   
than an hour to get up the  embankment4 
,when at the top ,i was on the open     
plain1 and my dog was  gone4 ,the moon  
was shining1 and ,i walked on to a wood1
 which sheltered  me a little from the  
cold4 ,i was very hungry now1 as ,i had 
been walking  twenty hours without food1
 and1 being famished1 ,i had to bite the
 snow  off the trees1 though it pulled  
the skin off my lips4    ,then ,i lay   
down again for a time4 ,presently my dog
 came back1 and ,i was  very pleased to 
see him1 thinking anything to die with  
was better than  being alone4 ,he left  
me again in the night2 his feet were    
freezing1  and he was howling with pain2
 but came back again when it was getting
  light1 lying down as if he were dead4 
,i got on to a trail1 and thought ,i    
should find some shanty4 ,i left my     
dog1 thinking he was dying4 ,the trail  

ended1 and now came my trial4 ,i  had to
 clamber through the wood where it had  
been burnt a few years  before by the   
dreaded prairie fire1 the trees that had
 fallen and not  been burnt lying on the
 ground1 so that ,i had to clamber over 
them1  often falling and with great     
difficulty getting up4    ,at last ,i   
got on the prairie again1 but the       
blizzard was worse than  ever1 the      
temperature being now #dj below zero4   
,walking on about a mile  ,i came to a  
haystack4 ,thinking there might be a    
shanty near1 but not  finding one1 ,i   
lay down by the side of the stack4 ,i   
should think this  would be about seven 
o'clock4    ,after lying a little time  
,i thought ,i would go back again to my 
dog and  die with him in the wood4 ,i   
had not gone more than three parts of   
the  way before he met me1 barking with 
delight4 ,i followed him through the    
wood until we came to a steep hill1     
impossible for me to walk up2 but  the  
dog kept trying to make me start4 ,i    

crawled on my elbows1 as ,i was  now    
afraid of breaking my hands to pieces4  
,they were like glass4 ,i had  got on   
nicely for about fifty yards1 the dog   
licking my face1 when ,i  slipped back  
about twenty yards4 ,it must have taken 
me half an hour to  get to the top1 but 
when ,i got there what joy it was to see
 a shanty  and people in it6            
,illustration3 ,,barking ,,with         
,,delight4    ,i was helpless after ,i  
got into the warmth for a little time1  
but soon  knew ,i must try to save my   
hands and arms4 ,the people were very   
good1  helping in every way to save     
them1 getting me a pail of cold water1  
in  which ,i held them for twelve hours4
 ,the ice came out in balls2 but it  was
 of no use4 ,the good lady fed me2      
trying to ease the pain as much  as she 
could4 ,my eyes1 too1 were dreadful2 she
 laid cold tea-leaves on  them1 which ,i
 believe saved me much pain4            
,illustration3 ,,they ,,wrapped ,,my    
,,hands ,,in ,,paraffin ,,rags4    ,they

 removed my boots and socks as quickly  
as they could1 and cut the  feet to let 
the blood out4 ,after ,i had been lying 
with my hands in the  water so long they
 took me and laid me on the bed near the
 stove1 and  wrapped my hands in        
paraffin rags4 ,they could not send for 
the doctor  that day1 as the blizzard   
was so bad4 ,after lying in this state  
for two  days he came1 but said he could
 do no good to me there1 but ,i must go 
to ,quappelle1 about twenty miles away4 
,my friends drove me to ,indian ,head1  
but ,i was very sore1 their sleigh  not 
being long enough to lie at length in   
it4 ,after this other friends  carried  
me to the hotel and fed me1 whilst the  
rest got a waggon and  put it on sleighs
 with a spring mattress and rugs1 and   
started me on my  journey again4    ,i  
went on comfortably for the next ten    
miles1 when ,i arrived at the  ,leeland 
,hotel1 where six men carried me        
upstairs on a blanket4 ,i lay  here     
seven days1 ,doctor ,edwards and the    

manager of the hotel doing all  they    
could for me4 ,the students from the    
college used to come and sit  up with   
me4 ,doctor ,edwards told me ,i must    
have both hands taken off1  if not one  
foot1 so ,i thought it best to go to the
 ,general ,hospital1  ,winnipeg4    ,i  
started on ,january #crd1 at half-past  
three o'clock in the morning1  arriving 
at ,winnipeg at half-past six o'clock at
 night1 being taken  from the station in
 a fly1 and admitted about seven        
o'clock4 ,after  having a nice warm     
bath1 ,i was put to bed1 receiving every
 attention4  ,i had as many as eight    
doctors to see me1 but they gave up my  
hands as  hopeless4 ,on the #bcrd of    
,january they took them both off1 about 
two  inches above my wrists4 ,i was in  
bed eleven weeks1 and ,nurse ,reynolds  
attended and dressed my arms all the    
time4    ,i left ,winnipeg on ,april    
#ast1 going ,west to some friends until 
strong  enough to return home4 ,my fare 
was paid to ,liverpool1 and ,i started  

the #crd of ,june1 stopping to see the  
nurse on ,sunday1 when ,i met an old    
mate who was in the hospital all the    
time with me to have his big toe  taken 
off4 ,he fed me1 sleeping with me to    
dress me4 ,his name was ,tom  ,collett2 
he put me on the train ,sunday night1   
and ,i arrived at ,quebec  on ,wednesday
 night1 late4 ,i stayed with ,french    
people at the hotel and  found it very  
comfortable4    ,illustration3 ,a       
,,sailor ,,attended ,,to ,,me4    ,in   
the morning ,i went on to the ,allan    
,liner ,sardinian1 when we left  ,quebec
 about #ab o'clock a4m4 ,i had an       
intermediate ticket3 it was quite  as   
good as first-class4 ,the captain sent a
 sailor to look after me2  he dressed1  
fed1 and attended to me in every way he 
possibly could4  ,we had a good voyage1 
arriving at ,liverpool on the ,saturday 
before  ,jubilee ,day1 but too late to  
send a telegram home4 ,the sailor saw me
  in the train at ,liverpool at eleven  
o'clock at night1 and ,i reached        

,london about four o'clock next morning1
 where a policeman showing  me a        
waiting-room1 ,i slept until seven      
o'clock1 after which ,i had             
refreshment1 leaving ,king's ,cross at  
once1 and reaching home at eleven       
o'clock1 having been away from ,england 
one year and a half4           99       
99       99       99       99           
,,note4--,all the portraits and pictures
 in the article in the      ,january    
,number of ,,the ,,strand ,,magazine on 
,the ,signatures of      ,charles       
,dickens were taken from the engravings 
in ,charles      ,dickens1 by ,pen and  
,pencil1 by ,mr4 ,fredrick ,g4 ,kitton1 
published by ,mr4 ,frank ,t4 ,sabin and 
,mr4 ,john ,f4 ,dexter1 of      #aah1   
,shaftesbury ,avenue1 the proprietors of
 the work4 ,these      engravings were  
copyright1 a fact of which we were not  
aware1      and we hereby express our   
sincere regret to the owners of the     
original work for our unintentional     
infringement of their      rights4 ,mr4 

,schooling1 the writer of the article1  
is in no way      to blame for what has 
occurred4          ,the ,british        
,embassy at ,paris4      ,,by ,,mary    
,,spencer-,,warren4    ,the post of     
,ambassador at ,paris being the plum of 
the ,diplomatic  service1 its attainment
 is the hope and aim of many a          
statesman2  but1 skilful though he may  
have proved himself1 brilliant though   
his  services to his country may have   
been1 he is fortunate indeed if his     
aspirations are ever realized4 ,it is   
quite conclusive1 however1 that he  who 
is appointed is a man of sterling merit3
 and such is the present  ,ambassador2  
and most of us can recall the           
satisfaction with which both  political 
parties hailed his succession4    ,i    
have had several opportunities of       
visiting the ,embassy in the ,rue du    
,faubourg ,saint ,honor1 but certainly  
the most interesting occasion was  the  
first one1 that being the wedding day of
 ,lord ,terence ,blackwood1  the second 

son1 to ,miss ,davis1 of ,new ,york4    
,i am early on the scene1 so have ample 
time to linger at the massive  gates1   
and looking across the courtyard1 study 
the front exterior4    ,it is a house   
with a history2 for back in the days    
when ,buonaparte was  seeking to make   
himself master of the world1 his sister1
 the ,princess  ,pauline1 was its       
occupant4 ,beautiful as this ,princess  
was1 one can  easily imagine the house  
to have been the rendezvous of the      
fashionable  inhabitants of a           
fashionable city2 although1 if report   
speaks truly1  such assemblies were     
composed more largely of the gay than   
the wise4 ,a  change of ownership came1 
for in #ahad it was purchased by the    
,british  ,government2 and from being a 
resort for the idle1 it became one of   
the business centres of ,paris4 ,now we 
pass the porter's lodge and the  offices
 of the ,consulate1 and mount the broad 
steps into the portico4  ,just now all  
this presents quite a tropical          

appearance2 stately palm1  waving fern1 
and choice flowers being placed for the 
occasion4 ,stepping  into the entrance  
halls1 inner and outer1 ,i find a       
continuance of the  floral decorations1 
making the place look a veritable       
fairyland4 ,ionic  columns1 marble      
walls1 and marble stairs lend themselves
 for a grand  background to this        
,oriental display1 here and there       
peeping out1 costly  but not lovely1    
,burmese idols1 elephants' feet1 a model
 of ,mandalay1  a ,pith village1 and    
other valuable curios4 ,tables with rich
 ,oriental  covers1 settees and chairs  
in rich crimson velvet1 give colour1    
making  altogether a fine picture4    ,i
 am almost immediately joined by ,lady  
,dufferin and her two daughters1  and   
much pleasant talk ensues1 and a        
leisurely survey of some hundreds  of   
costly wedding presents4                
,illustration3 ,,the ,,british          
,,embassy--,,front ,,view4    ,from a   
,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4   

,a chat with any of this family is an   
intellectual treat2 so much can  they   
tell one of people and places1 and so   
many and varied are the  leaves from    
their eventful lives4 ,also1 the        
residence is an interesting  study4 ,one
 sees in it so many reminders from      
friends in all parts3  testimonies of   
esteem and regard bestowed by           
illustrious donors1 and  pleasant little
 reminders come with them all--a little 
anecdote of this  individual1 and a     
little story connected with that place4 
,illustration3 ,,grand ,,staircase4     
,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,together we make the tour
 of the principal rooms1 halting every  
now and  again for anything of special  
interest1 such as water-colours by ,his 
,excellency1 paintings and miniatures   
collected by him on his foreign         
stations1 furniture and plate formerly  
the property of the ,napoleon  family1  
and the exquisite floral decorations of 
the suite of rooms set  apart for the   

reception in ,american style which is to
 take place after  the ceremony4        
,illustration3 ,,model ,,of ,,mandalay4 
,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,here we are presently    
joined by the ,marquis and the          
bridegroom--,lord  ,terence             
,blackwood--together with his two       
younger brothers2 we all turn  again to 
the still arriving presents1 everybody  
laughing and talking  together in an    
unaffected and happy manner4 ,evidently 
the coming event  affords complete      
satisfaction to this thoroughly typical 
,english  family2 but time is getting   
on1 the sight of the men in their       
gorgeous  ,state liveries of blue and   
gold1 powdered wigs1 and pink silk      
stockings  warns each and all of        
preparations to be made1 so we disperse 
for the  present1 to meet many times    
later in the day1 and also on subsequent
  occasions4    ,then ,i wander about at
 my own will and pleasure1 and make     
myself more  thoroughly acquainted with 

the house and its contents4    ,the     
,throne ,room and ,ball ,room are       
contiguous1 only divided by an  archway 
spanned by a double brest-summer        
supported by carved figures4  ,in the   
,throne ,room1 ,lord ,dufferin1 of      
course1 represents the ,majesty of      
,great ,britain2 and though the number  
of ,english residents in ,paris is      
comparatively few since the fall of the 
,monarchy and the rise of the           
,republic1 yet there is still a fair    
number of influential families1  and    
also many foreign friends of the        
,british ,crown1 who1 together  with the
 representatives of other ,courts1 make 
up a crowded assembly  and form a       
brilliant gathering4 ,different         
receptions1 these1 to some  ,i was told 
of--some in ,india and others in        
,canada4 ,very peculiar and  highly     
amusing3 perhaps the first one given in 
,canada excelled in  this respect4      
,owing to delay in arrival of luggage1  
the family were  very1 very short of    

even such necessary articles as         
crockery1 managing  amongst themselves  
with about half-a-dozen cracked plates  
and cups4  ,more must be got somewhere  
for the reception1 which would doubtless
  be large1 so they had to borrow1 not  
priceless ,svres or dainty  ,dresden1   
but thick earthenware1 pure and simple4 
,the entire affair  was what we should  
call scratch--the bed had to be moved   
out of  the best bed-chamber to make    
more room2 the furniture itself was all 
lodging-house4 ,when the company arrived
 many of them had no cards2  the servant
 could not say their ,french names1 so  
made them write them  on bits of paper  
at the entrance2 and1 to crown it all1  
just as it was  all over1 the servants  
of the crockery owners came and fetched 
it away1  right in sight of the guests6 
,and yet they were very merry over all  
these affairs--merry even when  they had
 to oil themselves all over with strong 
smelling oil to keep  off the bites of  
the mosquitoes4 ,and then what outings  

they had in  this same place6 ,how they 
all went on fishing expeditions2 camping
 out  in tents1 which had to be entered 
by creeping in on all fours through  a  
very small hole2 then sleeping with a   
knife under their pillows1  so as to cut
 another way out if a bear should look  
in6 ,one occasion  ,lady ,dufferin      
recalls1 when1 on crawling into her tent
 in the usual  manner1 she made a false 
movement and the entire affair upset on 
top  of her6 ,canadian life had its     
drawbacks1 but it had its pleasures1    
not the least of them being the large   
circle of friends made by the           
,governor-,general and his wife2 and it 
is difficult to say on which side  was  
the most regret at parting--the         
,dufferin family or the inhabitants  of 
the country4    ,illustration3 ,,lord   
,,dufferin ,,in ,,his ,,study4    ,from 
a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4 
,then the reminiscences go away to      
,india1 where everything was done on  a 
scale of gorgeous magnificence2 where   

such a reception awaited them  on their 
arrival as completely eclipsed anything 
they had ever before  witnessed2 where  
vast crowds of ,europeans and natives of
 every size and  shape lined the streets
 to give them greeting3 some in all the 
colours  of the rainbow1 some in nearly 
nothing at all4 ,here the ,residence    
was grand and stately1 swarming with    
native servants in any number  of       
different costumes3 some in glittering  
uniforms1 some in ordinary  dress1 and  
some in rags and tatters2 but men1 all  
men1 for every  possible duty1 and all  
of them extremely mindful of caste4 ,he 
who puts  water into your jug would not 
deign to pour it out2 one who cleans    
your  shoes would consider it derogatory
 to pass you a cup of tea2 one puts  a  
candle in a candlestick1 another sets   
light to it4 ,at any time you  need not 
be surprised at finding as many as eight
 men in your bedroom1  all gravely      
performing their different duties6      
,illustration3 ,,lady ,,dufferin4       

,from a ,photograph4    ,then the       
receptions of ,indian potentates by     
,lord ,dufferin1 when1 in  accordance   
with the rank of each1 so many          
aides-de-camp must fetch  them from     
their residences1 and so far must ,his  
,excellency advance to  meet them3      
anywhere from half-way down the room to 
the steps at the  entrance4    ,then    
they all sat about in various positions1
 some of the time silent1  some of it   
talking with the aid of interpreters2   
occasionally varying  proceedings by    
offering presents which they did not    
mean them to  accept--,lady ,dufferin   
and others of the family enjoying a     
private view  from a safe hiding-place4 
,somewhat embarrassing must have been   
the situation of ,lord ,dufferin  and   
his attachs when attending for the first
 time an ,indian organized              
entertainment4 ,it was in the morning1  
and they were duly arrayed in  orthodox 
frock-coat4 ,much to their              
consternation1 wreaths of flowers  were 

brought forward and placed around their 
necks6 ,just you imagine  such a picture
 here6 ,i am afraid it would be too much
 for even the  gravity of grave         
,englishmen6    ,at ,paris things are   
done in lavish style1 be it dinner party
 for forty  to sixty1 or garden party   
attended by fourteen or fifteen hundred2
  the wedding reception1 for instance1  
bringing several hundreds of the  lite  
of the city1 the entire ground suite of 
rooms being thrown  open1 in addition to
 the fine covered promenade gallery1    
with orange  trees1 palms1 etc41 which  
forms a terrace opening on to grounds in
 the  rear of the house4                
,illustration3 ,,lady ,,hermione        
,,blackwood4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn
  ,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,this brings me
 back to the ,throne ,room1 where ,i    
commenced to speak  of receptions4 ,this
 room is somewhat limited in size1 but  
the ,ball  ,room joining more than      
redeems it1 as the two combined have the
 most  magnificent proportions4 ,the    

walls are hung in crimson1 and show a   
profusion of plate-glass panels2 the    
ceiling is painted cream1 with  gold    
relief1 crystal chandeliers depend from 
it2 the whole being  supported by       
decorated ,doric columns4 ,the ,throne  
chair1 on das and  under a canopy1 is of
 the usual character1 crimson upholstery
 and frame  of over-burnished gold2     
other furniture to match1 and all of it 
showing  the ,arms of ,england and      
,v4,r41 even the carpet--an             
,axminster--having  the same design     
woven4 ,passing under the archway into  
the ,ball  ,room1 you step immediately  
on to a very beautiful parquetry floor1 
and get a clear view of the pretty lawn 
and terraces1 from windows              
facing--windows handsomely curtained in 
cream and gold4 ,ceiling and  walls     
alike are splendidly decorated in       
relief1 showing musical and  armorial   
designs2 the furniture1 settees1 and    
chairs to match with  those in the      
,throne ,room4    ,illustration3 ,,the  

