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Article UNCLE CHARLES'S STORY. ← Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Uncle Charles's Story.
"' All , ' said my first friend , ' I often finks dat vo do not improve de opportunities as moch as ve might do . Dero is my Angel—' " His companion nodded , and said , ' Let's drink her ' elth . ' « ' Veil , ' said the other , sentimentally , ' a angel , did you say 1 She is , when she ' s asleep , and no mistake . ' " ' She is first-rate ; she does a deal , but she might do more . NOAV there was dat , '
and he lowered his A oice—' you knoAv—it was very good , but it might have been moch better . ' " ' Ah , yes , ' replied his companion , AVIIO I saw by this time Avas solemnly drunk , ancl hacl been imbibing several' petits verres' of cognac as Avell as bis Avine , ' there is no saying how things turns out . Something is good that might bo bad—no , that's not what I mean !—something is bad what ought to bo good . ' " But here he got- very indistinct .
" ' Ah , my friend , ' says his friend to him , Avho Avas A ery tight himself , ' you have taken just a little too moch . Suppose dat ve toddles—dat is , go home 1 I can give you some viskies-and-A'ater in my chamber . Let us pay de bill . Oh , I find I have left my porte-monnaio in my dispatch-box , and I have not one sous about me 1 ' " His friend pulled out his money with difficulty , but paid the bill—a very high one —with very bad grace , muttering something to Mmself like a ' dreadful old Do . '
" I observed the ' gentleman' opposite 'hi black , ' during this little episode , had also paid Ms bill , ( more modest in its ' addition , ' ) and as these two distinguished individuals left the Cafe , someAvhat unsteadily , quietly followed them out . " When I got out mto the street be was lighting a cigar , and my two neighbours wore doing ditto a few paces on . So thinking I might venture , I said to him civilly , touching my hat by Avay of introduction , ' Queer chaps , my neighbours ! You seem" to
take a great interest in them . ' " ' Well , I do , ' he replied , looking me steadily in the face . ' You appear a decentish sort of chap , ancl so I don ' t mind telling you—on the square , remember—that I am a Detective officer—Sergeant Jones , from Scotland Yard , of Avhom you may have heard in London , ' tapping his hat with , his forefinger . " I said bnmediately that I had heard of that celebrated professor of the Detective art , ancl that I was very glad to make Ms acquaintance . " ' Well , ' says he , ' Avalk along Avith me , and Ave can talk as , go on . '
" ' Those two fellows , ' I said to him , ' seem to me to be precious rascals their whole conversation has a double meaning . ' " ' Bascals ! ' Avas his reply ; ' two bigger rogues don't exist in the Avorld . They ' ve had a long run and a merry one , but they are nearly at the end of their tether . That chap's real name who sat facing me is Jackmann—he is called the " Hackney Jigger ;" ancl the other facing is a chap we call ourselves the " Doctor" —a sl
you among , very y and dangerous felloAV ; his real name is Boggs . You'll see them nabbed some fine morning . They ' ve been preynig on Society a long long time . But I must Avish you good night , for I ' ve to attend to duty . " And at this moment a civil-looking individual , Avho had also often dined , I remembered , at the Cafe , came up ancl spoke to Jones .
" ' By the way , ' said he , ' this is the famous Mr . Attrapiat , of the French Police , 'and so I also touched my hat to that well-known ' Agent de SuretS , ' and wished Jones and hbu ' bon soir . ' " He and Jones apparently folloived the two wortMes , who turned down the Bue de Richelieu , ancl 1 saAv them no more . I had forgotten Jackmann ancl the Doctor , and Messieurs Jones ancl Attrapiat , when I met Jones one clay in the Place Vend 6 me , close to
the monument , and under the shade of the ' Paletot Oris . ' It Avas before those ' barbares' hacl pulled down the ' Petit Caporal . ' Oh , ' msanis ira civium !'—oh , happil y short-lived heathenism of the Commune ! " ' Do you ever read the Gazette des Tribunaux , Sir . ' Sergeant Jones asked me , as Ave mutually put our forefingers to our hats . " ' No , ' I replied ; ' I have often heard of that interesting periodical , but I have never improved myself , mentally or intellectually , by its study . '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Uncle Charles's Story.
