Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1874 — A Couple of Parisian Thieves. [ARTICLE]

A Couple of Parisian Thieves.

I once chanced to be in Paris during an unusually unpleasant spring. The weather was very disagreeable, being damp, changeable and showery, and weeks passed during which there was not one day of unclouded sunshine, nor yet one of continuous rain, but each day was varied by several heavy showers, alternating with glimpses of blue sky and bright weather During this unpleasant state of the atmosphere a merchant of second-hand umbrellas made his appearon the Boulevard des Italiens, and drove a thriving trade, as his merchandise was not only good, but cheap, his price for a good, stout, silk umbrella, nearly new, being from three to five francs. Subsequent revelations proved that his stock in trade was supplied in the following manner : During one of the shnshiny intervals between the showers his Confederate, an elegantly-dressed and handsome woman, would enter one of the principal shops on the boulevards, or the Rue de la Paix, would examine many articles, make an extensive selection, and then order her —pur- - chases to be sent, with the bill, to her address, which was always in one of the most fashionable quarters of Paris. By the time all arrangements were concluded the rain would be falling in torrents, and the lady, with many apologies and a glance at her dainty toilet, would borrow an umbrella with the understanding that it was to be sent back by the messenger who was to take home madame's purchases and receive payment therefor. But the fair customer never was to be found at the given address, and, as a matter of course, the umbrella never was seen again by its rightful owner. Unfortunately for the success of the trade in second-hand umbrellas, the merchantonthe boulevards once offered a gentleman his own umbrella for sale, and by this little contre temps the trick was exposed, and the intervention of the police put a stop to the operations of the firm. There was certainly no little acuteness displayed by the pair in making.such skillful use of the peculiar %tate of the weather. Somewhat similar in conception, though differing in execution, was a trick which was practiced with great success one winter at the leading restaurants of Paris. During the busiest part of the gay season, when all those establishments are in the habit of engaging extra waiters, a neatly-dressed, intelligentrlooking young man would present himself at the bureau of one of them as an applicant for a situobtaining. After performing his duties for some days in the most exemplary manner he would contrive, one day at dinner-time, to spill a portion of rich soup or sauce on the shoulders of some welldressed gentleman, who would of course be very indignant and swear loudly at the careless servant. He, on his part, would be overwhelmed with contusion and profuse in apologies. “ But fortunately he could have the injury repaired. He ’ (the waiter) had a brother living in the neigh-borhood-just round the corner, in fact, who was a dyer and scourer by profession. If monsieur would only intrust the soiled coat to his care for a few moments he would engage to bring it back with every trac* es grease entirely removed 1” The pacified epicure would divest himself of the desecrated garment, replacing it by his overcoat, and would sit down to finish his dinner, while waiter and coat disappeared together, and were like the days of youth in.this, that they returned no more. The thief would in this way gain possession not only of the coat, but in most instances of each additional booty as gloves, handkerchiefs, a pocket-book, or a well-filled cigar-case. This little game was carried on successfully by its inventor for some time; but one day, while he was in attendance at a grand dinner given at the Case. Brebant, he was recognized and denounced by one of his former victims, and his career was brought to an abrupt and inglorious conclusion by the stern interference of the law.— Lucy H. Hooper, in Appleton's Journal. —Thfere are 110 Granges organized and in working order in the Btate of Oregon, and twenty-four in Washington Territofy.