,,throne ,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 by  
,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,not only 
did ,i have the pleasure of witnessing a
 reception and ball  in these rooms1 but
 also attended an assemblage of quite a 
different  character there on another   
occasion3 one of a description that     
tends  very much to make ,lord and ,lady
 ,dufferin the popular personages they  
are2 showing unmistakably their interest
 in their less wealthy and  less        
fortunate countrymen and countrywomen4  
,this special meeting was  on behalf of 
the ,girls' ,friendly ,society1 the     
,paris branch of which  has a           
hard-working president in ,lady         
,dufferin4 ,his ,excellency not  only   
threw open his splendid rooms1 but also 
took the chair1 and made  a hopeful1    
energetic speech1 assuring the society  
of his continual  support4 ,i just      
mention this to show how ready the      
family are to accord  help to those who 
need it1 and to give up time for the    
good of others1  notwithstanding the    

heavy pressure of official and social   
duties  devolving upon them4    ,thus   
the ,embassy is the very centre of much 
good work in the city2  how much is     
really done in helping the needy1 in    
suppressing vice1  protecting strangers1
 and supporting charitable objects of   
all sorts it  would be impossible for me
 to give you any idea4    ,illustration3
 ,,the ,,gallery4    ,from a ,photo4 by 
,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4              
,illustration3 ,,the ,,lawns ,,and      
,,terraces4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn 
,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,illustration3   
,,the ,,ball-,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 
by ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,of    
,lord ,dufferin's official life it is   
not necessary to say much2 his          
appointment here was putting the right  
man in the right place1 such            
satisfactory proof has he always given  
of his splendid abilities1 keen  tact1  
and nicety of judgment4 ,more than one  
crisis has he successfully  tided over1 
earning the unbounded gratitude of his  

country4 ,few men1  perhaps1 have held  
so many and important positions under   
the ,crown as  he4 ,born at ,florence in
 #ahbf1 he was educated at ,christ      
,church1 ,oxford2  became a             
,lord-in-,waiting to ,her ,majesty in   
#ahdi2 went with ,lord ,russell  on a   
special mission to ,vienna in #ahee2 on 
a mission to ,syria in #ahfj2  was made 
,lord-,lieutenant of ,county ,down in   
#ahfd3 ,under-,secretary of  ,state for 
,india in #ahfd2 ,under-,secretary for  
,war in #ahff2 ,chancellor  and         
,paymaster for the ,duchy of ,lancaster 
in #ahfh2 ,governor-,general of  ,canada
 in #ahgb2 ,ambassador to ,st4          
,petersburg in #ahgi2 to ,constantinople
  in #ahha2 was sent on a ,special      
,commission to ,egypt in #ahhb2 was made
  ,viceroy of ,india in #ahhd2          
,ambassador to the ,king of ,italy in   
#ahhh2  ,ambassador at ,paris in #ahia4 
,in the ,red ,saloon many instances of  
the artistic ability of ,lord  ,dufferin
 may be seen3 indeed1 the               

crimson-covered walls are profusely     
hung with his water-colours4 ,amongst   
others1 ,i noticed the ,ruins of  ,fort 
,ticonderoga 7where the #dbnd ,regiment 
was cut up71 the ,indian's  ,grave1     
,artillery ,ground at ,quebec1          
,killyleagh ,castle1 and some           
descriptive of the ,iceland journey of  
his lordship4    ,while thinking of the 
,marquis of ,dufferin as a clever       
statesman1  an artist1 and a literary   
man1 it must not be forgotten that he is
  also a very fine orator4 ,his various 
speeches make splendid reading3         
instructive1 eloquent1 and always well  
to the point before him4 ,perhaps  there
 are no better of his on record than    
those made in ,canada1 when  the rugged 
sons of toil who listened to him went   
almost wild with  delight4 ,at that time
 people had scarcely commenced to settle
 in  places which are now prosperous    
cities and towns1 and ,lord ,dufferin   
did splendid service by visiting        
outlying regions and pointing out       

possibilities of new commerce and new   
sources of income4    ,illustration3    
,,the ,,queen',s ,,room4    ,from a     
,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4   
,the ,queen's ,room is very handsomely  
decorated in blue and gold1 and  is one 
of the suite of drawing-rooms on the    
ground floor2 it takes  its name from a 
magnificent full-length painting of ,her
 ,majesty4 ,buhl  tables1 furniture of  
gold and silk brocade1 ormolu           
decorations1 and  carved marble combine 
to make an exquisite display4 ,as with  
the other  drawing rooms1 it opens out  
on to the ,promenade ,gallery4    ,the  
next room1 called the ,prince of        
,wales's ,room1 is very handsome3 it    
has a richly-decorated ceiling in gold  
relief1 with walls draped and           
embellished to match2 ,ionic columns and
 gold-framed panels to doors add  to the
 richness2 cream silk curtains to the   
windows1 and quantities of  white       
flowers giving graceful relief to the   
gold blazonry of furniture  and carpet4 

,the carpet1 ,i may mention1 has the    
,prince of ,wales's  feathers woven in  
the centre--from this the room is named4
    ,illustration3 ,,prince ,,of        
,,wales',s ,,room4    ,from a ,photo4 by
 ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,on the  
wedding day ,i was enabled to be present
 at an ,american reception  given in    
this room4 ,furniture was all cleared   
out and every niche  filled with        
flowers1 with wreaths of same round     
every picture and  panel2 a das was     
erected at the top1 and on it stood     
,lord and ,lady  ,terence ,blackwood on 
their return from church1 everybody who 
attended  walking up to shake hands and 
congratulate1 then walking off to find  
their way to the well-spread tables for 
five o'clock tea4 ,lord and  ,lady      
,dufferin and family mingled with the   
crowd1 talking to everybody2  and though
 the bride and bridegroom must have been
 tired with standing  so long1 and      
shaking hands with so many1 yet the     
whole affair was  a deal more enjoyable 

than the formal breakfast1 with the     
nervous  speeches of the nervous men4   
,illustration3 ,,the ,,red ,,saloon4    
,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,of course1 ,i            
congratulated the happy couple on behalf
 of ,,the ,,strand  ,,magazine1 and of  
course ,i carried away a piece of the   
cake1 one  of the inimitable ,buszard's1
 all glorious in silver decorations of  
flowers1 fruit1 ,irish harps1 etc41 and 
mounted on a massive silver  stand4 ,for
 the benefit of my lady readers1 ,i may 
remark that the bride  was really       
beautiful 7people generally say they    
look so1 but this  one really was72     
cream satin1 ,venice point1 and orange  
blossom were  all in due order4 ,but    
what chiefly interested me was the crowd
 of  celebrities present--,rothschilds1 
,ambassadors 7whose names are known  and
 honoured71 some of the ,french         
nobility1 many familiar ,english  faces1
 musical and dramatic stars1 etc4       
,illustration3 ,,the ,,dining-,,room4   

,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,from here ,i proceed to  
the ,dining ,room1 a fine apartment     
lighted  with crystal chandeliers and   
silver-gilt candelabra1 showing a       
splendidly painted ceiling1 with walls  
of marble1 carved oak1 and  crimson     
panels--these being hung with shields   
and pieces of armour1  offensive and    
defensive4 ,on the tables is a fine     
display of plate1  formerly the property
 of ,jerome ,napoleon1 a costly ,burmese
 bowl1 and  other pieces of presentation
 plate too numerous to mention4 ,i may  
here say that upstairs in the           
strong-room ,i saw a remarkably large   
collection of plate--some belonging to  
the ,embassy1 but a great deal  of it   
the private property of the ,marquis2   
all was of the richest in  quality and  
design1 but perhaps the gold ,buddha    
from ,burmah1 a ,burmese                
cup--wonderfully chased--and some       
candelabra1 copied from originals  found
 in ,pompeii1 were of the greatest      

interest4    ,from here you can step out
 into the ,inner ,hall1 and then mount  
the  splendidly wide marble staircase1  
soon finding yourself in a most         
beautiful suite of apartments4    ,the  
,second ,red ,saloon calls for your     
particular attention3 it has  much in it
 worth close study4 ,the painted        
ceiling1 brocaded walls1  and parquetry 
floors are elegant and costly1 and the  
furniture of the  ,first ,empire worth  
more than passing note2 but the chief   
attraction  undoubtedly is the unique   
collection of ,indian ,rajahs1 paintings
 on  ivory2 these--seventy1 ,i believe1 
in number--were presented to ,his       
,excellency before leaving ,india4      
,nearly every one of the miniatures     
brings up some interesting and  may-be  
amusing recollection1 and carries the   
family back to sojourns in  various     
places3 at ,calcutta1 for instance1     
where ,lady ,dufferin tells  with glee  
how on one of her visits she was        
literally garlanded with  flowers1 her  

pocket-handkerchief copiously drenched  
with a pungent  scent1 and a scented    
bouquet ornamented with tinsel thrust   
into her  hands3 thus bedecked1 she had 
to drive through the streets1 feeling1  
,i should imagine1 like a central figure
 in a circus display4 ,it seems  it was 
customary everywhere to make offerings  
of flowers1 fruit1  cakes1 and candy2   
and as these latter were accepted and   
passed over  to the servants1 they were 
much delighted4 ,the rule regarding     
other  presents was curious3 jewellery1 
etc41 was accepted1 but passed on to    
the ,government ,treasury1 sold1 and    
presents of equal value returned to  the
 donors3 rather aggravating this1 when a
 specially nice article is  given4      
,money1 too1 was often offered1 but this
 was only touched1 not  taken6          
,illustration3 ,,the ,,yellow ,,saloon4 
,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,illustration3 ,,lady     
,,dufferin',s ,,boudoir4    ,from a     
,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1 ,richmond4   

,then1 again1 reminders crop up of      
,burmah1 some not very pleasant  ones   
too1 when the bedrooms were kept lively 
with swarms of lizards1  and even       
scorpions occasionally putting in an    
unwelcome appearance4  ,or of ,simla1   
where a small ,government ,house was    
perched at such a  dizzy height as made 
falling over a precipice a great        
probability if  venturing too far over  
the threshold3 a place where carriages  
could not  get along1 where everybody   
had to go out in jinrikshas1 a species  
of  ,bath chair1 which was half pulled  
and half pushed by four and sometimes   
six men3 processions of them going along
 in single file1 the merry  occupants   
shouting remarks to the van or rear as  
they proceeded4 ,just  you imagine going
 to church on ,sunday morning in this   
fashion1 or  mounted on rough ponies1   
horses1 or anything on legs that could  
be  obtained4 ,fancy what a nondescript 
congregation it must be2 occupants  of  
jinrikshas1 ladies in riding gear with  

boots and spurs complete1 and  black    
servants in every colour of the rainbow4
    ,illustration3 ,,state ,,bedroom4   
,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stuart1      
,richmond4    ,one might go on for any  
length of time with these reminiscences1
 but  there are a few more rooms yet    
unexplored4    ,the next one ,i enter is
 known as the ,yellow ,saloon1 nearly   
everything  in it being gold and cream4 
,the ceiling is painted cream and       
decorated  in gold relief1 the walls are
 hung with gold brocaded silk1 carpets  
and  curtains1 settees and chairs all in
 character4 ,on the walls may be seen   
some costly ,italian pictures1 collected
 by ,lord ,dufferin1 also a few  more   
miniatures of ,rajahs4 ,the marble      
mantels in this suite of rooms  are also
 a special feature1 so beautifully are  
they carved2 also you  will note the    
graceful crystal chandeliers and        
parquetry floors4    ,on one side of the
 room you will observe a very handsome  
silver-gilt  frame containing a portrait

 of the ,maharajah of ,patiala1 also a  
present4 ,lord and ,lady ,dufferin were 
occasional guests at this ,prince's     
palace1 he entertaining them right      
royally1 even to providing bagpipe      
strains for after-dinner performance1   
the dusky pipers in ,scottish  attire1  
with legs cased in pink silk to keep up 
the semblance4 ,i  believe time and tune
 were not much regarded1 but what       
mattered that8  ,the intention was good4
    ,opening from here is ,lady         
,dufferin's boudoir1 a cosy apartment1  
crowded  with artistic and useful pieces
 of furniture2 music1 books1 and family 
photographs abound2 and here ,lady      
,dufferin finds time for arrangement    
and direction of much of the good work  
in which she is constantly  engaged4    
,illustration3 ,,lord ,,dufferin',s     
,,study4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,gunn    
,stuart1 ,richmond4    ,i may as well   
here state that ,lady ,dufferin is the  
daughter of the  late ,archibald ,r4    
,hamilton1 ,esq41 of ,killyleagh        

,castle1 ,co4 ,down2  she has orders1   
the ,crown of ,india1 the ,victoria and 
,albert1 the  ,crescent of the          
,shefkhat1 and ,lion and ,sun4 ,wherever
 ,lord ,dufferin  has been appointed1   
there has ,lady ,dufferin worked        
zealously for the  welfare of the poorer
 classes1 but it is perhaps more        
especially  for her splendid work for   
the women of ,india that she is so much 
honoured4 ,most of you know the wretched
 condition of these poor women1         
sufferers through the custom of the     
country4 ,lady ,dufferin1 by her  noble 
efforts for the training of native women
 in medical skill1 has  earned the      
gratitude and alleviated the misery of  
thousands4 ,the amount  of              
correspondence alone that all this      
entails upon her ladyship is            
prodigious2 every minute seems to be    
fully occupied4    ,we take a peep into 
the next room1 a ,state bed-chamber4    
,this1 ,lady  ,dufferin tells me1 was   
formerly used by the ,princess ,pauline4

 ,over  the bed is displayed the eagle1 
and the letter ,p41 in ormolu1 is on    
much of the tulip1 satinwood1 and       
rosewood furniture1 all of which is     
covered with the richest of brocades4   
,there is another room which must not be
 omitted--,lord ,dufferin's study4      
,thither ,i proceed1 and thus get a     
glance of the enormous amount of        
business devolving upon the ,ambassador 
and his secretaries4    ,everything is  
of the most orderly in the arrangements3
 all  correspondence sorted up2 papers  
and books of reference ready to hand2   
well-filled bookshelves containing      
,parliamentary and technical works1  and
 all the other accessories of a         
hard-working ,minister's room4 ,on  the 
walls ,i note a number of family        
portraits1 chief of which are ,lady     
,dufferin and ,lord ,ava--the eldest    
son4    ,of the real work done here1 few
 can form any idea2 communications from 
all parts of the globe1 arbitration     
here1 intercession there4 ,very  much   

fine tact is wanted to keep all this    
going smoothly3 to uphold  the majesty1 
please the public1 and give no manner of
 offence4 ,the  multiplicity of affairs1
 some trivial1 some weighty--to an      
ordinary  mind--would be alarming4 ,not 
so long ago ,i was in conversation with 
one1 who1 residing in a town not far    
from ,paris1 had1 as ,i think           
deservedly1 brought himself under the   
vengeance of the ,french law2  but he   
was an ,english subject4 ,so1 said he1  
,i shall appeal to the  ,ambassador6 and
 appeal he did4 ,this just gave me an   
instance of the  number of petty matters
 that come for settlement to the        
,embassy4    ,downstairs is another room
 where any amount of business is        
transacted1  and where ,i had a few     
minutes' chat with ,austin ,lee1 ,esq41 
one of the  secretaries2 and opposite   
are the offices of the ,consulate4 ,to  
one and  another there is a constant    
stream of people from morning till      
night2  all sorts and conditions1 and on

 all sorts of business4 ,one thing you  
may be sure of3 no one who really needs 
and deserves help or redress  fails in  
obtaining it2 ,lord ,dufferin and his   
able assistants--whose  portraits are   
here presented--not only conducting     
affairs of ,state with  dignified       
ability1 but also giving ready sympathy 
of a practical nature  wherever         
required4    ,illustration3 ,,lord      
,,dufferin',s ,,assistants4    ,from a  
,photo4 by ,gunn  ,stewart1 ,richmond4  
,portraits of ,celebrities at ,different
 ,times of their ,lives4                
,illustration3 ,,age #ch4    ,from a    
,photo4 by ,southwell ,bros41 ,baker    
,st4    ,,the ,,bishop ,,of             
,,winchester4    ,,born #ahbe4          
,illustration3 ,,age #dg4    ,from a    
,photo4 by ,maull  ,fox4    ,the ,right 
,rev4 ,anthony ,w4 ,thorold1 ,lord      
,bishop of ,winchester1 is the  second  
son of the ,rev4 ,e4 ,thorold1 ,rector  
of ,hougham4 ,he graduated at  ,trinity 
,college1 ,oxford1 and was ordained in  

#ahdi4 ,from #ahgd to #ahgg he  was     
,canon ,residentiary of ,york1 and was  
consecrated to the ,bishopric  of       
,rochester in #ahgg4 ,his lordship was  
transferred to the ,bishopric of        
,winchester in #ahia4    ,illustration3 
,,age #eh4    ,from a ,photo4 by        
,elliott  ,fry4    ,illustration3       
,,present ,,day4    ,from a ,photo4 by  
,elliott  ,fry4      ,,the ,,czar ,,of  
,,russia4    ,,born #ahde4              
,illustration3 ,,age #bj4    ,from a    
,photo4 by ,george ,hansen1 ,junr41     
,kjbenhavn4    ,illustration3 ,,age #ch4
    ,from a ,photo4 by ,carl ,sonne1    
,kjbenhavn4    ,illustration3 ,,age #df4
    ,from a ,photograph4                
,illustration3 ,,present ,,day4    ,from
 a ,photo4 by ,j4 ,danielsen1           
,kjbenhavn4    ,alexander ,,iii4        
succeeded to the throne as ,emperor of  
,all the ,russias  in #ahha4 ,his       
coronation took place at ,moscow in     
,may1 #ahhc4 ,in #ahff he  married ,mary
 ,feodorovna1 daughter of ,christian    

