Vintage Advice
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7655c 2019 12 14 002 file
Lincoln Dealership advertising pamphlet
(cover graphics)
a super 6 page brochure that I've treasured for years.
Après son pamphlet au vitriol contre Napoléon III ("Napoléon le Petit", 1852), Victor Hugo, déjà exilé à Bruxelles, est expulsé de Belgique. Il s'installe à Jersey, est à nouveau expulsé et finit par s'établir à Guernesey (Hauteville House) en 1856. Après la défaite humiliante de Napoléon III et son abdication en 1870, Hugo a pu rentrer en France ... tout en gardant Hauteville House où il reviendra trois fois.
C'est dans cette maison, dans ce "look out" précisément, qu'il écrivit "Les Misérables", "Les Travailleurs de la mer", "L'Homme qui rit", "La Légende des siècles", "Théâtre en liberté"…De cette véranda haut perchée et très lumineuse, il pouvait apercevoir la France, la côte normande se trouvant à une cinquantaine de kilomètres.
DSC_7434_7439_stitch_rawth
I couldn’t resist coming back to visit The Miho Museum for the second time, after my first visit to Kyoto in the prior year. This is another fine piece of work by I. M. Pei who passed away at the age of 102 on 16 May 2019.
The Miho Museum is a little gem nestled in the remote mountains of Kyoto, Japan. The design of the museum was done by the world renowned architect I. M. Pei, who came to call it “Shangri-La”, conceptually based on the early Chinese writer Tao Yuan Ming’s famous Tale of the Peach Blossom Spring陶淵明之桃花源記.
One has to pass through this extraordinary Tunnel before reaching the Museum Building
[Source: Wikipedia and Miho Museum Pamphlet]
Apionicus of Aalsmeer was a popular figure in The Netherlands, so much so that his outrageous astronomy pamphlets, "satanic" cat and his not very secret love affair with an armadillo were benignly overlooked by the Church. However, after he laughed at the Cardinal when his hyacinths got greenfly, he was excommunicated and his gardens confiscated. Reduced to poverty, he was forced to sell his precious notebooks and telescope to Gallileo.
We're Here: Metaphysical Leper Colony
1954 publication by Federated Publications (Battle Creek Enquirer and News, Grand Rapids Herald, Lansing State Journal). Illustrations by Claire L. Oliver of Battle Creek.
Reading some pamphlet while enjoying a coffee to go sitting at a shop window in the "new old town". Welcome in 2021. First roll for me with this Smena Symbol which looked all right from outside. The amound of flare and blur on many pictures made me look closer... oh boy, the lens' back element is covered with grime (and possibly fungus) on both side. Poor thing will need to be opened up. Otherwise, well, it sure is very basic, but it does the job.
LOMO Smena Symbol with its T43 4/40 lens, Agfa APX 100 in Rodinal 1+50 for 13min @ 21°C and digitalized using kit zoom and extension tubes.
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves and comments, they are always appreciated :)
AKIBA scenario
AKIHABARA (秋葉原) also known as Electric Town or AKIBA in short. Its best-known as one of the largest shopping areas on Earth for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods. The character of Akihabara has constantly changed over the decades and continues to do so. A recent development is the emergence of Akihabara as a center of Japanese animation culture.
OTAKU culture in Akihabara has become increasingly famous in the recent years. Many people there have unique lifestyles, centered on technological enterprises and a love for Anime/Manga, that have made them outsiders in other sections of Japanese society. Otaku are afforded the chance to gather here and avoid alienation imposed by others who do not share their specific interests. The presence of such prolific "GEEKY" behavior has led to Akihabara being seen as a mecca of sorts for otaku, as well as to the term Akiba-kei, or Akiba-type.
In addition to conventional stores, various other animation related establishments have appeared in the area, such as cosplay ("costume play") cafes, where waitresses are dressed up like anime characters, and manga kissaten ("comics cafes"), where customers can read comics, watch DVDs and surf the internet.
Maid-kissa are coffee shops where the waitresses where fantasy like maid costumes. They dress up to look like characters from famous anime or Japanese comics. Since Akihabara caters not only to electronic enthusiasts but also young Japanese otaku which translates roughly to NERDS in English.
Every Sundays at Chuo-Dori, the main street in Akihabara you can find the "MAIDS" passing out pamphlets to their shops to passers by.
