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as he unconsciously informs you, the 'sell,' is just going on. When an outsider does go in, a number of confederates, got up in various characters-from the clergyman in rusty black, to the country woman with her basket on her armcarry on the sale briskly, and articles are rapidly sold at very low prices. If the visitor is not wary and sensible, he is sure to bid, and may possibly find himself, before he leaves, the purchaser of an antiquated old sofa, a set of rickety chairs, or a Brummagem dinner service, at double their value, t

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The popular delusion that a detective was an almost supernatural being who could find out dark and mysterious crimes as if by magic, and who always turned up in the nick of time, has now nearly gone. By a fortunate chance, an officer may occasionally stumble on the thing he is looking for; but success is generally the result of patient, laborious, and often disagreeable or dangerous work. He must be cool and wary, for he has to deal with all sorts of persons. While apparently noticing nothing, he examines everything with an observant eye. Much of the information given him is utterly worthless, some Another dodge is generally tried on retired of it being purposely calculated to mislead; but military or naval officers. The swindler sends from such he often draws conclusions of the very a letter recalling some reminiscence of mutual opposite character to those intended by the in-service in an army corps, or on board a manformer. Local knowledge, and a thorough under- of-war, a number of years ago. He mentions standing of the nature and habits of each criminal his vivid recollection of these happy days, and in his district, are of the greatest assistance to hints that he has not been over-fortunate in a detective officer. worldly affairs. He has been security for a friend, who has failed to meet the bill which he himself has had to pay. The last instalment is nearly due, and he is still eight or ten pounds short, while the consequences will be serious if the money is not forthcoming. Can he presume so far upon the memory of old times as to ask a small loan to tide him over the difficulty? This type of swindler possesses more than an average education, and his information regarding the antecedents of his intended dupe is curiously accurate. It is probably gathered from some old tar or discharged soldier, many of whom are extremely garrulous regarding their favourite officers or old masters,

An ingenious fraud has lately been practised in London. A tall well-dressed man, apparently a City merchant on his way home from business, is seen talking on the street to a man in workman's dress who carries a basket and some tools. The 'merchant' accosts some well-dressed passenger, and tells him the mechanic's' tale of want of employment and family distress. He adds that he has satisfied himself of the truth of the story, and is about to give a trifle; will the gentleman join in giving a small sum to relieve deserving necessity? The apparent respectability of the voucher often succeeds where a common begging petition would fail, and the person accosted generally gives something. A gentleman who had given a small sum saw both swindlers issue in company from a public-house some time after. Of course, on seeing him they decamped.

A clever dodge has lately come to light, which shows how thoroughly the swindler understood those on whom he was to operate, and forms a curious commentary on the relations between servants and tradesmen. A man having the appearance of a gentleman's servant called on several tradesmen in a fashionable part of London, asking them to come to a certain house for orders for different classes of goods, at the same time throwing out a suggestion that a small gratuity for himself would be acceptable, and might not be lost by the tradesman in a distribution of further orders. In a number of instances, small sums were given; but when the shopmen attended at the place named, they found their services were not required, and that the small fees had flowed into the pocket of some clever rascal.

Swindling, though extremely annoying to the victim, often presents a comical side to the

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In a number of cases, however, common-sense is the best safeguard of the public against imposition, Some swindles are of such a nature that the victims choose rather to pocket their chagrin and suffer the loss in silence, than be dragged into a court to give evidence, or have their names appear in the public prints. We shall briefly describe some of these swindles, as, notwithstanding the warnings so often given in the newspapers, the imposition still goes on, and complaints by victims of the first two species have lately come under our notice.