,,ix41 ,king of ,denmark1  and sister of
 the ,princess of ,wales and the ,king  
of ,greece4      ,,the ,,duke ,,of      
,,wellington4    ,,born #ahdf4          
,illustration3 ,,age #c4    ,from a     
,drawing by ,a4,p4 ,paul4               
,illustration3 ,,age #ab4    ,from a    
,photograph4    ,illustration3 ,,age    
#ai4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,wolthytype1 
,regent ,street4    ,illustration3 ,,age
 #bg4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,a4         
,bassano1 ,piccadilly4    ,illustration3
 ,,present ,,day4    ,from a ,photo4 by 
,w4  ,d4 ,downey4    ,henry ,wellesley1 
,duke of ,wellington1 ,prince of        
,waterloo1 was late ,major  and         
,lieutenant-,colonel ,grenadier ,guards1
 ,colonel #bnd ,brigade ,southern       
,division ,royal ,artillery ,militia1   
and ,honorary ,colonel of the #crd and  
#dth ,battalions of the ,duke of        
,wellington's ,west ,riding ,regiment4  
,he  succeeded to his uncle1 son of the 
,great ,duke of ,wellington1 as #crd    
,duke in #ahhd4 ,he was ,m4,p4 for      

,andover from #ahgd to #ahhj1 and       
married  ,evelyn ,katerine ,gwenfra1    
youngest daughter of the late ,colonel  
,thomas  ,peers ,williams1 in #ahhb4    
,,mr4 ,,justice ,,kennedy4    ,,born    
#ahdg4    ,illustration3 ,,age #ag4     
,from a ,photograph4    ,illustration3  
,,age #bb4    ,from a ,photograph4      
,illustration3 ,,age #ce4    ,from a    
,photo4 by ,white1 ,littlehampton4      
,illustration3 ,,age #dj4    ,from a    
,photo4 by ,elliott  ,fry4              
,illustration3 ,,present ,,day    ,from 
a ,photo4 by ,h4,j4 ,whitlock1          
,birmingham4    ,the ,hon4 ,sir ,william
 ,rann ,kennedy was born in ,kensington1
 and was sent  to ,eton in #aheh4 ,at   
,cambridge1 where he went in #ahfd as a 
scholar of  ,king's ,college1 he carried
 off almost every prize that was open to
  his competition4 ,he was for a time   
president of the ,cambridge ,union1  and
 was elected to a ,fellowship at        
,pembroke in #ahfh4 ,whilst still in    
statu pupillari he enrolled himself as a

 student at ,lincoln's ,inn1 and  a     
short time before his call to the ,bar1 
in #ahgj-ga1 he was private  secretary  
to ,mr4 ,goschen1 who was ,president of 
the then ,poor ,law ,board4  ,in #ahhb  
he came to ,london1 and in #ahhe applied
 for and obtained silk4  ,he was raised 
to the ,bench in #ahib4      ,,dan      
,,godfrey    ,,born #ahcj4              
,illustration3 ,,age #af4    ,from a    
,daguerreotype4    ,illustration3 ,,age 
#cj4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,chancellor1 
,dublin4    ,illustration3 ,,age #db4   
,from a ,photo by ,j4 ,burton  ,sons1   
,leicester4    ,mr4 ,godfrey was        
educated at the ,royal ,academy of      
,music1 of which he is  now a ,fellow4  
,he was appointed ,bandmaster of the    
,grenadier ,guards by  the late ,prince 
,consort1 and his first duty was to play
 into ,london  the ,brigade of ,guards  
returning from the ,crimea1 for which   
occasion  he composed a march called    
,the ,return of the ,guards4 ,he was    
created  honorary ,second ,lieutenant on

 the ,queen's ,jubilee1 and his term of 
service has been prolonged beyond the   
usual age limit by special desire  of   
,her ,majesty4    ,illustration3 ,,age  
#ej4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,lee ,bros41 
,penarth4    ,illustration3 ,,present   
,,day4    ,from a ,photo4 by ,w4  ,d4   
,downey4          ,the ,birth of a      
,smile4      ,,by ,a ,,photographer4    
,some people wonder why a photographer  
charges extra for taking infants  in    
arms4 ,they imagine1 perhaps1 that a    
photographer should conduct his         
business on the principle of the railway
 companies1 and charge nothing  for     
infants and half-price for children     
under twelve4 ,but if the  railway      
companies had as much trouble with      
children as the photographer  has1 they 
would charge double first-class fare for
 those under twelve1  and make the      
infant in arms take a special train4    
,illustration3 #a4    ,i am a           
photographer myself1 although on mature 
consideration ,i think  ,i should prefer

 to be a railway company4 ,of infants in
 arms ,i prefer  not to speak           
here--there might even be a difficulty  
about printing  some of the things ,i   
should say4 ,suffice it to say that ,i  
have a  theory that ,herod was a        
struggling photographer in his young    
days1  and had his revenge when he came 
to the throne4 ,intelligent children  of
 half-fare age are bad enough1 but      
babies are beyond description4  ,girls  
are not always satisfactory1 but boys   
are much worse4 ,a boy turns  up at a   
photographer's in much the same frame of
 mind that he visits  the dentist--minus
 the terror4 ,he is so determined to see
 the thing  through with inflexible     
rigidity of countenance1 that the       
overwrought  muscles of his face either 
combine to give him an expression of    
intense  suffering1 or else break down  
under the strain and smudge the picture4
  ,it is always a doubtful experiment to
 ask a boy to smile--you never  know    
what the result will be4 ,most boys     

don't seem to know what a  smile is4 ,it
 is best1 instead of asking the boy to  
smile1 to provide  something likely to  
make him do it1 and then have him       
photographed  quickly before the smile  
gets too wide for the plate4            
,illustration3 #b4    ,many old         
photographers will remember ,signor     
,berneri1 a most admirable  operator1   
for many years with ,messrs4 ,elliott   
and ,fry4 ,signor ,berneri  was an      
,italian1 and his ,english vocabulary   
was small4 ,his invariable  direction to
 his sitters was1 ,now1 if you          
please--good express6 ,there  was a     
certain want of definite clearness about
 this request1 but by the  time the     
worthy ,signor had taken a ruinous      
number of negatives without  achieving  
the express he was aiming for1 his comic
 distress and  inability to convey a    
precise notion of what he required      
usually worked  their own cure1 and the 
sitter was smiling as widely as anybody 
could  ask4 ,an actual illustration of  

these persevering attempts of ,berneri  
is to be seen on these pages1 and a     
gradually dawning perception of  the    
photographer's intention is             
observable--and on the face of a boy4   
,the boy's original conception of a good
 express is in the nature of  a         
compromise wherein frowning             
determination mingles with a guarded    
defiance4    ,illustration3 #c4         
,after ,berneri's usual ,no good6 ,bad  
express6 the boy modifies his  original 
notion1 and stirs in a little dignified 
truculence with  the facial ingredients 
he used at first4 ,ah1 no good--no good6
  ,bad express--more badder express6--as
 one can now almost hear the  excitable 
,berneri shouting4 ,the boy abates his  
truculence1 and without  altogether     
abandoning the frown1 tries a look of   
half-amused and  quite uncomprehending  
inquiry1 which is1 perhaps1 justified by
 the  circumstances4 ,this1 again1 is no
 good express1 and by this time the     
operator has grown impatient and        

amusing2 the boy begins actually to     
smile2 and at last there is a real      
smile--some might say it verged on  an  
amused grin4 ,this boy1 by-the-bye1 is  
now ,mr4 ,elliott1 jun4--still  of      
,elliott and ,fry1 and six feet six     
inches high4    ,illustration3 #d4      
,berneri has betaken himself to a       
well-earned retirement in ,italy--he    
retired1 in fact1 some years ago4 ,but1 
excellent operator as he was1  he will  
be remembered in the profession for some
 time--if only because  of his wildly   
despairing entreaties for ,good         
express--now1 if you  please--good      
express6    ,but it is bad enough when  
your ,english is of full vocabulary4    
,why is  it no part of our ,english     
boy's education to know what a naturally
  pleasant expression of countenance is8
 ,why can he see no middle course       
between an aspect of warlike grimness   
and a self-conscious grin8 ,i am        
thinking1 seriously thinking1 of        
cultivating ,signor ,berneri's manner   

and speech for special use--with boy    
sitters4 ,i may even spoil more  plates 
than ,i do at present--although that is 
scarcely possible--but  the smile--or   
grin--which ,i extract will1 at least1  
be intelligent1  because it will have a 
definite object--myself4                
,illustration3 #e4          ,martin     
,hewitt1 ,investigator4      ,,the      
,,lenton ,,croft ,,robberies4    ,those 
who retain any memory of the great law  
cases of fifteen or twenty  years back  
will remember1 at least1 the title of   
that extraordinary  will case1 ,bartley 
v4 ,bartley and others1 which occupied  
the  ,probate ,court for some weeks on  
end1 and caused an amount of public     
interest rarely accorded to any but the 
cases considered in the  other division 
of the same court4 ,the case itself was 
noted for the  large quantity of        
remarkable and unusual evidence         
presented by the  plaintiff's           
side--evidence that took the other party
 completely by  surprise1 and overthrew 

their case like a house of cards4 ,the  
affair  will1 perhaps1 be more readily  
recalled as the occasion of the sudden  
rise to eminence1 in their profession1  
of ,messrs4 ,crellan1 ,hunt1 and        
,crellan1 solicitors for the            
plaintiff--a result due entirely to the 
wonderful ability shown in this case of 
building up1 apparently out  of nothing1
 a smashing weight of irresistible      
evidence4 ,that the firm  has since     
maintained--indeed1 enhanced--the       
position it then won for  itself1 need  
scarcely be said here2 its name is      
familiar to everybody4  ,but there are  
not many of the outside public who know 
that the credit  of the whole           
performance was primarily due to a young
 clerk in the  employ of ,messrs4       
,crellan1 who had been given charge of  
the seemingly  desperate task of        
collecting evidence in the case4        
,this ,mr4 ,martin ,hewitt had1 however1
 full credit and reward for his  exploit
 from his firm and from their client1   

and more than one other  firm of lawyers
 engaged in contentious work made good  
offers to  entice ,hewitt to change his 
employers4 ,instead of this1 however1 he
  determined to work independently for  
the future1 having conceived the  idea  
of making a regular business of doing1  
on behalf of such clients  as might     
retain him1 similar work to that he had 
just done1 with such  conspicuous       
success1 for ,messrs4 ,crellan1 ,hunt1  
and ,crellan4 ,this was  the beginning  
of the private detective business of    
,martin ,hewitt1 and  his action at that
 time has been completely justified by  
the brilliant  professional successes he
 has since achieved4    ,his business   
has always been conducted in the most   
private manner1 and  he has always      
declined the help of professional       
assistants1 preferring  to carry out1   
himself1 such of the many investigations
 offered him as  he could manage4 ,he   
has always maintained that he has never 
lost by  this policy1 since the chance  

of his refusing a case begets           
competition  for his services1 and his  
fees rise by a natural process4 ,at the 
same  time1 no man could know better how
 to employ casual assistance at the     
right time4    ,some curiosity has been 
expressed as to ,mr4 ,martin ,hewitt's  
system1  and as he himself always       
consistently maintains that he has no   
system  beyond a judicious use of       
ordinary faculties1 ,i intend setting   
forth in  detail a few of the more      
interesting of his cases1 in order that 
the  public may judge for itself if ,i  
am right in estimating ,mr4 ,hewitt's   
ordinary faculties as faculties very    
extraordinary indeed4 ,he is not  a man 
who has made many friendships 7this1    
probably1 for professional  reasons71   
notwithstanding his genial and          
companionable manners4 ,i  myself first 
made his acquaintance as a result of an 
accident resulting  in a fire at the old
 house in which ,hewitt's office was    
situated1 and  in an upper floor of     

which ,i occupied bachelor chambers4 ,i 
was able to  help in saving a quantity  
of extremely important papers relating  
to his  business1 and1 while repairs    
were being made1 allowed him to lock    
them  in an old wall-safe in one of my  
rooms1 which the fire had scarcely      
damaged4    ,the acquaintance thus begun
 has lasted many years1 and has become a
  rather close friendship4 ,i have even 
accompanied ,hewitt on some of  his     
expeditions1 and1 in a humble way1      
helped him4 ,such of the cases1         
however1 as ,i personally saw nothing of
 ,i have put into narrative form  from  
the particulars given me4    ,i consider
 you1 ,brett1 he said1 addressing me1   
the most remarkable  journalist alive4  
,not because you're particularly clever1
 you know2  because1 between ourselves1 
,i hope you'll admit you're not3 but    
because  you have known something of me 
and my doings for some years1 and  have 
never yet been guilty of giving away any
 of my little business  secrets you may 

have become acquainted with4 ,i'm afraid
 you're not so  enterprising a          
journalist as some1 ,brett4 ,but now1   
since you ask1 you  shall write         
something--if you think it worth while4 
,this he said1 as he said most things1  
with a cheery1 chaffing  good-nature    
that would have been1 perhaps1          
surprising to a stranger  who thought of
 him only as a grim and mysterious      
discoverer of secrets  and crimes4      
,indeed1 the man had always as little of
 the aspect of the  conventional        
detective as may be imagined4 ,nobody   
could appear more  cordial or less      
observant in manner1 although there was 
to be seen  a certain sharpness of the  
eye--which might1 after all1 only be the
  twinkle of good-humour4    ,i did     
think it worth while to write something 
of ,martin ,hewitt's  investigations1   
and a description of one of his         
adventures follows4           99        
99       99       99       99    ,at the
 head of the first flight of a dingy    

staircase leading up from  an ever-open 
portal in a street by the ,strand stood 
a door1 the dusty  ground-glass upper   
panel of which carried in its centre the
 single  word ,hewitt1 while at its     
right-hand lower corner1 in smaller     
letters1 ,clerk's ,office appeared4 ,on 
a morning when the clerks in  the       
ground-floor offices had barely hung up 
their hats1 a short1  well-dressed young
 man1 wearing spectacles1 hastening to  
open the dusty  door1 ran into the arms 
of another man who suddenly issued from 
it4    ,illustration3 ,,martin ,,hewitt4
    ,i beg pardon1 the first said4 ,is  
this ,hewitt's ,detective ,agency       
,office8    ,yes1 ,i believe you will   
find it so1 the other replied4 ,he was a
  stoutish1 clean-shaven man1 of middle 
height1 and of a cheerful1 round        
countenance4 ,you'd better speak to the 
clerk4    ,in the little outer office   
the visitor was met by a sharp lad with 
inky fingers1 who presented him with a  
pen and a printed slip4 ,the  printed   

slip having been filled with the        
visitor's name and present  business1   
and conveyed through an inner door1 the 
lad reappeared with  an invitation to   
the private office4 ,there1 behind a    
writing-table1 sat  the stoutish man    
himself1 who had only just advised an   
appeal to the  clerk4    ,good morning1 
,mr4 ,lloyd--,mr4 ,vernon ,lloyd1 he    
said1 affably1 looking  again at the    
slip4 ,you'll excuse my care to start   
even with my  visitors--,i must1 you    
know4 ,you come from ,sir ,james        
,norris1 ,i see4    ,yes2 ,i am his     
secretary4 ,i have only to ask you to go
 straight to  ,lenton ,croft at once1 if
 you can1 on very important business4   
,sir ,james  would have wired1 but had  
not your precise address4 ,can you go by
 the  next train8 ,eleven-thirty is the 
first available from ,paddington4       
,quite possibly4 ,do you know anything  
of the business8    ,it is a case of a  
robbery in the house1 or1 rather1 ,i    
fancy1 of  several robberies4 ,jewellery

 has been stolen from rooms occupied by 
visitors to the ,croft4 ,the first case 
occurred some months ago--nearly  a year
 ago1 in fact4 ,last night there was    
another4 ,but ,i think you had  better  
get the details on the spot2 ,sir ,james
 has told me to telegraph  if you are   
coming1 so that he may meet you himself 
at the station2 and  ,i must hurry1 as  
his drive to the station will be rather 
a long one4  ,then ,i take it you will  
go1 ,mr4 ,hewitt8 ,twyford is the       
station4    ,yes1 ,i shall come1 and by 
the eleven-thirty4 ,are you going by    
that  train yourself8    ,no1 ,i have   
several things to attend to now ,i am in
 town4 ,good morning2  ,i shall wire at 
once4    ,mr4 ,martin ,hewitt locked the
 drawer of his table and sent his clerk 
for  a cab4    ,at ,twyford ,station    
,sir ,james ,norris was waiting with a  
dog-cart4 ,sir  ,james was a tall1      
florid man of fifty or thereabout1 known
 away from  home as something of a      
county historian1 and nearer his own    

parts as  a great supporter of the hunt1
 and a gentleman much troubled with     
poachers4 ,as soon as he and ,hewitt had
 found one another1 the baronet  hurried
 the detective into his dog-cart4 ,we've
 something over seven  miles to drive1  
he said1 and ,i can tell you all about  
this wretched  business as we go4 ,that 
is why ,i came for you myself1 and      
alone4    ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,james  
,,norris ,,was ,,waiting ,,with ,a      
,,dog-,,cart4    ,hewitt nodded4    ,i  
have sent for you1 as ,lloyd probably   
told you1 because of a robbery  at my   
place last evening4 ,it appears1 as far 
as ,i can guess1 to be  one of three by 
the same hand1 or by the same gang4     
,late yesterday  afternoon----          
,pardon me1 ,sir ,james1 ,hewitt        
interrupted1 but ,i think ,i must ask   
you to begin at the first robbery and   
tell me the whole tale in proper  order4
 ,it makes things clearer1 and sets them
 in their proper shape4    ,very well4  
,eleven months ago1 or thereabout1 ,i   

had rather a large  party of visitors1  
and among them ,colonel ,heath and ,mrs4
 ,heath--the  lady being a relative of  
my own late wife4 ,colonel ,heath has   
not been  long retired1 you know--used  
to be political resident in an ,indian  
native ,state4 ,mrs4 ,heath had rather a
 good stock of jewellery of one  sort   
and another1 about the most valuable    
piece being a bracelet  set with a      
particularly fine pearl--quite an       
exceptional pearl1 in  fact--that had   
been one of a heap of presents from the 
,maharajah of his  ,state when ,heath   
left ,india4    ,it was a very          
noticeable bracelet1 the gold setting   
being a mere  featherweight piece of    
native filigree work--almost too fragile
 to  trust on the wrist--and the pearl  
being1 as ,i have said1 of a size  and  
quality not often seen4 ,well1 ,heath   
and his wife arrived late one  evening1 
and after lunch the following day1 most 
of the men being  off by                
themselves--shooting1 ,i think--my      

