satisfaction, and took another pinch of (The American Gentleman') snuff, and then, every thing being right, he asked me if any thing was coming off, wherein his services might be required?'

'Always! all times, my constant friend!' replied I; and there is now a very particular piece of trap on hand, in which, of course, you must be the main-stay of my proceeding.'

Ready, Sir! always ready!' said he, eagerly; quick and sure, snap and go: let it slide! What is it, Mr. Sheriff?

You see, Tise,' replied I, there is a fashionable hair-cutting and tonsorial establishment in Broadway, which is at different times, upon certain occasions, claimed to be owned by two parties, severally; not adversely against each other, but only to help each other through the meshes of the law; that's all. Thus, if I should have an execution against one of them, why, the other would be owner of the property, and the claimant thereof would show an excellent legal title, a bill of sale, and a receipt in full, and a continued possession of the chattels in himself, and new bills, in his name, for fresh supplies of goods. This was the state of affairs when I presented myself with an execution, some months ago, against one of these said parties, and demanded the payment thereof: and of course, as every thing looked so fair and honest, the attorney for the plaintiff on the execution refused to indemnify me to take the property; and when the execution had expired, I returned it nulla bona.'

You could n't do nothing else, as I see,' interrupted Thison, unless you called a jury to detarmine who did own de goods.'

There was no question raised as to the ownership. The attorney refused positively to indemnify me; and nulla bona was my final

return.'

'No bones, as we used to say, 'bout fifty year ago,' said Thison; yes! yes! I know what it is. No bones, dat 's no goods; and no goods is nulla bona.

Very logically argued, Tise,' said I.

Well, how 'bout t'other?' inquired he, eagerly.

'The same thing,' replied I. Why, Tise,' said I, would you believe it? It was about four or five months afterward, when I received an execution against the other party, the original Jacobs;' and then, the 'real, genuine, original Jacobs' was the claimant of the goods.'

6

'Believe it, Mr. Sheriff?' answered Thison, to be sure I do. Why, ha'n't I seen sich things offen and offen? Don't I know them kind of fellers? See! I'm a old man, but they can't come around me with sich like succemflexions!' And the old man accompanied his last remark with a waving motion of his hand, describing circles and parabolas, until the movement was merged in the language: succem fellers old man - offen - and offen.'

་

Now, Tise,' said I, 'the piece of trap, as I intimated, in which I should like you to engage, is this: I happen, at this time, to have an execution against each of these parties, and of course, if I go to them and exhibit the writs, neither of them will claim the goods, but probably they will bring in an entirely different claimant; possibly, an assignment, or some conveyance calculated to prevent my seizure. One of

the executions is upon a judgment recently recovered; the other is about a year old: and, as I have made up my mind (thanks to your apt teaching) not to be deceived more than once, I shall therefore require your invaluable services and counsel in this emergency. You'll go with me, will you not?'

Certainly! certainly, Mr. Sheriff!-but I'm 'bleeged to you for dat compliment!' said he, taking off his hat, and making his usual very polite bow. 'But see, Mr. Sheriff,' continued he, who be dese

parties? An't dey Rington and Snawler??

The very same! But how did you imagine them to be the persons?'

'Old tricks!' replied he; 'I heern of 'em a good while. 'Ta n't the fust time, by a long shot, they 'm up to sich tricks. Dey never was cotched in 'em. I guess dey got to come down, now: kase two of us will fetch 'em!' And he took an extra pinch of snuff to give assurance, as I supposed, that Rington and Snawler would have to come down, through the potent witchery of the 'American Gentleman.' 'Tise,' said I, are you ready?

'Always!' replied he, gleefully.

Then let 's up and away!'

And forthwith we started, my companion scarcely uttering a word. We walked side by side for a little while, and then Thison, who was in a deep meditation from the time we left our office, at once objected to our proceeding in this manner; and he requested me to go with him to some private place where we could digest our plans, intimating that as we was going after ducks, we'd better take duck-shot with us.' 'A timely and wise precaution,' said I; and I thank you for it, my old friend!

6

'See, Mr. Sheriff!' continued he; 'I'm pooty well known: so be you and it won't do for us to be seen together. Now, my plan is this: I'll go ahead, and keep on ahead.'

I inwardly prayed he might always keep on a head such as his for to me and such as me, such a head was not always to be found by the mere looking for it.