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There is the swindling Loan Company, with its commodious chambers in a good locality, and a large brass plate on the door. A speciously worded advertisement informs the needy that money on personal security can be borrowed at a moderate rate of interest. There is a delightful haziness about the paragraph, suggestive of long credit and a disinterested and philanthropic lender. The embarrassed tradesman or struggling young professional man, ashamed to let his friends know how the shoe pinches him, thinks this is the thing for him, and writes for particulars. He receives a circular showing the Company's terms, and containing a list of questions to be answered, and also containing a demand for an advance fee, varying in amount from half a guinea to two guineas. If sent, the advance fee is invariably retained; while in many cases a curt intimation is sent that the Company decline to entertain the application. When a loan is granted, a high rate of interest is charged, and the first year's interest is deducted from the loan; while the borrower is obliged to grant a bond over his house, furniture, or stock-in-trade. On these, if there is the slightest failure in giving them their pound of flesh, the Company generally foreclose at the most inconvenient time for the borrower. If a man's business is in such a state that a temporary loan can help him, and his character is good, he will seldom be at a loss for somebody who knows him to give him a friendly lift. If this is not the case, it is far better that he should give up the business, pocket his pride, and start journeyman again, than, by getting into the hands of harpies, ruin his prospects for life.

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There are various mock-auctions in every large town. A decoy at the door invites the unwary passenger to walk in, as the sale, or,

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Time and space would fail us to mention the various swindles in the shape of sham agencies, foreign lotteries, and deceptive advertisements of all kinds that are continually being forced on the notice of a gullible public. If the ingenuity now being wasted by rogues in cheating people were employed in some useful oceupation, it could hardly fail of being success ful; and the most likely way to induce them to take an honest course is by the public turning a deaf ear to the voice of the charmer and refusing to be imposed on godt bus amildeg * 9.[T surone 9.4 le mitral www VET Lid

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onlooker. That our Yankee cousins are go-ahead innkeeper knew they were no thieves; and the
in their rascality, as in all else, the following upshot was that he purchased the ticket for
story will show. We all know the usefulness another shilling's-worth of ale, to be immediately
of an ulster in covering a rusty coat or a ragged supplied. The rascals had the ale consumed and
pair of trousers, but few would have the ingenuity were off, before the publican, going to lift his
to make the ulster the means of supplying food, plate' from pawn, found he had been biti
raiment, and money. A lever rogue having
equipped himself in a large ulster of fashionable
make, and provided himself with the indispens-
able handbag, entered a Chicago hotel pretty
late at night. Mentioning that he had just
arrived in the city, and was to leave early next
morning for New York, he took a room for the
night and went to bed. Early next morning,
the new guest's bell was rung violently. The
servant who answered it found him highly excited.
His room, he said, had been entered during the
night, and his only pair of trousers, containing
his purse, fifteen and a quarter dollars, and a
through-ticket for New York, had been stolen.
The landlord was called up. The guest stamped
on the floor, and used language anything but
What could the landlord do? It
canonical.
would be in the highest degree unfortunate if
his house got the reputation of being conducted
in such a way that a man's trousers were not safe
in his bedroom. What he and nearly a dozen
subsequent landlords did was to provide a pair
of new trousers, replace or lend the missing
dollars the guest did not care which-buy a
ticket for some place or other, apologise, and
for entertainment
Plying his lucrative game in various localities,
the happy inventor had erelong plenty of dol late in the afternoon we reached the place, we
lars, many pairs of trousers, and railway tickets
in every direction. But one landlord who had
heard confidentially al
about the missing trousers
from a puzzled brother in trade, angrily declared
that his guest had brought no trousers with him,
and instead of apologising and supplying money
and pants, he coated his lodger's nether limbs
with tar and feathers and turned him out in
that condition."
DP #54 70%pai
Another specimen is too good to be willingly
lost, for in this case the rogue was more actuated
by a 'plaguy drouth' than by any criminal intent.
Several Paisley bodies had had a prolonged
drinking-bout. Their money was done, and their
credit exhausted, for the host had trusted as far
as he dared; but their throats were as dry as
ever. A shilling had been screwed by one out
of an unwilling acquaintance; but alas! it would
not go far among the lot. A bright idea struck
one of the party. Give it to me,' said he, and
I will double it. It was accordingly handed
over; and the crony forthwith repaired to the
nearest pawnshop and offered the shilling in