daughter1 my sister 7who is  very often 
down here71 and ,mrs4 ,heath took it    
into their heads to go                  
walking--fern-hunting1 and so on4 ,my   
sister was rather long dressing1  and   
while they waited1 my daughter went into
 ,mrs4 ,heath's room1 where  ,mrs4      
,heath turned over all her treasures to 
show her--as women do1 you  know4 ,when 
my sister was at last ready they came   
straight away1 leaving  the things      
littering about the room rather than    
stay longer to pack  them up4 ,the      
bracelet1 with other things1 was on the 
dressing-table  then4    ,one moment4   
,as to the door8    ,they locked it4 ,as
 they came away my daughter suggested   
turning the  key1 as we had one or two  
new servants about4    ,and the window8 
,that they left open1 as ,i was going to
 tell you4 ,well1 they went on  their   
walk and came back1 with ,lloyd 7whom   
they had met somewhere7  carrying their 
ferns for them4 ,it was dusk and almost 
dinner time4 ,mrs4  ,heath went straight

 to her room1 and--the bracelet was     
gone4    ,was the room disturbed8       
,not a bit4 ,everything was precisely   
where it had been left1 except the      
bracelet4 ,the door hadn't been tampered
 with1 but of course the window  was    
open1 as ,i have told you4    ,you      
called the police1 of course8    ,yes1  
and had a man from ,scotland ,yard down 
in the morning4 ,he  seemed a pretty    
smart fellow1 and the first thing he    
noticed on the  dressing-table1 within  
an inch or two of where the bracelet had
 been1  was a match1 which had been lit 
and thrown down4 ,now1 nobody about  the
 house had had occasion to use a match  
in that room that day1  and1 if they    
had1 certainly wouldn't have thrown it  
on the cover of  the dressing-table4 ,so
 that1 presuming the thief to have used 
that  match1 the robbery must have been 
committed when the room was getting     
dark--- immediately before ,mrs4 ,heath 
returned1 in fact4 ,the thief  had      
evidently struck the match1 passed it   

hurriedly over the various  trinkets    
lying about1 and taken the most         
valuable4    ,nothing else was even     
moved8    ,nothing at all4 ,then the    
thief must have escaped by the window1  
although it was not quite clear how4    
,the walking party approached the  house
 with a full view of the window1 but saw
 nothing1 although the  robbery must    
have been actually taking place a moment
 or two before  they turned up4         
,there was no water-pipe within any     
practicable distance of the window4     
,but a ladder usually kept in the       
stable-yard was found lying along the   
edge of the lawn4 ,the gardener         
explained1 however1 that he had put the 
ladder there after using it himself     
early in the afternoon4    ,of course1  
it might easily have been used again    
after that and put  back4    ,just what 
the ,scotland ,yard man said4 ,he was   
pretty sharp1 too1 on  the gardener1 but
 very soon decided that he knew nothing 
of it4 ,no  stranger had been seen in   

the neighbourhood1 nor had passed the   
lodge  gates4 ,besides1 as the detective
 said1 it scarcely seemed the work of a 
stranger4 ,a stranger could scarcely    
have known enough to go straight to  the
 room where a lady--only arrived the day
 before--had left a valuable  jewel1 and
 away again without being seen4 ,so all 
the people about the  house were        
suspected in turn4 ,the servants        
offered1 in a body1 to have  their boxes
 searched1 and this was done2 everything
 was turned over1  from the butler's to 
the new kitchenmaid's4 ,i don't know    
that ,i should  have had this carried   
quite so far if ,i had been the loser   
myself1 but  it was my guest1 and ,i was
 in such a horrible position4 ,well1    
there's  little more to be said about   
that1 unfortunately4 ,nothing came of it
  all1 and the thing's as great a       
mystery now as ever4 ,i believe the     
,scotland ,yard man got as far as       
suspecting me before he gave it up      
altogether1 but give it up he did in the

 end4 ,i think that's all ,i know  about
 the first robbery4 ,is it clear8       
,oh1 yes2 ,i shall probably want to ask 
a few questions when ,i have seen  the  
place1 but they can wait4 ,what next8   
,well1 ,sir ,james pursued1 the next was
 a very trumpery affair1  that ,i should
 have forgotten all about1 probably1 if 
it hadn't been  for one circumstance4   
,even now ,i hardly think it could have 
been the  work of the same hand4 ,four  
months or thereabout after ,mrs4        
,heath's  disaster--in ,february of this
 year1 in fact--,mrs4 ,armitage1 a young
  widow1 who had been a schoolfellow of 
my daughter's1 stayed with us  for a    
week or so4 ,the girls don't trouble    
about the ,london season1 you  know1 and
 ,i have no town house1 so they were    
glad to have their old  friend here for 
a little in the dull time4 ,mrs4        
,armitage is a very  active young lady1 
and was scarcely in the house half an   
hour before  she arranged a drive in a  
pony-cart with ,eva--my daughter--to    

look up  old people in the village that 
she used to know before she was married4
  ,so they set off in the afternoon1 and
 made such a round of it that they  were
 late for dinner4 ,mrs4 ,armitage had a 
small plain gold brooch--not  at all    
valuable1 you know3 two or three pounds1
 ,i suppose--which she  used to pin up a
 cloak or anything of that sort4 ,before
 she went out  she stuck this in the    
pincushion on her dressing-table1 and   
left a  ring--rather a good one1 ,i     
believe--lying close by4    ,this1 asked
 ,hewitt1 was not in the room that ,mrs4
 ,heath had  occupied1 ,i take it8      
,no2 this was in another part of the    
building4 ,well1 the brooch             
went--taken1 evidently1 by someone in a 
deuce of a hurry1 for when  ,mrs4       
,armitage got back to her room1 there   
was the pincushion with a  little tear  
in it1 where the brooch had been simply 
snatched off4 ,but  the curious thing   
was that the ring--worth a dozen of the 
brooch--was  left where it had been put4

 ,mrs4 ,armitage didn't remember whether
 or  not she had locked the door        
herself1 although she found it locked   
when  she returned2 but my niece1 who   
was indoors all the time1 went and      
tried it once--because she remembered   
that a gasfitter was at work on  the    
landing near by--and found it safely    
locked4 ,the gasfitter1 whom  we didn't 
know at the time1 but who since seems to
 be quite an honest  fellow1 was ready  
to swear that nobody but my niece had   
been to the  door while he was in sight 
of it--which was almost all the time4   
,as  to the window1 the sash-line had   
broken that very morning1 and ,mrs4     
,armitage had propped open the bottom   
half about eight or ten inches  with a  
brush2 and when she returned1 that      
brush1 sash and all1 were  exactly as   
she had left them4 ,now1 ,i scarcely    
need tell you what an  awkward job it   
must have been for anybody to get       
noiselessly in at that  unsupported     
window2 and how unlikely he would have  

been to replace it1  with the brush1    
exactly as he found it4                 
,illustration3 ,i ,,was ,,taking ,a     
,,little ,,practice4    ,just so4 ,i    
suppose the brooch was really gone8 ,i  
mean1 there was no  chance of ,mrs4     
,armitage having mislaid it8    ,oh1    
none at all4 ,there was a most careful  
search4    ,then1 as to getting in at   
the window1 would it have been easy8    
,well1 yes1 ,sir ,james replied2 yes1   
perhaps it would4 ,it is a  first-floor 
window1 and it looks over the roof and  
skylight of the  billiard-room4 ,i built
 the billiard-room myself--built it out 
from a  smoking-room just at this       
corner4 ,it would be easy enough to get 
at  the window from the billiard-room   
roof4 ,but1 then1 he added1 that        
couldn't have been the way4 ,somebody or
 other was in the billiard-room  the    
whole time1 and nobody could have got   
over the roof 7which is  nearly all     
skylight7 without being seen and heard4 
,i was there myself  for an hour or two1

 taking a little practice4    ,well1 was
 anything done8    ,strict inquiry was  
made among the servants1 of course1 but 
nothing  came of it4 ,it was such a     
small matter that ,mrs4 ,armitage       
wouldn't hear  of my calling in the     
police or anything of that sort1        
although ,i felt  pretty certain that   
there must be a dishonest servant about 
somewhere4  ,a servant might take a     
plain brooch1 you know1 who would feel  
afraid of  a valuable ring1 the loss of 
which would be made a greater matter of4
    ,well1 yes--perhaps so1 in the case 
of an inexperienced thief1 who also     
would be likely to snatch up whatever   
she took in a hurry4 ,but ,i'm          
doubtful4 ,what made you connect these  
two robberies together8    ,nothing     
whatever--for some months4 ,they seemed 
quite of a different  sort4 ,but        
scarcely more than a month ago ,i met   
,mrs4 ,armitage at  ,brighton1 and we   
talked1 among other things1 of the      
previous  robbery--that of ,mrs4        

,heath's bracelet4 ,i described the     
circumstances  pretty minutely1 and when
 ,i mentioned the match found on the    
table she  said1 ',how strange6 ,why1 my
 thief left a match on the              
dressing-table  when he took my poor    
little brooch6'    ,hewitt nodded4 ,yes1
 he said4 ,a spent match1 of course8    
,yes1 of course1 a spent match4 ,she    
noticed it lying close by the           
pincushion1 but threw it away without   
mentioning the circumstance4  ,still1 it
 seemed rather curious to me that a     
match should be lit and  dropped1 in    
each case1 on the dressing-cover an inch
 from where the  article was taken4 ,i  
mentioned it to ,lloyd when ,i got back1
 and he  agreed that it seemed          
significant4    ,scarcely1 said ,hewitt1
 shaking his head4 ,scarcely1 so far1 to
 be  called significant1 although worth 
following up4 ,everybody uses matches   
in the dark1 you know4    ,well1 at any 
rate1 the coincidence appealed to me so 
far that it  struck me it might be worth

 while to describe the brooch to the    
police  in order that they could trace  
it if it had been pawned4 ,they had     
tried  that1 of course1 over the        
bracelet1 without any result1 but ,i    
fancied  the shot might be worth making1
 and might possibly lead us on the track
  of the more serious robbery4    ,quite
 so4 ,it was the right thing to do4     
,well8    ,well1 they found it4 ,a woman
 had pawned it in ,london--at a shop in 
,chelsea4 ,but that was some time       
before1 and the pawnbroker had clean    
forgotten all about the woman's         
appearance4 ,the name and address she   
gave were false4 ,so that was the end of
 that business4    ,had any of your     
servants left you between the time the  
brooch was lost  and the date of the    
pawnticket8    ,no4    ,were all your   
servants at home on the day the brooch  
was pawned8    ,oh1 yes4 ,i made that   
inquiry myself4    ,very good4 ,what    
next8    ,yesterday--and this is what   
made me send for you4 ,my late wife's   

sister came here last ,tuesday1 and we  
gave her the room from which ,mrs4      
,heath lost her bracelet4 ,she had with 
her a very old-fashioned brooch1        
containing a miniature of her father1   
and set1 in front1 with three  very fine
 brilliants and a few smaller stones4   
,here we are1 though1 at  the ,croft2   
,i'll tell you the rest indoors4        
,hewitt laid his hand on the baronet's  
arm4 ,don't pull up1 ,sir ,james1  he   
said4 ,drive a little further4 ,i should
 like to have a general idea  of the    
whole case before we go in4    ,very    
good4 ,sir ,james ,norris straightened  
the horse's head again and  went on4    
,late yesterday afternoon1 as my        
sister-in-law was changing  her dress1  
she left her room for a moment to speak 
to my daughter in  her room1 almost     
adjoining4 ,she was gone no more than   
three minutes1  or five at most1 but on 
her return the brooch1 which had been   
left on  the table1 had gone4 ,now1 the 
window was shut fast1 and had not been  

tampered with4 ,of course1 the door was 
open1 but so was my daughter's1  and    
anybody walking near must have been     
heard4 ,but the strangest  circumstance1
 and one that almost makes me wonder    
whether ,i have been  awake to-day or   
not1 was that there lay a used match on 
the very  spot1 as nearly as possible1  
where the brooch had been--and it was   
broad daylight6    ,hewitt rubbed his   
nose and looked thoughtfully before him4
  ,um--curious1 certainly1 he said4     
,anything else8    ,nothing more than   
you shall see for yourself4 ,i have had 
the room  locked and watched till you   
could examine it4 ,my sister-in-law had 
heard of your name1 and suggested that  
you should be called in2 so1 of  course1
 ,i did exactly as she wanted4 ,that she
 should have lost that  brooch1 of all  
things1 in my house1 is most            
unfortunate2 you see1  there was some   
small difference about the thing between
 my late wife  and her sister when their
 mother died and left it4 ,it's almost  

worse  than the ,heath's bracelet       
business1 and altogether ,i'm not       
pleased  with things1 ,i can assure you4
 ,see what a position it is for me6     
,here  are three ladies in the space of 
one year1 robbed one after another in   
this mysterious fashion in my house1 and
 ,i can't find the thief4 ,it's         
horrible6 ,people will be afraid to come
 near the place4 ,and ,i can do         
nothing6    ,ah1 well--we'll see4       
,perhaps we had better turn back now4   
,by-the-bye1  were you thinking of      
having any alterations or additions made
 to your  house8    ,no4 ,what makes you
 ask8    ,i think you might at least    
consider the question of painting and   
decorating1 ,sir ,james--or1 say1       
putting up another coach-house1  or     
something1 because ,i should like to be 
7to the servants7 the  architect--or the
 builder1 if you please--come to look   
round4 ,you  haven't told any of them   
about this business8    ,not a word4    
,nobody knows but my relatives and      

,lloyd4 ,i took every  precaution       
myself1 at once4 ,as to your little     
disguise1 be the  architect1 by all     
means1 and do as you please4 ,if you can
 only find  this thief and put an end to
 this horrible state of affairs1 you'll 
do  me the greatest service ,i've ever  
asked for--and as to your fee1 ,i'll    
gladly make it whatever is usual1 and   
three hundred in addition4    ,martin   
,hewitt bowed4 ,you're very generous1   
,sir ,james1 and you may be  sure ,i'll 
do what ,i can4 ,as a professional man1 
of course1 a good fee  always stimulates
 my interest1 although this case of     
yours certainly  seems interesting      
enough by itself4    ,most              
extraordinary6 ,don't you think so8     
,here are three persons1 all  ladies1   
all in my house1 two even in the same   
room1 each successively  robbed of a    
piece of jewellery1 each from a         
dressing-table1 and a used  match left  
behind in every case4 ,all in the most  
difficult--one would  say               

impossible--circumstances for a thief1  
and yet there is no clue6    ,well1 we  
won't say that just yet1 ,sir ,james2 we
 must see4 ,and we must  guard against  
any undue predisposition to consider the
 robberies in a  lump4 ,here we are at  
the lodge gate again4 ,is that your     
gardener--the  man who left the ladder  
by the lawn on the first occasion you   
spoke  of8 ,mr4 ,hewitt nodded in the   
direction of a man who was clipping a   
box  border4    ,yes2 will you ask him  
anything8    ,no1 no3 at any rate1 not  
now4 ,remember the building alterations4
 ,i  think1 if there is no objection1 ,i
 will look first at the room that the   
lady--,mrs4----8 ,hewitt looked up      
inquiringly4    ,my sister-in-law8 ,mrs4
 ,cazenove4 ,oh1 yes1 you shall come to 
her room  at once4    ,thank you4 ,and  
,i think ,mrs4 ,cazenove had better be  
there4    ,they alighted3 and a boy from
 the lodge led the horse and dog-cart   
away4    ,mrs4 ,cazenove was a thin and 
faded1 but quick and energetic1 lady of 

middle age4 ,she bent her head very     
slightly on learning ,martin ,hewitt's  
name1 and said3 ,i must thank you1 ,mr4 
,hewitt1 for your very prompt           
attention4 ,i need scarcely say that any
 help you can afford in tracing  the    
thief who has my property--whoever it   
may be--will make me most  grateful4 ,my
 room is quite ready for you to examine4
    ,the room was on the second         
floor--the top floor at that part of    
the building4 ,some slight confusion of 
small articles of dress was  observable 
in parts of the room4    ,this1 ,i take 
it1 inquired ,hewitt1 is exactly as it  
was at the time  the brooch was missed8 
,precisely1 ,mrs4 ,cazenove answered4 ,i
 have used another room1 and put  myself
 to some other inconveniences1 to avoid 
any disturbance4    ,hewitt stood before
 the dressing-table4 ,then this is the  
used match1  he observed1 exactly where 
it was found8    ,yes4    ,where was the
 brooch8    ,i should say almost on the 
very same spot4 ,certainly no more than 

a  very few inches away4                
,illustration3 ,,hewitt ,,stood ,,before
 ,,the ,,dressing ,,table4    ,hewitt   
examined the match closely4 ,it is burnt
 very little1 he  remarked4 ,it would   
appear to have gone out at once4 ,could 
you hear it  struck8    ,i heard nothing
 whatever2 absolutely nothing4    ,if   
you will step into ,miss ,norris's room 
now for a moment1 ,hewitt  suggested1 we
 will try an experiment4 ,tell me if you
 hear matches  struck1 and how many4    
,where is the match-stand8    ,the      
match-stand proved to be empty1 but     
matches were found in ,miss  ,norris's  
room1 and the test was made4 ,each      
striking could be heard  distinctly1    
even with one of the doors pushed to4   
,both your own door and ,miss ,norris's 
were open1 ,i understand2 the  window   
shut and fastened inside as it is now1  
and nothing but the  brooch was         
disturbed8    ,yes1 that was so4        
,thank you1 ,mrs4 ,cazenove4 ,i don't   
think ,i need trouble you any further   

just at present4 ,i think1 ,sir ,james1 
,hewitt added1 turning to the  baronet1 
who was standing by the door--,i think  
we will see the other  room and take a  
walk outside the house1 if you please4  
,i suppose1  by-the-bye1 that there is  
no getting at the matches left behind on
 the  first and second occasions8       
,no1 ,sir ,james answered4 ,certainly   
not here4 ,the ,scotland ,yard man  may 
have kept his4    ,the room that ,mrs4  
,armitage had occupied presented no     
peculiar  feature4 ,a few feet below the
 window the roof of the billiard-room   
was  visible1 consisting largely of     
skylight4 ,hewitt glanced casually about
  the walls1 ascertained that the       
furniture and hangings had not been     
materially changed since the second     
robbery1 and expressed his desire  to   
see the windows from the outside4       
,before leaving the room1 however1  he  
wished to know the names of any persons 
who were known to have been  about the  
house on the occasions of all three     

robberies4    ,just carry your mind     
back1 ,sir ,james1 he said4 ,begin with 
yourself1  for instance4 ,where were you
 at these times8    ,when ,mrs4 ,heath  
lost her bracelet ,i was in ,tagley     
,wood all the  afternoon4 ,when ,mrs4   
,armitage was robbed1 ,i believe ,i was 
somewhere  about the place most of the  
time she was out4 ,yesterday ,i was down
 at  the farm4 ,sir ,james's face       
broadened4 ,i don't know whether you    
call  those suspicious movements8 he    
added1 and laughed4    ,not at all2 ,i  
only asked you so that1 remembering your
 own movements1  you might the better   
recall those of the rest of the         
household4 ,was  anybody1 to your       
knowledge--anybody1 mind--in the house  
on all three  occasions8    ,well1 you  
know1 it's quite impossible to answer   
for all the servants4  ,you'll only get 
that by direct questioning--,i can't    
possibly remember  things of that sort4 
,as to the family and visitors--why1 you
 don't  suspect any of them1 do you8    

