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Show -'- - .... A CUEVER PICKPOCKET. & Was ft "Russian and Alarmed and fin-prised fin-prised a Grand Duke. One 3ay, at the dinner table of 6 grand duke, tho French embassador ex-lolled ex-lolled tho dexterity of his fellow countrymen, coun-trymen, ns exemplified, among othen things, in the cleverness of the Pari piokpockots. "I should not wonder if the St. Petersburg Pe-tersburg pickpockets could givo them a i itart," replied the grand duke. And seeing an incredulous smile play around She features of the embassador he added. "Will you bet that, before we rise from ho table your watch or some other valuable will not bo taken from yom person?" Tho embassador accepted tho wage or the fun of the thing, and the grand duke telephoned to the chief constable asMDg him to send at once the eWeres pickpocket he could lay his hands on. The latter was to receive the full valuj of every article he managed to "annex fend be allowed to go unpunished. The man caino and was put into liv ery and told tv wait at table along with the other servants. Tho grand duke told bim to give him a sign as soon as he bad accomplished tho trick. But h? had to wait a long tiibe, for tho embas-lador, embas-lador, whoso watch was the article tc be esperimonted upon, always kept on tho alert, and even held his hand to his fob when conversing with the most distinguished dis-tinguished guests at tho table. Ac last ihe grand duke received the preconcerted preconcert-ed signal. Ho at once requested the embassador em-bassador to tell him tho time. The latter lat-ter triumphantly put his hand to hit pocket and drew forth a potato, instead of his watch I There was a general burst of laughter, in which the embassador himself joined, though with a wry iac$ for he was unmistakably annoyed. To conceal his feelings he would take & pinch of snuff his snuffbox was gonel Then he missed tho seal ring from hh finger, and lastly tho gold toothpick which he always carried about with him In a little case. Amid the hilarity of the guests the sham lackey was requested request-ed to restore the articles, bur the grand duke's merriment was ohanged into xlarm and surprise when the thief produced pro-duced two w atohes, two rings, two snuffboxes, snuff-boxes, etc His imperial highness made tho discovory that he himself had bees robbed a the same time. Neue Blatb |