ching next the overwhelmed Southerner's travelling-satchel, he found
in it an apple, which he first eyed with marked suspicion, and then bit
largely into, as though half expecting to find in it some traces of his
nephew.

"I'll keep this suspicious fruit," he remarked, with a hollow laugh;
and, bearing unreservedly upon the nearer arm of the hapless MONTGOMERY,
and eating audibly as he surged onward, he started on the return march
for Bumsteadville.

Not a word more was spoken until, after a cool Christmas stroll of about
eight and a quarter miles, the whole party stood before Judge SWEENEY in
the house of the latter. There, when the story had been sorrowfully
repeated by the Gospeler, Mr. BUMSTEAD exhibited the core of the apple,
and tickled the magistrate almost into hysterics by whispering very
closely in his ear, that it was a core curiously similar to that of the
last apple eaten by his nephew; and, having been found in an apple from
the prisoner's satchel, might be useful in evidence. Judge SWEENEY
wished to know if Mr. PENDRAGON had any political relations, or could
influence any votes? and, upon being answered in the negative, eyed the
young man sternly, and said that appearances were decidedly against him.
He could not exactly commit him to jail without accusation, although the
apple-core and his political unimportance subjected him to grave
suspicion: but he should hold the Gospeler responsible for the youth's
appearance at any time when his presence should be required. Mr.
BUMSTEAD, whose eyes were becoming very glassy, then suggested that a
handbill should be at once printed and circulated, to the effect that
there had been Lost, or Stolen, two Black Alpaca Nephews, about 5 feet 8
inches high, with a bone handle, light eyes and hair, and whalebone
ribs; and that if the said EDWIN would return, with a brass ferule
slightly worn, the finder should receive earnest thanks, and be seen
safely to his home by J. BUMSTEAD. Mr. Gospeler SIMPSON and Judge
SWEENEY agreed that a handbill should be issued: but thought it might
confuse the public mind if the missing nephew and the lost umbrella were
not kept separate.

"Has either 'f you gen'l'men ever been 'n Uncle?" asked the Ritualistic
organist, with dark intensity.

They shook their heads.

"_Then,_" said Mr. BUMSTEAD, with great force,--"THEN, gen'l'men,
you-knownor-wahritis-to-lose-'n-umbrella!"

Before they could decide in their weaker minds what the immedi