,i don't suspect a soul1 ,sir ,james1   
,hewitt answered1 beaming genially1  not
 a soul4 ,you see1 ,i can't suspect     
people till ,i know something  about    
where they were4 ,it's quite possible   
there will be independent  evidence     
enough as it is1 but you must help me if
 you can4 ,the  visitors1 now4 ,was     
there any visitor here each time--or    
even on the  first and last occasions   
only8    ,no--not one4 ,and my own      
sister1 perhaps you will be pleased to  
know1  was only there at the time of the
 first robbery4    ,just so4 ,and your  
daughter1 as ,i have gathered1 was      
clearly absent  from the spot each      
time--indeed1 was in company with the   
party robbed4  ,your niece1 now8        
,why1 hang it all1 ,mr4 ,hewitt1 ,i     
can't talk of my niece as a suspected   
criminal4 ,the poor girl's under my     
protection1 and ,i really can't  allow--
    ,hewitt raised his hand and shook   
his head deprecatingly4    ,my dear sir1
 haven't ,i said that ,i don't suspect a

 soul8 ,do let me  know how the people  
were distributed1 as nearly as possible4
 ,let me  see4 ,it was your niece1 ,i   
think1 who found that ,mrs4 ,armitage's 
door  was locked--this door in fact--on 
the day she lost her brooch8    ,yes1 it
 was4    ,just so--at the time when     
,mrs4 ,armitage1 herself1 had forgotten 
whether she locked it or not4 ,and      
yesterday--was she out then8    ,no1 ,i 
think not4 ,indeed1 she goes out very   
little--her health is  usually bad4 ,she
 was indoors1 too1 at the time of the   
,heath robbery1  since you ask4 ,but    
come1 now1 ,i don't like this4 ,it's    
ridiculous to  suppose that she knows   
anything of it4    ,i don't suppose it1 
as ,i have said4 ,i am only asking for  
information4  ,that is all your resident
 family1 ,i take it1 and you know       
nothing of  anybody else's              
movements--except1 perhaps1 ,mr4        
,lloyd's8    ,lloyd8 ,well1 you know    
yourself that he was out with the ladies
 when  the first robbery took place4 ,as

 to the others1 ,i don't remember4      
,yesterday he was probably in his room1 
writing4 ,i think that acquits  him1 eh8
 ,sir ,james looked quizzically into the
 broad face of the  affable detective1  
who smiled and replied3--    ,oh1 of    
course1 nobody can be in two places at  
once1 else what would  become of the    
alibi as an institution8 ,but as ,i have
 said1 ,i am  only setting my facts in  
order4 ,now1 you see1 we get down to the
  servants--unless some stranger is the 
party wanted4 ,shall we go outside  now8
    ,lenton ,croft was a large1         
desultory sort of house1 nowhere more   
than  three floors high1 and mostly only
 two4 ,it had been added to bit by bit  
till it zig-zagged about its site1 as   
,sir ,james ,norris expressed it1  like 
a game of dominoes4 ,hewitt scrutinized 
its external features  carefully as they
 strolled round1 and stopped some little
 while before  the windows of the two   
bedrooms he had just seen from the      
inside4  ,presently they approached the 

stables and coach-house1 where a groom  
was washing the wheels of the dog-cart4 
,do you mind my smoking8 ,hewitt asked  
,sir ,james4 ,perhaps you will  take a  
cigar yourself--they are not so bad1 ,i 
think4 ,i will ask your  man for a      
light4    ,sir ,james felt for his own  
match-box1 but ,hewitt had gone1 and was
  lighting his cigar with a match from a
 box handed him by the groom4 ,a  smart 
little terrier was trotting about by the
 coach-house1 and ,hewitt  stooped to   
rub its head4 ,then he made some        
observation about the dog1  which       
enlisted the groom's interest1 and was  
soon absorbed in a chat  with the man4  
,sir ,james1 waiting a little way off1  
tapped the stones  rather impatiently   
with his foot1 and presently moved away4
    ,for full a quarter of an hour      
,hewitt chatted with the groom1 and when
  at last he came away and overtook ,sir
 ,james1 that gentleman was about       
re-entering the house4    ,i beg your   
pardon1 ,sir ,james1 ,hewitt said1 for  

leaving you in that  unceremonious      
fashion to talk to your groom1 but a    
dog1 ,sir ,james--a  good dog--will draw
 me anywhere4    ,illustration3 ,,hewitt
 ,,chatted ,,with ,,the ,,groom4    ,oh1
 replied ,sir ,james1 shortly4    ,there
 is one other thing1 ,hewitt went on1   
disregarding the other's  curtness1 that
 ,i should like to know3 ,there are two 
windows directly  below that of the room
 occupied yesterday by ,mrs4            
,cazenove--one on each  floor4 ,what    
rooms do they light8    ,that on the    
ground floor is the morning-room2 the   
other is ,mr4  ,lloyd's--my secretary4  
,a sort of study or sitting-room4       
,now1 you will see at once1 ,sir ,james1
 ,hewitt pursued1 with an affable       
determination to win the baronet back to
 good humour1 you will see  at once that
 if a ladder had been used in ,mrs4     
,heath's case1 anybody  looking from    
either of these rooms would have seen   
it4    ,of course4 ,the ,scotland ,yard 
man questioned everybody as to that1    

but nobody seemed to have been in either
 of the rooms when the thing  occurred2 
at any rate1 nobody saw anything4       
,still1 ,i think ,i should like to look 
out of those windows myself2 it  will1  
at least1 give me an idea of what was in
 view and what was  not1 if anybody had 
been there4    ,sir ,james ,norris led  
the way to the morning-room4 ,as they   
reached  the door1 a young lady1        
carrying a book and walking very        
languidly1  came out4 ,hewitt stepped   
aside to let her pass1 and afterwards   
said1  interrogatively3 ,miss           
,norris--your daughter1 ,sir ,john8     
,no1 my niece4 ,do you want to ask her  
anything8 ,dora1 my dear1 ,sir  ,james  
added1 following her in the corridor1   
this is ,mr4 ,hewitt1 who is            
investigating these wretched robberies  
for me4 ,i think he would like to  hear 
if you remember anything happening at   
any of the three times4    ,the lady    
bowed slightly1 and said in a plaintive 
drawl3 ,i1 uncle8  ,really1 ,i don't    

remember anything2 nothing at all4      
,you found ,mrs4 ,armitage's door       
locked1 ,i believe1 asked ,hewitt1 when 
you tried it1 on the afternoon when she 
lost her brooch8    ,oh1 yes2 ,i believe
 it was locked4 ,yes1 it was4    ,had   
the key been left in8    ,the key8 ,oh1 
no6 ,i think not2 no4    ,do you        
remember anything out of the common     
happening--anything  whatever1 no matter
 how trivial--on the day ,mrs4 ,heath   
lost her  bracelet8    ,no1 really ,i   
don't4 ,i can't remember at all4    ,nor
 yesterday8    ,no1 nothing4 ,i don't   
remember anything4    ,thank you1 said  
,hewitt1 hastily2 thank you4 ,now the   
morning-room1  ,sir ,james4    ,in the  
morning-room ,hewitt stayed but a few   
seconds1 doing little  more than        
casually glance out of the windows4 ,in 
the room above he  took a little longer 
time4 ,it was a comfortable room1 but   
with rather  effeminate indications     
about its contents4 ,little pieces of   
draped  silk-work hung about the        

furniture1 and ,japanese silk fans      
decorated  the mantelpiece4 ,near the   
window was a cage containing a grey     
parrot1  and the writing-table was      
decorated with two vases of flowers4    
,lloyd makes himself pretty comfortable1
 eh8 ,sir ,james observed4 ,but  it     
isn't likely anybody would be here while
 he was out1 at the time  that bracelet 
went4    ,no1 replied ,hewitt1          
meditatively4 ,no1 ,i suppose not4      
,he stared thoughtfully out of the      
window1 and then1 still deep in         
thought1 rattled at the wires of the    
cage with a quill tooth-pick and  played
 a moment with the parrot4 ,then looking
 up at the window again1  he said3 ,that
 is ,mr4 ,lloyd1 isn't it1 coming back  
in a fly8    ,yes1 ,i think so4 ,is     
there anything else you would care to   
see here8    ,no1 thank you1 ,hewitt    
replied2 ,i don't think there is4       
,they went down to the smoking-room1 and
 ,sir ,james went away to speak to  his 
secretary4 ,when he returned1 ,hewitt   

said1 quietly1 ,i think1 ,sir           
,james--,i think that ,i shall be able  
to give you your thief presently4       
,what6 ,have you a clue8 ,who do you    
think8 ,i began to believe you were     
hopelessly stumped4    ,well1 yes4 ,i   
have rather a good clue1 although ,i    
can't tell you much  about it just yet4 
,but it is so good a clue that ,i should
 like to  know now whether you are      
determined to prosecute1 when you have  
the  criminal8    ,why1 bless me1 of    
course1 ,sir ,james replied1 with       
surprise4 ,it  doesn't rest with me1 you
 know--the property belongs to my       
friends4 ,and  even if they were        
disposed to let the thing slide1 ,i     
shouldn't allow  it--,i couldn't1 after 
they had been robbed in my house4    ,of
 course1 of course4 ,then1 if ,i can1 ,i
 should like to send a message  to      
,twyford by somebody perfectly          
trustworthy--not a servant4 ,could      
anybody go8    ,well1 there's ,lloyd1   
although he's only just back from his   

journey4  ,but if it's important1 he'll 
go4    ,it is important4 ,the fact is1  
we must have a policeman or two here    
this evening1 and ,i'd like ,mr4 ,lloyd 
to fetch them without telling  anybody  
else4    ,sir ,james rang1 and1 in      
response to his message1 ,mr4 ,lloyd    
appeared4  ,while ,sir ,james gave his  
secretary his instructions1 ,hewitt     
strolled to  the door of the            
smoking-room1 and intercepted the latter
 as he came out4    ,i'm sorry to give  
you this trouble1 ,mr4 ,lloyd1 he said1 
but ,i must  stay here myself for a     
little1 and somebody who can be trusted 
must  go4 ,will you just bring back a   
police-constable with you8--or rather   
two--two would be better4 ,that is all  
that is wanted4 ,you won't let the      
servants know1 will you8 ,of course1    
there will be a female searcher at  the 
,twyford police-station8 ,ah--of course4
 ,well1 you needn't bring her1  you     
know4 ,that sort of thing is done at the
 station4 ,and chatting thus            

confidentially1 ,martin ,hewitt saw him 
off4    ,illustration3 ,i ,,am ,,sorry  
,,to ,,give ,,you ,,the ,,trouble1 ,,mr4
 ,,lloyd4    ,when ,hewitt returned to  
the smoking-room ,sir ,james said1      
suddenly1  ,why1 bless my soul1 ,mr4    
,hewitt1 we haven't fed you6 ,i'm       
awfully sorry4  ,we came in rather late 
for lunch1 you know1 and this business  
has  bothered me so1 ,i clean forgot    
everything else4 ,there's no dinner till
  seven1 so you'd better let me give you
 something now4 ,i'm really sorry4      
,come along4    ,thank you1 ,sir ,james1
 ,hewitt replied2 ,i won't take much4 ,a
 few  biscuits1 perhaps1 or something of
 that sort4 ,and1 by-the-bye1 if you    
don't mind1 ,i rather think ,i should   
like to take it alone4 ,the fact is1  ,i
 want to go over this case thoroughly by
 myself4 ,can you put me in a  room8    
,any room you like4 ,where will you go8 
,the dining-room's rather large1  but   
there's my study1 that's pretty snug1   
or--    ,perhaps ,i can go into ,mr4    

,lloyd's room for half an hour or so--,i
 don't  think he'll mind1 and it's      
pretty comfortable4    ,certainly1 if   
you'd like4 ,i'll tell them to send you 
whatever they've  got4    ,thank you    
very much4 ,perhaps they'll also send me
 a lump of sugar and  a                 
walnut--it's--it's just a little fad of 
mine4    ,a--what8 ,a lump of sugar and 
a walnut8 ,sir ,james stopped for a     
moment1 with his hand on the bell-rope4 
,oh1 certainly1 if you'd like  it2      
certainly1 he added1 and stared after   
this detective of curious  tastes as he 
left the room4    ,when the vehicle1    
bringing back the secretary and the     
policemen1 drew  up on the drive1       
,martin ,hewitt left the room on the    
first floor and  proceeded downstairs4  
,on the landing he met ,sir ,james      
,norris and ,mrs4  ,cazenove1 who stared
 with astonishment on perceiving that   
the detective  carried in his hand the  
parrot-cage4    ,i think our business is
 about brought to a head now1 ,hewitt   

remarked1  on the stairs4 ,here are the 
police-officers from ,twyford4 ,the men 
were standing in the hall with ,mr4     
,lloyd1 who1 on catching sight of the   
cage in ,hewitt's hand1 paled suddenly4 
,this is the person who will be charged1
 ,i think1 ,hewitt pursued1  addressing 
the officers1 and indicating ,lloyd with
 his finger4    ,what1 ,lloyd8 gasped   
,sir ,james1 aghast4 ,no--not           
,lloyd--nonsense6    ,he doesn't seem to
 think it nonsense himself1 does he8    
,hewitt  placidly observed4 ,lloyd had  
sunk on a chair1 and1 grey of face1 was 
staring blindly at the man he had run   
against at the office door that         
morning4 ,his lips moved in spasms1 but 
there was no sound4 ,the wilted  flower 
fell from his button-hole to the floor1 
but he did not move4    ,this is his    
accomplice1 ,hewitt went on1 placing the
 parrot and cage  on the hall table1    
though ,i doubt whether there will be   
any use in  charging him4 ,eh1 ,polly8  
,the parrot put its head aside and      

chuckled4 ,hullo1 ,polly6 it quietly    
gurgled4 ,come along6    ,sir ,james    
,norris was hopelessly bewildered4      
,lloyd--,lloyd-- he said1  under his    
breath1 ,lloyd--and that6               
,illustration3 ,,sir ,,james ,,norris   
,,was ,,hopelessly ,,bewildered4        
,this was his little messenger1 his     
useful ,mercury1 ,hewitt explained1     
tapping the cage complacently2 in fact1 
the actual lifter4 ,hold him  up4       
,the last remark referred to the        
wretched ,lloyd1 who had fallen forward 
with something between a sob and a loud 
sigh4 ,the policemen took him by  the   
arms and propped him in his chair4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,system8 said ,hewitt1 with a shrug of  
the shoulders an hour or two  after1 in 
,sir ,james's study4 ,i can't say ,i    
have a system4 ,i call it  nothing but  
common-sense and a sharp pair of eyes4  
,nobody using these  could help taking  
the right road in this case4 ,i began at
 the match1  just as the ,scotland ,yard

 man did1 but ,i had the advantage of   
taking a  line through three cases4 ,to 
begin with1 it was plain that that      
match1  being left there in daylight1 in
 ,mrs4 ,cazenove's room1 could not have 
been used to light the table-top1 in the
 full glare of the window2  therefore it
 had been used for some other           
purpose--what purpose ,i  could not1 at 
the moment1 guess4 ,habitual thieves1   
you know1 often  have curious           
superstitions1 and some will never take 
anything without  leaving something     
behind--a pebble or a piece of coal1 or 
something  like that--in the premises   
they have been robbing4 ,it seemed at   
first  extremely likely that this was a 
case of that kind4 ,the match had       
clearly been brought in--because when ,i
 asked for matches there were  none in  
the stand--not even an empty box2 and   
the room had not been  disturbed4 ,also 
the match probably had not been struck  
there1 nothing  having been heard1      
although1 of course1 a mistake in this  

matter was  just possible4 ,this match  
then1 it was fair to assume1 had been   
lit  somewhere else and blown out       
immediately--,i remarked at the time    
that  it was very little burnt4 ,plainly
 it could not have been treated thus    
for nothing1 and the only possible      
object would have been to prevent  it   
igniting accidentally4 ,following on    
this it became obvious that the  match  
was used1 for whatever purpose1 not as a
 match1 but merely as a  convenient     
splinter of wood4    ,so far so good4   
,but on examining the match very closely
 ,i observed--as  you can see for       
yourself--certain rather sharp          
indentations in the  wood4 ,they are    
very small1 you see1 and scarcely       
visible1 except upon  narrow inspection2
 but there they are1 and their positions
 are regular4  ,see--there are two on   
each side1 each opposite the            
corresponding mark  of the other pair4  
,the match1 in fact1 would seem to have 
been gripped  in some fairly sharp      

instrument1 holding it at two points    
above1 and  two below--an instrument1 as
 it may at once strike you1 not unlike  
the  beak of a bird4    ,now1 here was  
an idea4 ,what living creature but a    
bird could possibly  have entered ,mrs4 
,heath's window without a               
ladder--supposing no ladder  to have    
been used--or could have got into ,mrs4 
,armitage's window  without lifting the 
sash higher than the eight or ten inches
 it was  already open8 ,plainly1        
nothing4 ,further1 it is significant    
that only  one article was stolen at a  
time1 although others were about4 ,a    
human  being could have carried any     
reasonable number1 but a bird could     
only take one at a time4 ,but why should
 a bird carry a match in its  beak8     
,certainly it must have been trained to 
do that for a purpose1  and a little    
consideration made that purpose pretty  
clear4 ,a noisy1  chattering bird would 
probably betray itself at once4         
,therefore it must  be trained to keep  

quiet both while going for and coming   
away with  its plunder4 ,what readier or
 more probably effectual way than1 while
  teaching it to carry without dropping1
 to teach it also to keep quiet  while  
carrying8 ,the one thing would          
practically cover the other4    ,i      
thought at once1 of course1 of a jackdaw
 or a magpie--these birds'  thievish    
reputations made the guess natural4 ,but
 the marks on the match  were much too  
wide apart to have been made by the beak
 of either4  ,i conjectured1 therefore1 
that it must be a raven4 ,so that when  
we  arrived near the coach-house ,i     
seized the opportunity of a little  chat
 with your groom on the subject of dogs 
and pets in general1  and ascertained   
that there was no tame raven in the     
place4 ,i also1  incidentally1 by       
getting a light from the coach-house box
 of matches1  ascertained that the match
 found was of the sort generally used   
about  the establishment--the large1    
thick1 red-topped ,english match4 ,but  