Akihabara is 5 minutes ride from (central) Tokyo Station
SOURCE:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
japan-guide.com
tokyoessentials.com
BEST VIEW LARGE
Acolyte
The Prologue:
Julie had come alone. Having missed her ride with a friend to deal with some pressing servant related issues, she had taken her father’s roadster out and had driven the curving, often bumpy road into the city by herself. Parking it, she had made her way to where the festivities were already in full swing.
She now stood at upstairs entrance, allowing herself a minute to unwind from her driving to breathlessly take it all in. As she stood to one side, allowing the swarming mass of guests to pass uninhibited by her as they headed downstairs to the party chambers below, her eyes grew wide with the splendor below.
Julie still possessed some of the awkwardness of youth, and it showed by the way she carried herself. From her constantly gawking eyes, to her nervously moving hands, down to the high heels on her feet that occasionally still tripped her up as she walked. But despite all that, she still managed to present a total picture of elegance and grace, the result of years of etiquette being forced down her pretty throat.
Now, anyone down below who happened looked up at the entrance, would have given Julie a second look, and they did.
With that second look the following would have been taken in; long brown hair hung down in silken masses past her shoulders. The hair framed an oval face, with large, innocently wide, eyes, heavy with the mascara that always gave her face a perpetually surprised look. Resplendent in a long soft gown that seemed to pour down forever over her quite perky youthful figure, a purple satin sheet of flowing liquid, broken only by the black bolero jacket with its shimmering ornament. The hem of her gown almost covered the pointed toes of her coal black high heeled shoes.
A diamond necklace blazed in rippling fire hung from Julie’s throat, its brilliance matched by the long diamond earrings that peeked in and out as they swayed vibrantly, like a twin beacons. A sparkling diamond brooch with swinging sapphire’s that matched the colour of Julies eyes , had been placed high on one side of her black satin bolero styled jacket. She wore no gloves, and her bare fingers were home to a rather lively assortment of gem encrusted rings.
Soon two ladies also broke away from the crowd and joined Julie in her observation, as they commented to one another about the scene below. They then asking Julie if she agreed, as if the strangers and she were old acquaintances, Julie gave them both the once over as she reluctantly agreed with them.
Both Ladies were red heads, although the younger one, with pretty hazel eyes, was more of a ginger ( like Julies maid), Julie finished giving both a swift appraisal before turning her attention back to the crowd, looking for an opening to make her escape. The ginger, a young miss stunning in a gown of deep green brocaded satin with silken emerald frills, apologized for the intrusion, then let out a small squeal, commenting on how adorable Julie’s jacket was, as she lifted it up, of Jules of Paris( Pariee is how she pronounced it), and your gown, it’s of the house of Yevonne, is it not, the young lady asked? No Julie said, starting to shake her head, which made her earrings sparkle even more erratically, as the other lady continued admiring Julie’s satin jacket, momentarily covering the bright brooch from view. At the same time the other lady, a bit older ,becomingly clad in a fine gown of red wine colured Taffeta, placed a hand on Julies other shoulder, asking the now disconcerted girl if she knew how late the orchestra was playing, Julie continued shaking her head, as she looked into the older lady’s deep green eyes, mesmerized as they just oozed kindness , No, sorry ma’am she answered obediently . The younger one finished her admiration of Julie’s s attire by patted Julie’s shoulder, well nice meeting you, and with a cheerful tootles, both women left, melting ahead into the crowd.
Julie watched them for a few seconds as the pair swished downstairs, straightening her jacket as she did. Suddenly all thoughts of the two ladies were pulled from her mind as she realized something was amiss. It took her but a second to realize the brooch her maid had pinned onto her jacket was now absent. Bother she said under her breath as she looked around her on the empty floor, it must have fallen off in the roadster! Under her breath she chastised both the roadster, and the road, remembering the way the vehicle had lurched to and fro on the bumpy roadway in her haste to reach the city. She must have words with that maid of hers for not fastening it properly, that brooch was simply too valuable for her to be so careless... Julie then puts the brooch out of her mind; she decides she will have the maid search the roadster for it in the morning.
And she makes her way out into the stream of guests and begins her descent, carefully as her high heeled feet negotiate the stairs…..
***
The Tale
Dazzling!
This was the word that best described the vision enclosed within the massive chamber that evening. Filled wall to wall with a seemingly endless swarm of guests, presenting an endless sea of colourfully be gowned, be gloved, and bejeweled ladies, escorted by a small army of tuxedoed and top hatted male chaperones. The crème del a crème of the huge cities finest citizens were there, displaying a good portion of what their all the hard cold pounds and guineas could buy.