'Ah! now I comprehend you, Tise. You think that those who go a-ducking, should always have a decoy.'

'I do, indeed, Sir; and I don't keer, so long as game is got, how it's got, if it's honorable; and if we two can't bring Rington and Snawler, why, I'll lose my guess, 'at's all. Now remember!'

Our affairs, being now, according to my companion's judgment, concluded upon, and arranged to his satisfaction, I thereupon delivered to him the execution against Rington, while I kept the one against Snawler; and I directed Thison to go, about ten minutes in advance of me, to the defendants' saloon or divan, and submit his beard to the razorial operation: a thing much desired, I thought, and very necessary.

Jist the thing!' replied he; you could n't 'a' hit it better.'

How could it be otherwise, Tise?' queried I. Have n't you been giving me lessons all the morning, about shooting?'

"Yes! yes!' replied he, quickly; but it won't do to shoot at de decoy dat a n't a good shot, any how.'

'Well, you want shaving, very much.'

Yes! yes! my baird is rather long, and I'd as lieve airy one of 'em, either Rington or Snawler, would take it off, as any one else, so dey don't cut.'

They have the reputation, Tise, of shaving close,' said I.

'I'll give 'em a chance, den,' said Thison; and he left me to carry out his part of the plan arranged between us.

The arrangement was, that Thison should appear, on his entrance in the shaving-room of my parties, as a country gentleman just arrived in the city, (and whose general demeanor would bear out the implication,) desirous of being shaved; and the ten minutes' advance of me, I concluded, would properly seat him, and allow him to be fairly undergoing the operation; at which time I was to make my appearance, and proceed at once to address Snawler respecting the execution against him of course, Tise keeping his conduct in entire reserve the while, and that I would start the game, and then my companion was to bag it. Every thing happened superbly. I got there in good time, and knowing both my defendants very well, from the frequent business visits I made to them, I approached Snawler, who was disengaged - Tise being under the careful charge of Rington, with towel placed around his throat and shoulders, his face well-lathered, and now and then he leered at me wistfully, wondering, as it seemed to me, whether I would fail in my plans; and then again the assuring look that all would come out right as we understood it.

I made known to Snawler my business; of course, then came the stereotyped reply, that Rington was the owner of every thing in the place.'

Be so good, Mr. Snawler,' said I, 'as to tell me when you sold the stock to Mr. Rington,'

Certainly, Sheriff,' replied he very courteously, (and I thought, as in one who sugars his language so sweetly, there was deception in the sound,) certainly, Sheriff; some six months ago, I think. Perhaps you would like to see the bill of sale?'

Yes! allow me to see it,' said I, in reply.

I

The bill of sale was shown to me, and I now looked upon that identical conveyance for about the twentieth time. I passed my eyes over it very carefully; looked at some other bills, handed to me at the same time by him, which exhibited the staring fact that Rington had purchased from other parties the supplies needed in the business. examined these also very carefully; in reality, for no other purpose than to consume time, so as to allow Thison to work understandingly. His ears were open to every word; his eyes expressed satisfaction at the mysteries I was unlocking; and I saw that he was uneasy in his position, throttled as he almost was by the towel in the anxious hands of Rington, who, hearing what my business was, for the moment forgot himself, and was tying Thison up most beautifully.

'Hallo!' exclaimed Tise, looking at Rington with astonishment, and fairly shaking that gentleman from his equilibrium: be you goin' to choke a feller? ye'd better not!'

Beg pardon, Sir! Very sorry, Sir!'

'Hurry up, then! and let go that towel, do you hear?' cried Thison in a semi-savage mumble.

'Certainly, Sir. Beg pardon, Sir,' replied he, very nervously and obsequiously.

And this was the rarest comical picture I ever beheld. Here stood I, probing the very vitals of Snawler, without any real necessity, (because I knew all about his tricks,) but only to gain time for my assistant, who was near being choked to death; his forehead, to be sure, exhibiting a flesh-like appearance, and the lower part of his face all lathered, as it was, looking like a clown in a pantomime; and Rington alongside of Thison, twisting up the ends of the towel around Thison's neck and shoulders, nervously listening to what was transpiring between Snawler and myself. The tableau was shifted by Thison's demand to hurry up'; and the shaving operations were continued without an apparent murmur. Thison's beard was taken off at length, (or in length) and the operation was finished in due time.