,i  further found that ,mr4 ,lloyd had a
 parrot which was a most intelligent    
pet1 and had been trained into          
comparative quietness--for a parrot4    
,also1 ,i learnt that more than once the
 groom had met ,mr4 ,lloyd carrying  his
 parrot under his coat--it having1 as   
its owner explained1 learnt  the trick  
of opening its cage-door1 and escaping4 
,i said nothing1 of course1 to you of   
all this1 because ,i had as yet  nothing
 but a train of argument and no results4
 ,i got to ,lloyd's room  as soon as    
possible4 ,my chief object in going     
there was achieved when ,i  played with 
the parrot1 and induced it to bite a    
quill tooth-pick4    ,when you left me  
in the smoking-room ,i compared the     
quill and the  match very carefully1 and
 found that the marks corresponded      
exactly4  ,after this ,i felt very      
little doubt indeed4 ,the fact of ,lloyd
 having  met the ladies walking before  
dark on the day of the first robbery    
proved nothing1 because1 since it was   

clear that the match had not  been used 
to procure a light1 the robbery might as
 easily have taken  place in daylight as
 not--must have so taken place1 in fact1
 if my  conjectures were right4 ,that   
they were right ,i felt no doubt4 ,there
  could be no other explanation4        
,illustration3 ,,explaining4    ,when   
,mrs4 ,heath left her window open and   
her door shut1 anybody  climbing upon   
the open sash of ,lloyd's high window   
could have put the  bird upon the sill  
above4 ,the match placed in the bird's  
beak for the  purpose ,i have indicated 
and struck first1 in case by accident it
  should ignite by rubbing against      
something and startle the bird--this    
match would1 of course1 be dropped just 
where the object to be removed  was     
taken up2 as you know1 in every case the
 match was found almost  upon the spot  
where the missing article had been      
left--scarcely a  likely triple         
coincidence1 had the match been used by 
a human thief4  ,this would have been   

done as soon after the ladies had left  
as  possible1 and there would then have 
been plenty of time for ,lloyd to  hurry
 out and meet them before               
dark--especially plenty of time to meet 
them coming back1 as they must have     
been1 since they were carrying  their   
ferns4 ,the match was an article well   
chosen for its purpose1 as  being a not 
altogether unlikely thing to find on a  
dressing-table1 and1  if noticed1 likely
 to lead to the wrong conclusions       
adopted by the  official detective4     
,in ,mrs4 ,armitage's case1 the taking  
of an inferior brooch and the  leaving  
of a more valuable ring pointed clearly 
either to the operator  being a fool or 
unable to distinguish values1 and       
certainly1 from other  indications1 the 
thief seemed no fool4 ,the door was     
locked1 and the  gasfitter1 so to speak1
 on guard1 and the window was only eight
 or  ten inches open and propped with a 
brush4 ,a human thief entering the      
window would have disturbed this        

arrangement1 and would scarcely risk    
discovery by attempting to replace it1  
especially a thief in so great a  hurry 
as to snatch the brooch up without      
unfastening the pin4 ,the bird  could   
pass through the opening as it was1 and 
would have to tear the  pincushion to   
pull the brooch off--probably holding   
the cushion down  with its claw the     
while4    ,now1 in yesterday's case we  
had an alteration of conditions4 ,the   
window was shut and fastened1 but the   
door was open--but only left for  a few 
minutes1 during which time no sound was 
heard either of coming or  going4 ,was  
it not possible1 then1 that the thief   
was already in the  room1 in hiding1    
while ,mrs4 ,cazenove was there1 and    
seized its first  opportunity on her    
temporary absence8 ,the room is full of 
draperies1  hangings1 and what-not1     
allowing of plenty of concealment for a 
bird1  and a bird could leave the place 
noiselessly and quickly4 ,that the      
whole scheme was strange mattered not at

 all4 ,robberies presenting such        
unaccountable features must have been   
effected by strange means of one  sort  
or another4 ,there was no               
improbability--consider how many        
hundreds  of examples of infinitely     
higher degrees of bird-training are     
exhibited  in the ,london streets every 
week for coppers4    ,so that1 on the   
whole1 ,i felt pretty sure of my ground4
 ,but before  taking any definite steps1
 ,i resolved to see if ,polly could not 
be  persuaded to exhibit his            
accomplishments to an indulgent         
stranger4 ,for  that purpose ,i         
contrived to send ,lloyd away again and 
have a quiet hour  alone with his bird4 
,a piece of sugar1 as everybody knows1  
is a good  parrot bribe2 but a walnut1  
split in half1 is a better--especially  
if  the bird be used to it2 so ,i got   
you to furnish me with both4 ,polly  was
 shy at first1 but ,i generally get     
along very well with pets1 and  a little
 perseverance soon led to a complete    

private performance for  my benefit4    
,polly would take the match1 mute as    
wax1 jump on the  table1 pick up the    
brightest thing he could see1 in a great
 hurry1  leave the match behind1 and    
scuttle away round the room2 but at     
first  wouldn't give up the plunder to  
me4 ,it was enough4 ,i also took the    
liberty1 as you know1 of a general look 
round1 and discovered that  little      
collection of ,brummagem rings and      
trinkets that you have just  seen--used 
in ,polly's education1 no doubt4 ,when  
we sent ,lloyd away it  struck me that  
he might as well be usefully employed as
 not1 so ,i got  him to fetch the       
police--deluding him a little1 ,i fear1 
by talking  about the servants and a    
female searcher4 ,there will be no      
trouble  about evidence--he'll confess2 
of that ,i'm sure4 ,i know the sort of  
man4 ,but ,i doubt if you'll get ,mrs4  
,cazenove's brooch back4 ,you see1 he   
has been to ,london to-day1 and by this 
the swag is probably broken up4    ,sir 

,james listened to ,hewitt's explanation
 with many expressions of  assent and   
some of surprise4 ,when it was over he  
smoked a few whiffs  and then said3 ,but
 ,mrs4 ,armitage's brooch was pawned2   
and by a woman4    ,exactly4 ,i expect  
our friend ,lloyd was rather disgusted  
at his small  luck--probably gave the   
brooch to some female connection in     
,london1 and  she realized on it4 ,such 
persons don't always trouble to give a  
correct  address4    ,the two smoked in 
silence for a few minutes1 and then     
,hewitt continued3  ,i don't expect our 
friend has had an easy job altogether   
with that  bird4 ,his successes at most 
have only been three1 and ,i suspect he 
had  many failures and not a few anxious
 moments that we know nothing of4 ,i    
should judge as much merely from what   
the groom told me of frequently  meeting
 ,lloyd with his parrot4 ,but the plan  
was not a bad one--not at  all4 ,even if
 the bird had been caught in the act1 it
 would only have  been ',that           

mischievous parrot6' you see4 ,and his  
master would only have  been looking for
 him4    ,illustration3          ,,the  
,,palace ,,of ,,vanity      ,,from ,,the
 ,,french ,,of ,,madame ,,mile ,,de     
,,girardin4    ,it was a magnificent    
palace1 built on the side of a broad    
highway1  along which a great number of 
travellers passed every day4    ,this   
palace had an elegant faade on each of  
its four sides2 a  colonnade supported  
by admirable columns surrounded it4 ,it 
is true that  this colonnade prevented  
the entrance of any light into the      
palace2  but the exterior view of it was
 so beautiful that nobody ventured to   
criticise it objectively2 besides1 what 
need of daylight has anybody in  a      
palace8 ,have they not lustres and      
candelabra8 ,why trouble themselves     
about the sun1 then8 ,every portion of  
the dome of this palace was  gilded1 and
 produced a most dazzling effect4       
,the queen who lived in this            
dwelling-place was a tall and handsome  

woman1 who1 instead of a heart1 had in  
her bosom a large diamond cut in  the   
form of a heart2 it was believed to be  
on that account that she had  never     
loved4    ,on the front of her palace   
were written these words in ruby        
letters3                       ,,here   
,,you ,,may ,,obtain ,,whatever ,,you   
,,may ,,wish ,,for4    ,a young man     
passing along the road stopped to look  
at this superb  monument1 and having    
perceived this sign--for it bore a      
strong  resemblance to a sign--he       
suddenly exclaimed3--    ,faith1 ,i'd   
like to go inside6 ,i'm tired of being  
in the condition ,i'm  in1 and should   
not be sorry to be something else4      
,as he went towards one of the porticos1
 he noticed a beggar seated near  it on 
a stone and laughing4    ,you are       
laughing at me1 old fellow1 said the    
young wayfarer2 but ,i  give you back   
your laugh2 for you must be a fool to   
remain in rags at  the door of a palace 
where you have only to wish for a new   

coat to be  dressed like a prince4      
,perhaps you don't know how to read8    
,oh1 yes6--,i know how to read--even    
writing in rubies1 replied the old  man4
    ,well1 then1 have you nothing to    
desire1 that you do not enter this      
palace8    ,truly1 yes4 ,i desire more  
things than one2 but not any such as    
they  give away here4    ,the old man   
had such an air of cunning as he said   
this1 that the young  man mistrusted    
him4    ,he is laying some kind of trap 
for me1 he thought1 and was about       
passing on his way4    ,don't be afraid2
 no harm will come to you in this       
palace1 the old man  went on4 ,troubles 
exist there only for those who ask for  
them3 take my  word for it1 you may go  
in fearlessly4    ,yes2 but may ,i come 
out again8    ,certainly you may1       
replied the beggar1 if you find nothing 
there you  wish for4    ,the young man  
hesitated4 ,he saw a number of people   
pass along the road1  and not one of    
them seemed to have an idea of entering 

this palace4  ,that struck him as being 
suspicious1 and he took alarm4    ,is   
this palace shunned by travellers8 ,how 
comes it that not one enters  it8    ,it
 is because they have heard about it2   
they know that people are  bored there1 
and1 in his home1 everybody likes to    
amuse himself4  ,seeing that the young  
man was curious to visit this monument1 
the old  beggar said to him3 ,i'll tell 
you what ,i'll do2 if you'll give me the
  price of a bottle of good wine1 ,i'll 
sacrifice myself and go in with         
you--and we'll laugh together at the    
imbeciles who live there4    ,agreed6   
cried the young man4    ,he gave the old
 beggar a piece of money1 and they went 
up to the door4  ,it was made of        
crystal1 and afforded a view of the     
interior and of the  bell which had to  
be rung to obtain admission4    ,on     
examining it carefully1 the young       
traveller observed that this bell  was  
made of gold1 and had for its clapper a 
fine pear-shaped pearl1 of  such beauty 

that it dazzled his sight4    ,he stood 
motionless1 gazing at it4    ,ring6     
cried the old beggar1 becoming impatient
 at length4    ,really1 ,i dare not1    
replied the young man2 ,i am afraid of  
injuring  this beautiful pearl by       
ringing the bell4 ,it would be such a   
pity2 it  is so admirable6    ,bah6     
cried the beggar1 who knew very little  
about jewels1 let me do  it--,i'm not   
afraid4    ,no1 no2 let us rather knock 
at the door----    ,but he stopped      
himself2 for it occurred to him that1 as
 this handsome  door was made of        
crystal1 a blow with the knocker would  
at least crack  it4    ,tired by these  
hesitations1 the old beggar seized the  
knocker and  struck so heavy a blow with
 it that the door was shivered into     
fragments4    ,they entered freely4     
,there was nobody in the vestibule2 in  
the ,palace of ,vanity nobody would     
remain in the ante-chamber4 ,and yet    
this ante-chamber surpassed in  luxury  
many drawing rooms4 ,it was adorned with

 statues representing  gods and         
goddesses1 and pictures representing    
kings and queens1 princes  and          
princesses4    ,it was paved with jasper
 and porphyry2 but this pavement was so 
highly  polished1 so slippery1 that the 
young man1 whose shoes were studded     
with hobnails1 was near falling several 
times within the space of three         
minutes4 ,he was obliged to cling to the
 walls1 and would rather have  walked   
upon ice1 as then he might have had on a
 pair of skates4    ,illustration3 ,,the
 ,,door ,,was ,,shivered ,,into         
,,fragments4    ,the old man also       
slipped a little1 but his beggar's staff
 supported him4    ,after much          
difficulty they at length reached a vast
 room1 in which a  number of persons    
were assembled4 ,their costumes were    
magnificent2 the  women were covered    
with jewellery4 ,they had jewels even on
 their rich  ,court mantles1 which      
trailed along the carpet2 their         
bracelets1 their  necklaces1 their      

diadems were dazzling4 ,the young       
traveller1 whom we  shall henceforth    
call ,almric1 was delighted by the      
sight4    ,the men were not much less   
splendidly decorated than the women in  
this  drawing-room3 they wore coats of  
velvet embroidered with diamonds1 and   
on their heads caps1 each ornamented    
with four ostrich feathers worthy  to   
adorn the hat of a queen4    ,who are   
these great personages8 ,almric asked   
the beggar4    ,these are the domestics 
of the house1 he replied4    ,indeed1 as
 soon as these princes saw the two      
travellers enter1 they  came to them to 
take their orders1 and to ask whether   
they desired to  visit the palace4      
,phew6 said ,almric to himself1 here are
 indeed some well-kept  people6 ,but    
fear of being indiscreet made him say   
aloud3 ,perhaps we  should be           
incommoding the inhabitants of this     
palace1 by visiting them  at this hour2 
perhaps----    ,incommode the           
inhabitants of the ,palace of ,vanity6  

cried the beggar1  ironically2 ,i defy  
you to do it1 young man6--they are here 
only to  show themselves1 and they are  
never troubled by people coming to      
admire  them3 you might as well be      
afraid of incommoding actors by going to
 the  theatre to see them4    ,the young
 man could not refrain from laughing at 
this reflection4    ,show us the wonders
 of the palace1 the old man said to the 
attendants4 ,here is a traveller who    
desires to live here2 but1 before       
expressing his wishes1 he wants to know 
something about you4 ,go before  and    
conduct us4    ,the young traveller was 
greatly surprised at the old beggar's   
off-hand  treatment of these superb     
valets1 and at their readiness to obey  
him2  he did not know that the          
philosopher's vanity takes the pas of   
all  others4 ,so many things astonished 
him that he dare not ask any more       
questions4    ,a fat woman of ripe age1 
who filled the functions of housekeeper1
 at  once stepped forward and handed the

 keys of the house to the valet who  was
 to conduct the two guests4 ,almric saw 
behind her two little pages  who were   
bearing her mantle1 and whom the        
enormity of her bulk had at  first      
entirely hidden from his sight4         
,these two pages no more quitted her    
than her shadow4 ,it was a  prerogative 
of her rank not to be able to take a    
single step1 or  perform a single act1  
without the attendance of these two     
babe-kins4    ,her eagerness to obey the
 beggar made her forget her two little  
gendarmes1 and she advanced so quickly1 
without warning them1 that they  did not
 think of following her1 and held on so 
firmly to her mantle  that1 in hurrying 
forward1 she pulled them both down upon 
their noses1  while she herself was     
jerked upon her back4 ,as she was very  
heavy1  she hurt herself considerably1  
and the other servants hastened to her  
assistance4    ,a ,court mantle1 said   
the beggar1 does not appear to me very  
commodious for housework4    ,and the   

young traveller could not refrain from  
laughing at this  reflection4    ,one of
 the lackeys having taken up a          
candelabrum1 conducted the  strangers   
through the vast apartments of the      
palace4 ,they reached the  dining-room4 
,do you wish to sup1 gentlemen8    ,by  
all means1 said the beggar2 there is    
nothing but a good meal  which is not a 
vanity4    ,he seated himself at table4 
,but he had hardly tasted any of the    
dishes  set before him1 than he found   
them so fanciful1 so salted1 peppered1  
sugared1 truffled1 and mixed1 that he   
would not partake of one of them2       
impossible to recognise the meat of a   
single animal1 so highly was it         
seasoned4    ,what is this8 asked the   
old man--rabbit8    ,no1 monsieur--they 
are lamb cutlets4    ,and this3 lentil  
soup8    ,no1 monsieur2 hare soup4      
,it was a confusion1 past all           
understanding4 ,and yet more3 everything
  served was cold1 for the hot-water    
plates were all of malachite1 and       

nobody dare pour hot water into them4   
,faith1 said the beggar1 ,i'd rather    
have an omelette on a pewter  platter1  
and he handed to a servant in waiting   
his gilded plate4 ,the  servant in      
bowing to take it took no heed of the   
candles burning on the  table1 and      
forgot all about the plumes which       
adorned his head4 ,they  approached too 
near the flame1 and a strong odour of   
burnt feathers  announced that the plume
 was grilling4    ,a white panach does  
not appear to me to be convenient for   
waiting  at table1 said the beggar      
again2 and again the young stranger     
could  not refrain from laughing at this
 reflection4    ,the queen of this      
mansion1 the ,princess ,vanita1 is not  
here at  present1 is she8 asked the     
beggar4    ,no1 monsieur1 replied one of
 the lackeys2 she is1 at this moment1   
with her favourite adorers1 in a country
 the name of which ,i forget1  but which
 is highly renowned for its wines4      
,illustration3 ,,she ,,pulled ,,them    