NOTES ON CONTINENTAL TRAVEL
T 2127 Thecom B JPIPEST II. 91 of
IN TWO PARTS.—PART II.
GADOR
WE quitted the Point du Jour with a pleasant
impression of our brief sojourn at Montbard.
The next day's halt was at Sens; and now our
journey was drawing ก close,
ose, and we expected
to reach Paris at night. Before doing so, however,
We were destined to a second adventure. Some
of our party not having seen the palace at
Fontainebleau, it was arranged that we should
make a detour and visit it on our way. When,

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found the whole town on the alert. The king (Louis-Philippe) was expected. He was coming, accompanied by the whole court; so that to see the palace was out of the question. And your reaching Paris to-night, added the innkeeper, is equally impossible. Every horse on the road has been engaged for His Majesty, who always travels with a large retinue. I haves excellent accom modation at your service, a well-served cuisine, the best beds. Fontainebleau is acharming sojourn, and in yo′′ sú to đó, xi The entrance of the postillion cut short our host's loquacity. He confirmed the statement of the latter as to the improbability of being able to get horses but added, that if we were willing to take chance and go on another poste, his horses would be rested and refreshed in a couple of hours, and could take us on We accepted his offer, despite the remonstrances and grumblings of the landlord, and having ordered dinner, sallied out for a ramble while it was in pre paration.

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pledge. "Mine uncle' grinned, and thinking it

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At the end of the next stage, some diligence horses were fortunately to be had; but on some drunken wager, he laughingly ten- reaching Penthièvre, we came to a full stop; pence. This was immediately accepted, and a not a quadruped was procurable for love or pawn-ticket given, marked, at the pledger's re-money. The entire population of the little town quest, A piece of silver-plate. The pledger now was in the street, eagerly looking out for the returned to the public-house. His companions royal cortège, which was every moment expected were at first rather dubious of the wisdom of to pass through. We had nothing for it but to his procedure, but were soon undeceived. He await patiently that event, and then remain until ordered some ale, and while paying the landlord, some of the horses which had brought Louis remarked to his companions on the shabbiness Philippe were sufficiently rested to proceed with of the pawnbroker. The words, Piece of plate' us. The posthouse was a miserable-looking place, made the host prick up his ears. He made some dirty and uninviting, so that the ladies of the inquiry, was shown the pawn-ticket, and told party preferred staying in the carriage; the maid that an old heirloom had been sacrificed. The following the example of her mistresses, and

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remaining; in her seat on the rumble behind, a distributed when his bac
back was turned.
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proceeding which, as we shall see, nearly cost her continued to patronise us, and to hover round
her lifeemmi od of sis to low-pillide odious the carriage, coming back from time to time with
Nothing could be more amusing than the scene tidings and conjectures about the great event in
around us. A French crowd is always enter expectation. There was something very peculiar
taining, but this was especially so, from the state in his look-a wild unsettled gleam in his
eyes,
of intense excitement of every man, woman, and and his movements were restless and abrupt
child Young and old, all were talking, gesticu- He talked perpetually, running on in a rambling
lating, giving their opinion, laying down the law,
The kingri wasy of course the grand topic, the
absorbing object of interest. How soon he would
probably arrive, where he was at that precise
moment, the conjectured number of his carriages,
the incidents and reminiscences of former passings-
through all were debated, canvassed, commented
on, with nods, shrugs, grimaces, and contortions
such as a Frenchman alone is capable of. The

incoherent way, often to himself
mself when no

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was paying attention to him. A woman who had seen him talking to us, shook her head, and said: Ah, poor little, Jeannot! there he goes with his cakes. A worthy creature; but all wrong here, you understand,' she added, tapping her forehead he never the same since he lost his wife mid buntot di horowane od dvie The subject of her remarks returning to us asking any ques

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postillions and their horses added not a little to at this moment, prevented our theme, poor tions. He was soon on his