Meanwhile, Snawler was convincing me of the fairness of the transfer made by him to Rington, and that by the nature of things and the rights thereto, it would be a gross trespass to seize one man's goods to pay another's debts.

To which I yielded a ready assent; and finally Mr. Rington (the loving partner in iniquity) approached me and assured me that what Mr. Snawler said about his being the proprietor of the establishment was true, every word of it; that he would make good his title by prosecuting any one who would interfere with his rights in that behalf.'

Thison's ears were open to this declaration; for it was said in so loud a tone that a man in so close a contiguity as he, must have been deaf as an adder not to have heard it.

May be, then,' said Thison, coming up to, and addressing Mr. Rington, 'you'll pay this here amount in this here execution expressed ag'in you. May be you will, won't you?' continued he, in the blandest manner possible, at the same time handing the writ to the defendant therein named, and proceeding very coolly to take a pinch of the allconsoling powdered weed. May-be you will,' reiterated he, tantalizingly; and may be you'll be made to, if you don't do it right strut off.'

At this interruption of my affairs by Thison, I of course affected to be surprised; and, as it was a part of my arrangements that we were not to know each other, I took no part in the controversy that then sprung up, and quietly seated myself, content only as a spectator and auditor; not as actor.

Thison glibly told the parties that heheerd all that took place, when that there gentleman'-pointing to me said he had an execution ag'in Mr. Snawler, and Mr. Snawler said he did n't own nothin', but that Mr. Rington did own all': I could scarcely keep still in my seat; ' and then you,' addressing Rington,' was a-going to choke me, was n't you? Anxious, was n't you? Narvous, I dare say!' and there was a bitterness in the old man's manner that was truly withering.

'It was unintentional,' said Rington, and I apologize to you, Sir, for my apparent harsh treatment. It was farthest from my thoughts.'

Seeing that matters, as they stood, required the presence of one in my position, I broke the restraint of my agreement with Thison, and addressing them, I said: Mr. Thison, gentlemen, is my assistant, and my valued friend. He is one of the politest, most urbane, and kindlydisposed gentlemen in the world, when you let him have his own way. He is cautious, shrewd, and untiring: he will not brook an insult from any one, and doubtless he feels what he has expressed. But I nevertheless think he has acted rather hastily in the charge he has made against Mr. Rington; for, surely, that gentleman could not have known that he was my assistant.'

'I had n't the least idea,' said Mr. Rington, very coolly.

'I am sure you, nor your partner had not,' said I; for if either of you had,' I continued, neither Mr. Rington nor Mr. Snawler would have been the claimant to this property.'

'Rather severe, that, Sheriff'!' observed they in the same breath. 'But oncommon proper and true,' chuckled Tise, and the old man looked at me telegraphically, which was answered in like manner; and he addressed the party defendants, and demanded the payment of the claim he held in his hand. May-be, though, you 'm both going to pay both executions; eh?-may be so how is it?'

Not exactly, as far as I am concerned,' replied Rington. I've got enough to pay, to last me for some time: five hundred and twenty-four dollars!'

'And sixteen cents, beside interest and costs,' echoed Tise, sententiously. 'And you won't pay the one the sheriff's got ag'in you?' said he, addressing Mr. Snawler; it's only thirty-two dollars. Come, pay up, won't you?'

No!' saucily replied that worthy.

Well, I knowed you would n't; you need n't make a fuss about it. If you don't,' continued Thison, in the coolest manner imaginable, I a n't disapp'inted a bit. We 'm got a big pull out of you, any how; that's my opinion and, more 'n 'at, I knowed it was a-goin' to work jist so. You 'm both good at shavin', and so am we only with other insterments, though!'

'Mr. Thison,' observed I, this matter is now about being settled; and, as all has eventuated to our satisfaction, be considerate, and practise a little Christian charity, by being merciful to them that persecute you.'

'I'm satisfied, God bless you!' replied the old man.

'And so are we,' cried Rington and Snawler both; no more money is likely to be paid, than what one or the other of us is bound in honor to pay and this was said in a manner that seemed to provoke a reply.

6

But, Sheriff,' said Rington, good-naturedly, this proceeding of yours is very adroit do you practise in this way, generally?'

I always do,' replied I, 'in desperate cases; when my old friend, Mr. Thison, suggests the expedient, and is my companion on those occasions. He sets the hounds on the chase, and we manage, somehow or another, to be both in at the death!'

And so, as the parties seemed to be more in humor with us, and per