,,both ,,down ,,upon ,,their ,,noses4   
,ah6 ,i guess she is in ,france1 said   
the beggar3 she will not soon be  back4 
,perched on a rich rod1 a handsome      
paroquet was screeching at some         
distance from the table3 ,fly quickly6  
fly quickly6 ,don't stop in this        
palace6    ,almric went over to her4    
,why should we fly8 he asked3 are you   
not happy here8    ,alas6--look at me1  
replied the paroquet2 ,i wished to be   
beautiful3 ,i  desired claws of gold1   
ruby wings2 and now ,i am condemned to  
rest here  all my life1 motionless1 as  
you see2 for it is impossible to fly    
with  wings made of rubies or to walk   
with feet made of gold4    ,near the    
window they observed a large cat4 ,it   
did not stir from where  it lay1 and    
appeared to be very discontented4       
,what is the matter with you1 puss8     
inquired ,almric4    ,excuse me1 replied
 the cat1 is it a horse1 a serpent1 a   
donkey1 a  man1 or a woman to whom ,i   
have the honour of speaking8 ,i can't   

see2  pray excuse me4    ,you are blind8
 said ,almric1 compassionately4         
,alas6 yes1 monsieur--and by my own     
fault4 ,i had so long heard emerald     
eyes praised that ,i wished for them1   
and ever since that time have lost  my  
sight4 ,i do not even know whether my   
eyes are as pretty as they  have been   
said to be4 ,will you be so kind as to  
tell me what is your  impression on the 
subject8 ,look at me4 ,do you think that
 emerald eyes  go well with my face8    
,almric wished to say that he thought   
her eyes beautiful1 to console  her for 
having lost her sight1 but the old      
beggar was inexorable4    ,your eyes are
 abominably ugly6 he said1 roughly4     
,impossible6 replied the cat4 ,they must
 shine8    ,no6 cried the old man2      
nothing shines out of its place6 ,take  
my  advice--hide them1 put on           
spectacles2 and if ever you have any    
more  emeralds1 make them into rings and
 not into eyes4    ,illustration3 ,,fly 
,,quickly6    ,and1 once more1 the young

 man could not refrain from laughing at 
this  reflection4    ,on quitting the   
dining-room1 they entered a superb court
 paved in  mosaic and surrounded by     
elegant columns4    ,they there         
perceived a bird which1 by its plumage1 
might have been  taken for a vulture1   
but whose timid bearing had nothing of  
the bird of  prey in it4    ,there is a 
vulture that1 to me1 has a very stupid  
look1 observed the  beggar4 ,who are    
you1 old fellow8 he added1 addressing   
the vulture4    ,i am a vulture1 a bird 
of prey2 formerly a turkey1 a farmyard  
bird4 ,i  wished to mount in rank and   
quit the sphere in which ,i won nothing 
but  disrespect2 but ,i repent--repent  
the change--for ,i cannot bring myself  
to devour them4    ,devour whom8 cried  
,almric4    ,alas6 those good turkeys   
who have always been so kind to me4     
,ninny6 exclaimed the old beggar1 why   
did you get yourself turned  into a     
vulture8 ,better to be a turkey and     
liked1 than a vulture--and  timid4      

,and again the young man could not      
refrain from laughing at this           
reflection4    ,in one corner of the    
court there was a bear seated on a      
bench1 his head  bowed down upon his    
chest and plunged in profound           
meditation4    ,there's a fellow1 too1  
who does not seem to know much about the
  business of a bear1 remarked the      
beggar4 ,how did he come to be in  this 
palace8 ,what vanity has pushed him into
 the bear profession8 ,i'd  lay a wager 
he once had a better4    ,the beggar    
approached the melancholy animal4       
,bear1 he asked1 what were you before   
you got yourself transformed  into your 
present shape8    ,i was a doctor's     
assistant4    ,a doctor's assistant6    
repeated ,almric and the beggar in the  
same  breath4    ,yes1 a doctor's       
assistant1 replied the bear2 but        
everybody made fun  of my position4 ,men
 pursued me with their irony1 made songs
 about me1  burlesqued me on the stage4 
,i wished to escape them1 and had myself

  turned into a bear2 but ,i am tired of
 my condition4 ,i was not born for      
solitude4    ,you old fool6 cried the   
beggar1 angrily1 why did you leave the  
calling you were in8 ,you might have    
avenged yourself on the men you  detest2
 for you do not appear to me to be very 
learned1 and you might  have poisoned   
the universe with your drugs and your   
blunders4    ,the beggar was still      
speaking1 when his attention was        
attracted by a  gigantic elephant in an 
adjoining court4    ,an elephant6 he    
cried4 ,who can have asked to be turned 
into an  elephant8 an ant1 ,i'll wager4 
,however1 the old man was mistaken2 it  
was not an ant that had desired  to be  
turned into an elephant3 it was a       
rabbit4 ,he had only recently  obtained 
that signal favour1 and was still puffed
 up with pride at his  metamorphosis4   
,he was walking about heavily1 and with 
an air of importance1 and  received     
condescendingly all the compliments     
addressed to him on his  new promotion4 

,the beggar1 having learned his history1
 advanced towards him familiarly4       
,good-day1 bunny6 he said4 ,well1 how do
 you like your big skin8                
,illustration3 ',,an ,,elephant6' ,,he  
,,cried4    ,the elephant was greatly   
shocked at this disrespectful tone2 but 
the  small practice he had had in the   
use of his trunk prevented him from     
seeking to avenge himself4              
,thoroughly--as you see1 he replied1    
strutting4    ,is it long since you     
asked this favour8 inquired the beggar1 
maliciously4    ,no1 replied the        
elephant2 a few days ago only2 as an old
 rabbit1 ,i  had incontestable claims4  
,i have really only changed in form3 my 
colour  remains the same2 my ears1      
instead of standing up1 now fall        
down--that  is the only difference4     
,the idiot6 thought the beggar2 he does 
not even believe himself to  have been  
changed6    ,tell me1 my dear fellow1   
said ,almric1 who was greatly amused by 
the rabbit's stupidity1 don't you find  

your ordinary habits somewhat  deranged8
    ,you remind me1 replied the rabbit1 
as if suddenly struck by an  idea3 ,i am
 afraid ,i shall find my increased bulk 
inconvenient1 on  returning to my burrow
 this evening4    ,this time the young  
man could not possibly refrain from     
laughing at  that reflection4    ,would 
you like to see the beautiful woman1    
gentlemen8 asked the  lackey who was    
conducting them4    ,yes1 yes1 replied  
,almric1 eagerly4 ,i should like to see 
the  'beautiful woman4' ,where is she8  
,this way1 gentlemen4 ,be good enough to
 enter this boudoir4    ,they passed    
into a charming room1 formed entirely of
  looking-glasses--the ceiling1 the     
wainscotting1 all was of  looking-glass1
 in which one could admire oneself from 
every point of  view4    ,the beautiful 
woman was lying upon a sofa4 ,on        
beholding her1 the  beggar and ,almric  
fell back in horror4 ,this beautiful    
woman was a  monstrosity1 but believed  
herself to be a chef d'oeuvre4    ,every

 part of her was beautiful1 and yet she 
appeared horrible2 because  the         
exaggeration of beauties makes a hideous
 ensemble2 because it is  harmony which 
gives grace to things we admire1        
movement which gives  life2 and this    
beautiful woman had neither grace nor   
movement4    ,she had been born very    
pretty1 but the excess of her vanity1   
and her  coquetry1 had made her lose all
 her advantages4 ,she was beautiful  as 
,nature had created her2 she wished to  
be beautiful as beauty  is painted3 she 
exaggerated all her graces and changed  
them into  deformities4    ,she asked   
for silken hair--she had long locks of  
silk1 without life  or colour2 she      
desired to have teeth of pearl1 and her 
teeth appeared  horrible3 she wished for
 a wasp-waist1 and her body1 drawn in by
 a  tight belt1 was without grace or    
suppleness1 and looked as if it might   
snap in two at any moment2 she asked for
 hands of alabaster1 and her  hands     
became dull and cold2 she desired to    

have the feet of a child1  and these    
deformed feet were not strong enough to 
sustain the weight  of her body or to   
permit her to walk4 ,nothing more       
hideous was ever  seen3 it was ideal    
ugliness4    ,illustration3 ,a          
,,beautiful ,,woman ,,was ,,lying ,,upon
 ,a ,,sofa4    ,thousand centimes6      
exclaimed the beggar2 how horrible this 
'beautiful woman' is6--the sight of her 
makes me in love again with my  old     
wife6    ,evening being come1 a sleeping
 apartment was offered the strangers for
  the night4    ,a room here will be    
better than any ,i can get at an inn1   
thought  ,almric1 following the valet1  
who conducted him to a magnificent      
bedroom prepared for travellers4        
,exhausted by the fatigues of the day1  
he lost no time in undressing  and      
getting into bed4 ,but he had scarcely  
stretched himself before  beginning to  
utter loud cries of distress4           
,horror6 my skin is being torn from my  
body6 ,i am in torture6 ,what is  the   

meaning of it8 ,a perfidy6 ,an          
abominable piece of cruelty6 and  a     
thousand like complaints3 and yet all he
 complained of arose from  nothing but  
the admirable care which had been taken 
with his bed4    ,the sheets which      
covered it were of the finest ,indian   
muslin1  embroidered with gold spangles1
 charming to look upon1 but             
inappreciable by a person used to lie   
upon sheets of coarse ,holland4 ,it     
takes time to get accustomed to         
inconveniences of this sort4    ,poor   
,almric's feet were scratched all over4 
,every movement he made in  getting out 
of this terrible bed tore his skin2 his 
arms were covered  with blood4          
,vanity of vanities6 he cried4 ,old man1
 beggar1 let us fly from this  place2   
there is no sleeping in this palace1 and
 ,i am dying for want of  sleep4        
,what do you think of sheets embroidered
 with gold spangles8 asked the  old man1
 laughing4 ,could you have a more superb
 bed to sleep in8    ,let us get out of 

this place1 cried the young traveller1  
who was in  no jesting mood2 ,i'll not  
remain here another hour4 ,the men here 
are  all stupid1 the women frightful2   
one can neither eat here nor sleep4     
,let us be off1 old man--let us be off  
instantly6    ,almric1 who had hastily  
redressed himself1 roughly pushed the   
beggar  out of the room1 the old man    
laughing heartily all the while1 and    
they  quitted the palace together1      
taking the way to the beggar's hovel4   
,illustration3 ,i ,,am ,,in ,,torture6  
,sleep here1 said the old man1 pointing 
to his truckle bed2 this  mattress is   
favourable to sleep1 and your rest will 
not be disturbed by  spangled           
sheets--because there are no sheets of  
any kind4 ,but what does  that          
matter8--it is sleep that makes good    
beds1 as it is appetite that  makes good
 meals4    ,almric threw himself on to  
the beggar's bed and was soon sound     
asleep2  and the old man heard him cry  
out in his dreams3--    ,it is all over6

 ,i wished to obtain the embassy to     
,constantinople2 but  ,i will remain a  
simple notary at ,saint-,quentin4       
,and the beggar1 in his turn1 could not 
refrain from laughing at this           
reflection4          ,the ,queer ,side  
of ,things4      ,,the ,,master ,,of    
,,grange4    ,illustration    ,there was
 a rushing1 whirling agitation in the   
air--the dust rose  from every ledge and
 revolved wildly as a something passed  
down  the intricacies of the old back   
staircase--passed too rapidly for       
recognition4 ,it was the page1 pale and 
breathless1 hurling himself from  the   
top floor toward the servants' hall4    
,there's that ghost agen6 he gasped4    
,it's up there a-furridgin among  the   
lumber in the loft6 ,it is--,i 'eard it 
myself1 ,i tell yer6 ,yer may  say      
'pooh' if yer like4 ,yer'd better go an'
 see6    ,the housekeeper1 being the    
bravest of those who heard1 went up to  
see4  ,there certainly were unusual     
sounds in the vast and lonely lofts     

under  the roof4 ,cautiously she peeped 
in2 and there was the ,squire with a    
candle ferreting about among the dusty  
heaps of lumber4    ,mrs4 ,wriggs1 said 
the ,squire1 there are a great many     
useless things  here which we shall     
never want4 ,i've been thinking that we 
might as  well----    ,yes1 sir2 no     
doubt there are many poor people who    
could turn them to  some use1 said ,mrs4
 ,wriggs4 ,and we might do worse than   
give them----    ,give them6 said the   
,squire4 ,doesn't it seem rather like   
bad taste  to give away things which    
,providence has presented to us8        
,wouldn't it  be taken as a sort of     
slight8 ,i was thinking that we might   
sell them1  now--for the good of the    
,house1 of course4 ,the ,squire         
represented the  house3 he did a great  
many things for the good of it--the     
temporal  good1 of course4    ,eh8 ,who 
would buy8 said the ,squire4 ,if a thing
 is good enough to  accept1 ,mrs4       
,wriggs1 it has some value2 what has a  

value is worth  buying4 ,let us collect 
all the articles we have no further use 
for1 and  obtain the highest price for  
them1 by way of showing to that         
,providence  which has bestowed them    
upon us that they have a value in our   
eyes4 ,i  will accompany you downstairs1
 and see what broken saucepans and other
  utensils there may be there4 ,every   
little helps1 in a good cause4    ,so   
the articles were looked out--saucepans 
with holes in them1 handles  of         
flat-irons1 chairs without legs1 old    
packing-cases1 book covers1 old         
advertisement sheets of old newspapers1 
and so forth2 and a rummage  sale was   
held at the ,big ,house4 ,the whole     
village attended1 and1 as  a compliment 
to the ,squire1 bought up the articles  
in lots1 at a few  pence per lot4 ,the  
,squire had never held aloof from his   
dependents2  it being a belief that we  
should1 to a certain extent1 share our  
good  things with our poorer brethren4  
,but next day the ,squire was rummaging 

and ferreting harder than ever2  all    
over the house1 from the lofts to the   
cellars2 peering in every  corner1      
opening every drawer1 feeling in all his
 pockets2 looking  behind things1 on top
 of things1 under things1 in old        
hat-boxes1 and  glove-boxes1 and        
collar-boxes4    ,to help at this game  
gave the greatest delight to his little 
son and  heir1 ,master ,rupert1 a       
curly-haired1 brown-eyed little person  
of seven  years4 ,to all offers of      
assistance1 the ,squire replied that it 
was not  a matter of importance3 he had 
merely mislaid his handkerchief4 ,such a
  search for a handkerchief has never   
been made before or since4    ,that     
evening the ,squire ate no dinner1 but  
sat in his study with his  head clasped 
between his hands1 and his elbows on the
 table2 and so he  sat half through the 
night4 ,next morning he was up before   
dawn2 and in  the first grey light a    
thrush noticed him peering all over the 
paths  leading from the house1          

travelling slowly over them step by     
step1 and  examining every inch4 ,all   
that day he spent in pursuing this      
occupation  7but putting on a lounging  
and purposeless air when observed7 and  
in  making calls at the houses of the   
villagers2 and when he returned to  the 
house1 long after dinner-time1 he was so
 changed and so haggard  as to be       
difficult to recognise4 ,creeping to the
 night nursery1 where  little ,rupert   
was asleep in his cot1 the ,squire      
tenderly took him out1  bed-clothes and 
all1 and carried him away to his study1 
where he placed  him on the sofa1 and   
sat close by1 never removing his eyes   
from the  child4    ,every now and again
 he would stretch out his hand and touch
 the child1  and appear reassured on    
finding it warm2 or he would place his  
ear  close to its mouth1 and give a sigh
 of relief on hearing its breathing4    
,at every creak of the furniture and    
sough of the wind the ,squire would     
start2 and once he rose suddenly and    

hastily locked the door4 ,early in  the 
morning the nurse1 waking and missing   
the child1 knocked at his  door to ask  
whether he had taken it4 ,and he would  
not open the door2  but stood before    
little ,rupert1 covering him as though  
from some enemy1  and replying that he  
was to remain with him4    ,about seven 
he rang1 and handed a telegram form to a
 servant1 with  instructions to send off
 the message the moment the wire was    
available2  and by twelve the family    
solicitor had arrived from ,london4     
,hastily  placing a screen in front of  
the child1 the ,squire admitted the     
solicitor1 nervously locking the door   
after him1 and always keeping  himself  
between the solicitor and little        
,rupert4    ,mr4 ,pergamen1 said the    
,squire1 ,i have decided to convey this 
house--,i beg you will follow me--convey
 this house to one1 ,john  ,puddifoot1  
grocer1 of this village2 to be his      
absolutely1 without----    ,the family  
solicitor started up and gasped1 but the