The guests had entered via a large double stair case that led down into the sub street level chamber. On the east end was a mammoth stage, which stood about 4 feet above the dance floor, easily holding the 30 piece orchestra with room to spare. The music that was played was as diverse as the guests in attendance, appealing to every age group present.
Couples and singles milled about talking merrily, just a low murmur heard just below the music. A jazz number was being played and a number of the “young bright ones” were on the floor dancing earnestly with various random moves.
A stream of fresh guests had entered, making their way downstairs, gaining the attention of a few of those already in attendance. Jewels sparkled radiantly as many a satin gloved hand was raised in greeting, many a female head was turned to point out someone they could spread gossip about, and in the process exposing a multitude of jeweles in various sparkling colours.
One of those newcomers, a raven haired, black eyed woman with a dark features, possessing an almost feline like beauty, came onto the upstairs landing. She was probably aged in her mid-twenties, surprisingly alone and unescorted. She was waved to by no one, pointed out to by many. Looking around she suddenly spied something down below that made her smile, a wide Cheshire cat like grin that quickly spread across her wickedly pretty face. She scurried down the stairs, pushing, not gently, a young miss in in a purple satin gown and black jacket, who had been moving slowly ahead of her, wobbling in her high heels, the poor girl fell against the wall, clutching it for support with well ringed fingers.
The raven haired beauty parted several more pairs of guests as she made her way down, moving too slow for her, without a word of apology. At the middle landing, she shoved her way past a pair of ladies, moving slowly as they regarded the pretty scene being played out below in the well lite chamber. One was red head wearing a tailored wine coloured taffeta gown that made a swishing noise as the lady passed, and her companion, about the same age as the intruder, (a kid sister, or cousin of taffeta gown?) was dressed in gown of deep green brocaded satin with silken emerald frills, her long hair done up in a high bun, held by dangling rows of rhinestone ropes. She looked at the lady who was unexpectedly cutting between them, but said nothing; as the lady paid neither one no never mind. The raven haired lady continues down, and still never uttering a word or wearing even the slightest look of apology, trips up yet another lady, clad in a long pure white satin gown, with emerald bracelets dangling from her white gloved wrists, who actually had started to fall, and would have if the pair of red headed ladies in wine and emerald gowns had not caught and steadied her, and in the process an emerald bracelet is lost to sight.
The raven haired, dark beauty finally landed onto the chamber floor and began snaking through the crowd, licking her vibrant red lips as her eyes darted about searching for any distractions to avoid keeping her from her selected designation, (and prey)! Her long thin figure was sleekly covered by a lengthy body-hugging black satin sheath, her heavy mascara, and long flowing hair matching the dress. She wore opera length satin gloves, red as her lips. Her jewels were all white diamonds, earrings, necklaces bracelets, and a large brooch hanging from the low cut of her gowns neckline. She wore a number of fancy rings, one of which was a large diamond cocktail ring on her left hand, while her right, gripping a red satin clutch purse, was home to 3 smaller versions of the same ring. She slowed down suddenly, and opening the purse pulled out a long telescoping holder, and opening a gold (14k) case extracted a long white cigarette and inserted it.
She than bee lined and circled around, flanking a young miss wearing(limply) a long pretty satin dress of pink coral, white pearls hanging expensively down from her ears and neckline. She wore white wrist length satin gloves, with a diamond merrily glittering from a long slender finger on her left hand. She was talking to a rather handsome youth her own age, dapper in his tails and top hat, a precision trimmed Saxon style beard, and a face with solid Welsh features, and hazel coloured twinkling eyes. A long gold chain and fob held a solid gold engraved pocket watch to his chest (all 14 k) and he wore a ruby pin in his black ascot.
As she stole behind the back of the poor princess in coral, she gave her a venomous gaze, which quickly changed as she touched the young man on the shoulder, as he turned to her, the raven haired beauty, whose name was Lilith, eyes were now brimming with contrived admiration.
Hello darlings Lilith said, in a syrupy low voice, addressing them both, although she did not even glance at the girl. Both hoarsely said hello back, and the boy took the offered hand and kissed it, her large ring shinning, blindingly in his eyes. Would you be a dear then? She asked, waving the cigarette holder in front of his face. He obligingly lit it, and she let out a puff of smoke, aimed directly in the girls face, who started coughing Lilith smirked, panting her on the back, sorry dearie, mind if I borrow him for a bit, and she led the young gentleman away, before the pretty girl in coral and pearls could regain whatever composure she had left. Charles! Be a dear and buy me a drink please Lilith asked him, and he (with proper breeding of the titled) led her off without question, abandoning the young miss who watched them trot off with tears brimming in her blue eyes.