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at a moment's warning. They fits and starts The told

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the animation of the scene. The latter, which were all gray, without a single exception, were Marie. It was not difficult to draw his little fastened up against a wall opposite the posthouse, story from him; he told it unconnectedly, by to be in readine imals, tossing translated: and may be thus unconnectedly, by were fidgety animals, tossing their heads and Marie was very pretty, and she was good too pawing the ground with impatience Dotip a the best girl in the village. We loved each other The French postillion-an individual now from childhood, ah, how dearly! and we always almost extinct was as peculiar and marked settled to be married some day. Marie's father among his Countrymen, in appearance as and mother gave their consent on condition that different from them as unlike their sister hand to begin our little ménage. We were too poissardes of we should have between us a certain sum beforeBoulogne and Dieppe are citizens whose business is unconnected with deep happy at the prospect of being united to mind Waters Tall, heavy, and strongly built one any conditions, however hard; so we set to work Would have imagined him ill calculated for his both of us, to try a and increase our little store. calling, and win a country, too, where diminutive It was no easy task. I had an old blind mother men predominate. The huge French, postillion to support out of my earnings; and though Marie was often gruff and taciturn another contrast to made cakes, and had such a winning way with the natives in general; given, too, to grumbling her that she sold twice as much as any one else, at the end of his stage; but that is, I believe, a still the purse filled slowly. Time went Droug characteristic of the driving fraternity all over however, and we met with various pieces of the world. He was generally good-looking; and good fortune. My Marie was so industrious and his costume the glazed round hat with its smart so clever, everything prospered with her, and cockade, blue jacket with crimson facings, yellow with me, for her sake. We grew rich at last, leather breeches, and enormous jack-boots-set off so rich that the sum was nearly made up, How toradvantage his stalwart figure.mov ta noitsbot happy we were! and twice as fond of each other We were drawn up quite close to the posthouse, as ever. Bu But before the year was o out, ah, what to be out of the way when the cortège arrived, a blow came! T The conscription took place-I the pole of our carriage almost touching the wall was drawn for a soldier oldier Heda &Marie?” 1 of the building Soon after taking up this posiWhat is to become of us now, tion, a little old man with a basket of cakes on cried. "We are lost!" slaih his arm came up to us and asked us to buy some. She threw her arms round my neck, and wept He was a lean, shrivelled, little creature, with as if her heart would break. Then suddenly a huge pair of earrings, and a brown face like starting up, she ran into her own little room, and adwalnutson Very neat in his person; his linen bringing out her purse, pressed it into my hand. jacket and fapron, with the cloth that covered There," she sobbed; "take that, Jeannot. You his basket, were as white as snow. We did not have more we can buy a substitute." 'f mind him at first, but he returned often to the Marie!? charge. goitring 99 Buy my cakes, ladies,' he said they are excellent.: First quality flour, best of butter, and such sugar and fruit! Plenty of spice too, and no stint of eggs. They melt in the mouth. Poor Marie taught me to make them-Marie, you know My little daughter makes them too; but I never allow her to come out and sell them. Sheris too young and too pretty; not so pretty, though, as Marie! Buy my cakes, my excellent cakes' dgrond bad doidy 2981od sit to gros diTo please the poor little man, and get of his importunities, we invested in some of his manufactures. They did not quite come up to his description of them, but were highly appreciated by the children to whom they were

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and I wrang my hands in despair.) ot hands in despair. We A "Well, mon ami, it must only be put 729185 must go to work again and get more money, We are both so young, Jeannot, so very young There was no help for it. I was bought off It took more than half our funds; very down-hearted at having to begin afresh. Marie had much more courage. The year passed on, and brought joy at its close. An old uncle, a grocer at Dijon, died and left me a small legacy. Marie became mine, olid had, and how prettily What a nice cottage we had,

and I was

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it was furnished! How proud I was of my little
wife, my own darling Marie! She was
to my poor blind mother, who lived with us, and
loved her dearly. Every morning she took out

good

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