so and so,
in such and such Avenue, the reward would be paid instanter, without a
single question being asked. During the lady's absence from home, a
day or two afterwards, a ring is heard at the door of No. so and so,
in such and such Avenue; a servant appears; the lady of the house is
asked for and is declared to be out, at which astounding
information, the visitor expresses the most poignant regret. His
business is of importance and concerns the lady herself. In fact, he
had the good fortune to find her diamond ring. But perhaps it would be
as well that he should call again. "By no means!" says the servant;
and "By no means!" says the lady's sister and the lady's
sister-in-law, who are summoned forthwith. The ring is clamorously
identified, the reward is paid, and the finder nearly thrust out of
doors. The lady returns and expresses some little dissatisfaction with
her sister and sister-in-law, because they happen to have paid forty
or fifty dollars for a fac-simile of her diamond ring- a fac-simile
made out of real pinch-beck and unquestionable paste.
But as there is really no end to diddling, so there would be none to
this essay, were I even to hint at half the variations, or
inflections, of which this science is susceptible. I must bring this
paper, perforce, to a conclusion, and this I cannot do better than
by a summary notice of a very decent, but rather elaborate diddle,
of which our own city was made the theatre, not very long ago, and
which was subsequently repeated with success, in other still more
verdant localities of the Union.
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