The drinks came, and Lilith sat her cigarette holder down next to them, dance with me Charles, and she took his arm and led him off to the dance floor, just as his fiancé in the coral gown and borrowed pearls had managed to catch up.
Charles held Lilith in his arms, as one might hold a cold blooded serpent. She moved close, appropriately hissing in his ear. Why are you wasting time with that silly Ginny creature, don’t you know her parents are about to lose all their money, and that Ginny’s only interest was in his title, and his parents fortune, silly bean. Charles looked warily at Lilith, than over at the forlorn Ginny, just standing there. He genuinely liked , maybe even loved, Ginny, even had given her a friendship ring, signifying his desire to become closer , But there were the rumors of her father being swindled of his fortune, and if his parents ever found out!. He looked back into his dance partners beady black eyes, they held a seductive fire which played immensely to his vanity. She was smiling winningly at him, she had made her selection, and although it would never show in her eyes, in the back of her devious mind, she was starting to think how the letter would go that his parents would anonymously be soon receiving concerning Ginny, the little pipsqueak, Lilith called her silently in her mind.
***
Meanwhile the pair of red haired ladies who had had the cheekiness to stop on the middle landing of the grand staircase, impeding Lilith’s progress, were now walking the perimeter of the mammoth chamber, meandering, taking in all of the sparkling and shininess of the surroundings, their eyes missing very little as they talked. The young, ginger haired one, pretty in her gown of deep green brocaded satin with silken emerald frills, seemed a little peeved about something, and her companion noticed that her grey eyes had turned a certain shade of green, always a sign of something amiss. She stopped her and asked her to please spill it out.
Oooh how I despise that witch, a seething Lydia said to her companion in the wine coloured taffeta gown, spitting out each word like a hissing cat, even Lydia’s back was arched a little like a feline. Her friend, whose longish flaming red hair was lying over her left shoulder, hanging down in a picturesque manner over her full bosom, was surprised at Lydia’s reaction. Who dear? Asked her friend, Angie. The lady in white satin Angie asked? No, spit out the usually collected Lydia, not her, she was really fuming. Angie continued, I was going to say, if it was, than taking her emerald bracelet should have been revenge enough, Angie stated, then continued. So just who are we talking about Lydia?
That one!, Lydia snarled, nodding her head, the witch in black who rushed through us on the stairs and went that way! Angie stopped, looking off in the direction Lydia had nodded. Oh her, she said, the one in black satin. Lydia just glared, and Angie knew she had gotten it right. She asked Lydia, does this witch have a name? Lilith! Lydia spat it out like a swear word, followed by a gushing tirade. She is a backstabbing creature who can charm any man into submission while making a girl cringe and wince with the merest of glances. She is a gold digger extraordinaire with two ex-grooms who couldn’t see her for her true colours until they had been gutted by her gilded claws!!
Really exclaimed Angie, her green eyes becoming brighter! Two of them? Yes, Lydia went on, both wealthy, both became available when their parents received anonymous poison letters about their then betrothed.
I’d give anything to knock her down a few pegs, Lydia continued through clenched teeth.
Angie mulled it over; realizing anything more she said would just add fuel to Lydia’s fire. She decided to let her simmer down on her own, and then perhaps they could get on to their business. She suggested a drink, and they moved off, passing a forlorn young lady in a limp coral coloured gown, wearing a nice display of pearls, who seemed to be staring off in the distance at something with tear filled eyes.
Skirting the dance floor, they soon attained the lounge and settled in……..
***************************************************
It had now been four years since Angie had taken the charmingly talented young Lydia under her wing.
She had encouraged her blossoming skills, abilities that Lydia herself had self-taught by playing games with her siblings, until she encountered a professional she could learn from. That professional had been Angie. Lydia now possessed the little dog eared ancient pamphlet that had been the secret to Angie’s success as a light fingered lady pickpocket, focusing mainly on the fine jewels worn out and about by rich girls and women in society.
(Please visit our albums section and peruse the various Angie Albums for more background stories on Angie and her “light fingers” the Eds.)
It had cost Angie a necklace to acquire the pamphlet, and it had been worth it. It had cost the younger, ginger haired Lydia her brooch and ring for a chance to do the same. Lydia caught on quickly, mastering certain moves in half the time it had taken Angie, and for which Angie gave her high praise.