 ,squire waved him  into silence with   
his hand1 continuing3--    ,yes1 to     
alienate from myself1 and my son1 our   
ancestral home1  ',grange'--the house   
which has belonged to the family since  
the end of  ,henry ,,viii41 the same1   
,mr4 ,pergamen1 the same--the house1    
this  house1 ,grange4 ,you are aware1 of
 course1 that the existing owner has    
the power to do this8 ,eh8 ',make a     
temporary arrangement of it'8  continued
 the ,squire1 answering the solicitor's 
suggestion more to  himself than to the 
suggester4 ,no--no--no6 ,that might not 
suffice2 no1  ,i won't risk it--no1 no1 
no6 ,be kind enough to prepare the      
necessary  deeds at once--at once4      
',remember my heir8' ,i am remembering  
my  heir1 sir6 ,be kind enough to bring 
me the deeds the moment they are  ready1
 and ,i will sign them4    ,yes1 ,john  
,puddifoot1 grocer1 of the village of   
,grangeham4 ,stay--kindly  write out a  
provisional declaration of transfer now1
 and ,i will sign  it4    ,to make this 

transfer of your property to the grocer 
legal1 there must  be a consideration1  
said the solicitor2 shall we say        
,natural ,love  and ,affection8--,very  
good4    ,so the half-dazed solicitor   
drew it up1 and the ,squire signed it2  
and then the solicitor went away to     
prepare the formal deed2 and the        
haggard ,squire1 catching up the child1 
hastily dressed him1 carried  him down  
to the hall1 keeping his own body       
between his burden and all  whom he     
passed1 and1 throwing on his great grey 
overcoat and drawing it  over the child 
so as to conceal him as far as possible1
 hurried out and  went straight away to 
the shop of ,john ,puddifoot1 grocer1   
and plunged  straight into the little   
back parlour4    ,come in here1         
,puddifoot--come in here1 and lock the  
door behind you6  cried the ,squire1    
placing the child on a chair in the     
darkest corner1  and standing at bay1 as
 it were1 in front of it4    ,john      
,puddifoot1 ,i have long been troubled  

with misgivings as to the  happiness and
 welfare of those over whose lot ,i     
exercise a considerable  influence4 ,i  
do not know1 in short1 whether the      
tenants on my estate  are as happy as   
they should be4 ,this has worried me1   
,puddifoot2 and  ,i have decided that it
 is my duty to inquire into the matter2 
and it  seems to me that the most       
effectual method of inquiry is to change
  places with one of them4    ,i wished 
to do the thing thoroughly1 and ,i have 
therefore made over my  manor house1    
',grange1' unconditionally to you4      
,my solicitor will see that all is      
correctly carried out4 ,you are now     
absolute master of ,grange1 ,puddifoot3 
therefore be good enough to go  and fill
 your position there1 leaving me to take
 your place here1 and  learn by my own  
experience whether your circumstances   
are as happy as  it has been my duty to 
make them4 ,before making over the      
property1 ,i  left written instructions 
to my--your--steward that ,i should be  

treated  here precisely the same as you 
have been2 and ,i will beg you to allow 
this to stand4 ,john6 continued the     
,squire1 grasping the grocer's hand  and
 gazing into his eyes1 ,i can trust you4
 ,you will not play me false4  ,at some 
future time ,i might ask you to         
re-convey the house to me1 and  annul   
this act of mine4 ,you would have power 
to refuse--but you will  not6           
,illustration3 ,,he ,,went ,,straight   
,,away4    ,the bewildered grocer began 
to murmur some unintelligible           
ejaculations4    ,swear it1 ,john       
,puddifoot--swear it on all you hold    
sacred--here--this  ledger of yours2 the
 very thing4 ,swear it1 and keep faith6 
,benumbed with wonder1 the grocer       
obeyed1 scratched his head1 opened his  
mouth three times1 but closed it again  
in obedience to the ,squire's  uplifted 
finger2 and put on his hat and walked   
aimlessly towards the  manor house4     
,the ,squire watched him until he had   
turned the distant corner2 then he      

locked the door again1 and commenced to 
search every cupboard1 drawer1  and     
corner as he had done at ,grange4       
,taking the grocer's keys--7the  grocer 
was a bachelor1 and the maid-of-all-work
 was away at the village  school7--he   
went all over the house1 looking in     
everything--even the  pockets of the    
grocer's clothes2 then he searched the  
shop1 poked about  under the rice and   
sugar and lentils1 peered into the tea  
and coffee  reservoirs1 the till1 the   
scales1 the drawers1 the empty jars4    
,only desisting now and again to give   
some food to little ,rupert1 he  went on
 breathlessly at this search until they 
had lighted the evening  lamp behind the
 red blind of the ,vensleigh ,arms up   
the hill4 ,then he  sank on to the sofa 
beside the child1 and let his head drop 
between his  hands1 and sat1 and sat1   
and sat4    ,it must be here--it        
must--must6 he kept muttering4 ,mrs4    
,wriggs  herself noticed such a little  
flat case in a parcel of odds and ends  

bought by ,puddifoot4 ,can he have      
burned it1 without opening it8 ,can he  
have given it away8 ,it must be here1   
surely6    ,long before this the rumour 
of the ,squire's madness had gone       
through  the village1 and many boys and 
a few adults had tried to peep in       
through the shop window1 but they could 
not see in1 and the shop  door had been 
locked all day4 ,in the evening ,mr4    
,pergamen had come  down again1 and had 
given a few of the leading villagers    
some reason  or other1 more or less     
satisfying1 for the ,squire's conduct4  
,these  explanations were tame enough1  
but they quieted matters down a little4 
,it's gone--gone--gone6 muttered the    
,squire4 ,lost to us1 ,rupert6 ,but     
we're not the masters of ,grange now1   
you and ,i2 we're safe1 ,rupert1  we're 
safe4 ,it can't fall on your head       
now--,it can't overwhelm--stay6  ,almost
 with a yell the ,squire started up4    
,the formal deeds are not  signed yet4  
,i forgot that6 ,the provisional        

transfer should suffice4  ,does it8     
,does it8 ,pergamen may not be carrying 
out my instructions6 ,he  may have      
destroyed the declaration2 but he would 
not dare to destroy a  deed4 ,he may be 
fooling me--temporizing4 ,and then the  
danger may not  have passed away6       
,illustration3 ,,tried ,,to ,,peep ,,in 
,,through ,,the ,,shop ,,window4        
,again he caught up the boy1 and stood  
as if at bay1 shielding little  ,rupert4
    ,i must see ,pergamen1 he muttered4 
,now--where can he be8    ,there was a  
tap at the shop door4 ,the ,squire      
snatched up his grey  overcoat and flung
 it over the child1 and stood1 white and
 rigid1 in  front of him4 ,but it was   
,mr4 ,pergamen at the door2 and he was  
admitted  and the shop door hastily     
locked again4 ,and the ,squire slipped  
into the  parlour before the solicitor1 
and took up his guard in front of the   
child4    ,the deeds were being         
prepared1 but the thing could not be    
completed  at a moment's notice4        

,next day the ,squire was searching     
again1 all over the house1 in  the back 
yard1 among the empty packing-cases and 
tea-boxes1 on the  dust-heap2 again it  
was evening before he gave over and sank
 down on  the sofa1 but his mind seemed 
a little more at rest now4    ,at length
 the formal deed of transfer was duly   
completed1 and signed1  and witnessed1  
and then the ,squire gave a great sigh  
of relief1 and a  burden seemed to fall 
from him4 ,he did not draw little       
,rupert back and  cover him when the    
child advanced to talk to the solicitor 
and be taken  on his knee1 according to 
custom and usage dating from a few      
months  later than ,rupert's appearance 
in the world4    ,then the three started
 off to show the completed deed to ,john
  ,puddifoot1 sole master of ,grange4   
,on the way they overtook ,mrs4 ,wriggs1
  the housekeeper1 returning from the   
village3 the ,squire stopped her  flood 
of lamentations with a gesture4 ,she    
dropped behind them2 but  presently came

 up and said3--    ,oh1 ,sir ,rupert--,i
 thought ,i had better mention it1      
perhaps--,john tells  me that he saw    
,mr4 ,puddifoot1 the grocer1 hand over  
some of the trifles  he bought at the   
sale to ,benton1 the old labourer1 and  
he thinks  there was a little flat case 
among them4    ,ah--just so4 ,it was a  
very trifling matter1 ,mrs4 ,wriggs2 and
 ,i had  forgotten all about it1 said   
the ,squire1 hurriedly and unnaturally4 
99       99       99       99       99  
,there was a strange commotion in the   
manor house3 the servants were in  the  
square hall bending over something lying
 on the oak floor4 ,john  ,puddifoot had
 fallen from the top of the great well  
staircase--he was  dead6 ,hurriedly the 
,squire took off the grey overcoat and  
threw it over  the body1 to keep the    
sight of death from the child4          
,illustration3 ',i ,,had ,,forgotten    
,,all ,,about ,,it1' ,,said ,,the       
,,squire4    ,poor fellow6 ,but it was  
,fate1 of course--,fate1 said the       

,squire4 ,and  the old house will1 of   
course1 go to his heirs4 ,come1 ,rupert1
 let us  go2 we have no right here4     
,pardon me1 said the solicitor1 ,i could
 not allow this--pardon  me1 ,sir       
,rupert--this mad whim of yours to      
develop its consequences  unchecked4 ,i 
took care that ,john ,puddifoot executed
 a proper will1  leaving the property   
again to you4    ,once more the ,squire 
caught up the child1 and interposed     
himself  between it and all comers4     
,please to send for ,george ,benton1 the
  labourer1 he said1 hurriedly4 ,and    
bring him to me in the study4    ,george
 ,benton1 said the ,squire1 when the    
solicitor and the labourer  had joined  
him in the study1 ,i am very anxious to 
carry out a scheme  ,i have formed for  
the bettering of the condition of my    
tenants4 ,you  can assist me greatly4 ,i
 believe you to be a trustworthy man2   
and ,i  am about to make over to you    
this house1 lately the property of ,john
  ,puddifoot1 who has met with such a   

deplorable accident4 ,i may as well     
declare you at once1 in the presence of 
,mr4 ,pergamen1 who will testify  to the
 declaration1 absolute owner of this    
house4    ,the labourer rubbed his      
forehead with a hard1 broad finger1 and 
stammered something about asking the    
missis at 'ome2 but the ,squire  cut him
 short with3 ,you must do this thing as 
a great favour to  me--it is a pet fad  
of mine4 ,at some future time ,i may    
possibly ask  you to restore the        
property to me4 ,until then--even should
 that  occur--consider1 you will be     
absolute master here2 you will be well  
off1 for a considerable portion of the  
rents go with the house4 ,you  accept8  
,the labourer could not avoid stammering
 his acceptance4    ,you are master     
here1 said the ,squire1 quickly and     
nervously1 as  one with misgivings2     
behave as master--,i and--and ,master   
,rupert are  intruders here1 having no  
right here4 ,will you oblige me by      
ordering us  out8    ,in a dazed1       

mechanical way the labourer did as he   
was requested4    ,may ,i find a home1  
for a day or two1 in your cottage8--ah1 
it would be  a convenience4 ,thank you1 
said the ,squire2 and in another ten    
minutes  he had arrived at the cottage  
and packed off the labourer's wife and  
children to ,grange1 absolutely         
preventing her1 by voluble assurances of
  the safety of all her belongings1 from
 taking away any articles with  her4    
,then the door was locked2 and the      
searching began over again1 and  lasted 
the rest of the day4    ,day followed   
day3 the new transfer had been duly     
executed2 ,john ,benton  was legal owner
 of ,grange4 ,every day the ,squire     
listened eagerly for  all news of him1  
always dreading what he should hear2 but
 the labourer  went on in his new       
dignity--a fish out of water1 awkward   
and sheepish1  but always with a        
determination to preserve the property1 
under the  advice and assistance of ,mr4
 ,pergamen1 for the ,squire4 ,the       

labourer's  wife kept the same end      
sturdily in view1 and her children      
played  with much content on the smooth 
lawns4 ,all the while1 though with      
diminishing hope and eagerness1 the     
,squire kept up his search for that     
something1 never saying a word of it to 
a soul1 but catching at any  little     
chance scrap of information likely to   
assist him4 ,he would call  at the      
cottages and1 whenever the opportunity  
occurred1 surreptitiously  peep and pry 
into drawers and cupboards--in vain4    
,illustration3 ,,the ,,labourer',s      
,,wife ,,and ,,children4    ,after a few
 weeks he would take little ,rupert by  
the hand1 and they  would stand and gaze
 over the railings at the small ,bentons
 playing  on the lawn2 and the little   
,bentons would pull their forelocks1 and
  curtsey1 and open the gate and beg    
them to come in4    ,then ,rupert would 
play with them a little1 and was allowed
 to4 ,finally  ,mrs4 ,benton came as a  
deputation from her husband to beg the  

,squire to  live in his own rooms in the
 house2 but the ,squire hastily1 and    
rather  incoherently1 excused himself4  
,still things went on quietly3 and one  
evening the ,squire consented to occupy 
his old bedroom for the night1  and his 
study for the next day2 and then he     
found himself staying in  the house4    
,but every time ,benton touched his hair
 to him1 or ,mrs4  ,benton dropped him a
 curtsey1 he would look round for       
,rupert and take  him up1 and protest   
that he was not master there1 nor       
,master ,rupert  either1 and look       
anxious and nervous4    ,and one day he 
drew ,mr4 ,pergamen1 as he passed1 into 
the study1 and  closed the door1 and    
said3 ,i may as well tell you now4 ,it  
is lost and  gone beyond hope4 ,perhaps 
the spell is broken--by the--the death  
of  that unfortunate ,john ,puddifoot-- 
,the spell8 repeated the solicitor1     
staring dubiously at him4    ,yes--the  
spell1 said the ,squire4 ,you will put  
me down as a  superstitious lunatic when

 you hear what ,i have to say4 ,well1 do
 so4  ,you did not know of the existence
 of a talisman--a charm--call it what   
you will--in my family8 ,no4 ,nor has   
anyone ever known of it except the      
successive owners of ,grange and their  
heirs2 yet this charm has been  handed  
down 7and the tradition connected with  
it7 from father to heir  without a break
 since the time of ,james the ,first4   
,it was a small1 flat1 gold disc1 set   
with a carbuncle carved in the  shape of
 a skull1 and contained in a small1     
flat1 leather case2 and  the tradition  
was to the effect that1 should that     
charm cease to be  under the roof of    
this house1 the owner1 or his heir1     
would meet with a  violent death1 a like
 result following the communication of  
the secret  to anyone but the actual    
heir of the house4 ,after that          
rummage-sale  ,i missed it2 looking1 by 
chance1 in the safe in this room where  
it  had always been kept1 ,i saw that it
 was not in its place4 ,then ,i         

recollected that1 on the occasion of my 
opening the safe about six  weeks       
before1 ,rupert had looked in and taken 
up several of the articles  to look at1 
as a child will4 ,he must have taken out
 the talisman1  unnoticed by me1 and    
left it about the room instead of       
putting it back2  and ,i jumped to the  
conclusion that it must have found its  
way into the  sale1 and been carried    
away4    ,it is gone1 and the revealing 
of the secret does not matter now2 and  
let us hope that the--the accident of   
the staircase has----    ,quite so2 we  
will hope so1 replied the solicitor1    
still eyeing the  ,squire dubiously4    
,as the ,squire chanced to turn to the  
window and look out1 he saw ,benton     
entering one of the fields beyond the   
lane1 to bring in a bull which  was     
pastured there1 and over which he alone 
had any control4 ,but the  animal did   
not seem to be so amenable as usual to  
his influence2 and1  before the ,squire 
could realize the situation1 the bull   

had charged and  tossed the labourer1   
and was trampling him4    ,illustration3
 ,,the ,,animal ,,did ,,not ,,seem ,,to 
,,be ,,so ,,amenable ,,as ,,usual4      
,the ,squire snatched up a rifle1       
loaded1 and raised the piece2 but by    
this time three other men were driving  
off the beast with stones2 and  in two  
minutes more they carried ,benton       
outside the gate4 ,one of them  came    
running to the house2 the ,squire called
 to him1 asking about the  injured man4 
,dying1 sir1 was the answer4    ,the    
revealing of the secret had mattered2   
and its result had come  quickly6       
,the ,squire shuddered and covered his  
face4 ,the scene just enacted led  his  
mind to the scene at the foot of the    
staircase--the object covered  with the 
grey overcoat4 ,he uncovered his face to
 notice what he had  seen1 but not      
noticed1 previously--little ,rupert     
lying on the sofa  covered with that    
coat6    ,the coat had1 after the       
tragedy1 been taken to the study and    

hung over  a chair1 where it had        
remained until1 half an hour ago1 ,mrs4 
,wriggs had  thrown it over the sleeping
 child to keep him warm4    ,shuddering 
again1 the ,squire plucked the coat off 
,rupert1 and flung it  through the open 
window1 placing a skin over the boy in  
its place4    ,then he turned again to  
see them carrying in the victim of the  
bull1  and was suddenly conscious of a  
slight cracking noise in the ceiling of 
the room and the sound of something     
falling4    ,a heavy carved boss had    
detached itself from the mullioned      
ceiling and  fallen upon the head of the
 sleeping child2 the boss bore a shield 
on  which was a golden disc1 bearing in 
its centre a red skull4    ,rupert was  
dead6    ,one of the servants found the 
grey coat lying on the lane outside2 his
  attention was attracted by something  
which had found its way beneath  the    
lining of the skirt4    ,there was a    
hole in the pocket where the sewing had 
given way1  permitting the object to    

slip through3 the object was a small1   
flat  leathern case4 ,it had been placed
 in the pocket1 for fun1 by ,rupert on  
that day when he had played with the    
things in the safe4    ,until flung from
 the window1 the grey coat had never    
been away from  ,grange except during   
the short time when ,john ,puddifoot had
 been owner4                            
,j4 ,f4 ,,sullivan4         ,the        
concluding article on ,how ,composers   
,work will appear in                    
the next number4          ,transcriber's
 ,notes3          ,simple spelling1     
grammar1 and typographical errors were  
silently corrected4        ,punctuation 
normalized4        ,anachronistic and   
non-standard spellings retained as      
printed4        ,italics markup is      
enclosed in underscores4        ,title  
page added by transcriber4