"' All , ' said my first friend , ' I often finks dat vo do not improve de opportunities as moch as ve might do . Dero is my Angel—' " His companion nodded , and said , ' Let's drink her ' elth . ' « ' Veil , ' said the other , sentimentally , ' a angel , did you say 1 She is , when she ' s asleep , and no mistake . ' " ' She is first-rate ; she does a deal , but she might do more . NOAV there was dat , '
and he lowered his A oice—' you knoAv—it was very good , but it might have been moch better . ' " ' Ah , yes , ' replied his companion , AVIIO I saw by this time Avas solemnly drunk , ancl hacl been imbibing several' petits verres' of cognac as Avell as bis Avine , ' there is no saying how things turns out . Something is good that might bo bad—no , that's not what I mean !—something is bad what ought to bo good . ' " But here he got- very indistinct .
" ' Ah , my friend , ' says his friend to him , Avho Avas A ery tight himself , ' you have taken just a little too moch . Suppose dat ve toddles—dat is , go home 1 I can give you some viskies-and-A'ater in my chamber . Let us pay de bill . Oh , I find I have left my porte-monnaio in my dispatch-box , and I have not one sous about me 1 ' " His friend pulled out his money with difficulty , but paid the bill—a very high one —with very bad grace , muttering something to Mmself like a ' dreadful old Do . '
" I observed the ' gentleman' opposite 'hi black , ' during this little episode , had also paid Ms bill , ( more modest in its ' addition , ' ) and as these two distinguished individuals left the Cafe , someAvhat unsteadily , quietly followed them out . " When I got out mto the street be was lighting a cigar , and my two neighbours wore doing ditto a few paces on . So thinking I might venture , I said to him civilly , touching my hat by Avay of introduction , ' Queer chaps , my neighbours ! You seem" to
take a great interest in them . ' " ' Well , I do , ' he replied , looking me steadily in the face . ' You appear a decentish sort of chap , ancl so I don ' t mind telling you—on the square , remember—that I am a Detective officer—Sergeant Jones , from Scotland Yard , of Avhom you may have heard in London , ' tapping his hat with , his forefinger . " I said bnmediately that I had heard of that celebrated professor of the Detective art , ancl that I was very glad to make Ms acquaintance . " ' Well , ' says he , ' Avalk along Avith me , and Ave can talk as , go on . '
" ' Those two fellows , ' I said to him , ' seem to me to be precious rascals their whole conversation has a double meaning . ' " ' Bascals ! ' Avas his reply ; ' two bigger rogues don't exist in the Avorld . They ' ve had a long run and a merry one , but they are nearly at the end of their tether . That chap's real name who sat facing me is Jackmann—he is called the " Hackney Jigger ;" ancl the other facing is a chap we call ourselves the " Doctor" —a sl
you among , very y and dangerous felloAV ; his real name is Boggs . You'll see them nabbed some fine morning . They ' ve been preynig on Society a long long time . But I must Avish you good night , for I ' ve to attend to duty . " And at this moment a civil-looking individual , Avho had also often dined , I remembered , at the Cafe , came up ancl spoke to Jones .
" ' By the way , ' said he , ' this is the famous Mr . Attrapiat , of the French Police , 'and so I also touched my hat to that well-known ' Agent de SuretS , ' and wished Jones and hbu ' bon soir . ' " He and Jones apparently folloived the two wortMes , who turned down the Bue de Richelieu , ancl 1 saAv them no more . I had forgotten Jackmann ancl the Doctor , and Messieurs Jones ancl Attrapiat , when I met Jones one clay in the Place Vend 6 me , close to
the monument , and under the shade of the ' Paletot Oris . ' It Avas before those ' barbares' hacl pulled down the ' Petit Caporal . ' Oh , ' msanis ira civium !'—oh , happil y short-lived heathenism of the Commune ! " ' Do you ever read the Gazette des Tribunaux , Sir . ' Sergeant Jones asked me , as Ave mutually put our forefingers to our hats . " ' No , ' I replied ; ' I have often heard of that interesting periodical , but I have never improved myself , mentally or intellectually , by its study . '