But sadly it was now less frequently that they worked as a team, each after a time branching off on their own paths.
Lydia was a different creature than Angie in the respect that coming from a wealthy family she was supported, even though most of the family lands, money and titles would go to the heir, Lydia’s twin brother. For her lifting items from her wealthy friends and relations had started out as an edgy game. Now it had evolved into a challenging pastime, a trophy hunt of sorts where she collected jewels like her father collected animal relics. Some of her lesser trophies were passed onto Angie, who had the connections to dispose of them, turning them into ready pound notes.
Whereas Angie had been born to impoverished English parents who had immigrated to Canada. They made her, their only child, an orphan at age 6 upon their untimely deaths in an epidemic. At the crowded orphanage the nuns taught her a little about manners, how to act properly for a lady, and the rest she had learned on her own, what she needed to say to please them and avoid the “floggings” that they administered to those who refused to “fit” in. She fled the orphanage when she was 14 and forged her own, often lonely path in the years that followed. For her lifting a ladies valuables was a means of lively hood as much as it brought her thrills. And she had accomplished it all without Lydia’s advantages, which had been a pair of a willing accomplices, AKA a sister and brother, to practice on!
But the pair remained in constant touch and it had been at Lydia’s beckoning that Angie had met her in London a few days prior. From London they had travelled by rail to attend this once a year function, and to attend the various balls and other affairs that were the natural outgrowths of the Gala.
It had been an eventful journey, the train ride had proven to be even more profitable than usual for the two light fingered ladies.
Lydia had written Angie a letter (to Angie’s solicitor who she saw at least one a month) telling her about the upcoming gala, and how would she would like Angie to join her in for the hunt. Their plans were to attend the gala and its outgrowths, then spend a few months of the upcoming party season continuing Lydia’s education. They had met at the London station, and after checking their bags found themselves with a little time to kill before boarding. Now outside the station there was a sprawling green where several vendors had set up their wares, a haven for those possess a light fingered touch. The two ladies meandered, catching up on what had been happening in their lives since they last time they had been together.
Now as they walked the green, they also kept their eyes open, and it was the second time they had passed a group of small benches, across a path from where an organ grinder was performing with a pet monkey, which they stopped, giving some serious attention to something they had both glanced at the first time in passing.
There was a trio of young ladies by one of the benches. Later they learned the trio were three sisters awaiting for the arrival of their parents and older brother. All three wore eye catching outfits, the younger 2 siblings in silk dresses of canary yellow and butterscotch, the elder sister was in a long flowing black skirt with a glistening silver coloured ruffled satin blouse. The jewels the three were innocently wearing in public were also worth a second look. The youngest (12) wore a pretty selection of silver, the middle (14) wore gleaming pearls, their older sister and chaperone (19) was wearing gold bracelets, a fine collection of rings and (probably unwisely) an expensive sapphire brooch at her throat.
Now the first time they had passed the oldest was seated at a bench reading a magazine, while her siblings played on the lawn. They had stopped to watch the sisters, under the pretense of watching the crowd around the organ grinder and his monkey. They watched both groups with some interest, but were distracted when Lydia pointed out a pickpocket working the crowd across the way. Angie spotted him immediately, he was chatting to a pair of ladies wearing fashionable day gowns of shiny damask. It looked to be a wealthy mother and her younger sister. As the grey top hated gentleman thief engaged the mother in conversation, he was reaching around and gingerly lifting the silver watch of the younger sister, her attention being paid out to her two young nephews. They watched until he had pocketed the watch, his skill level about average for the type, before Lydia and Angie headed off for the far side of the green.
The second time around they saw that the oldest had fallen asleep, sitting on the bench and the younger two were sitting on the grass, watching the monkey from across the way. The grey top hated man who had relieved the lady of her watch, was now lurking on the scene, eyeing the two sisters sitting on the grass, their dresses splayed out, making the small glistening pools that had probably been what first caught his attention, before noticing their jewels, which were ripe for the picking now that their chaperone eyes were closed.
Lydia and Angie, without a word between them, moved in for the kill. Lydia went straight to the younger sisters, while Angie made a wide circle, cutting in front of the top hatted gentleman, who nodded to the pretty, clever faced, red head. Angie than seated herself on the far end of the bench, primarily to keep the grey top hated man and any other opportunist who may also have designs on the sound asleep older sister’s jewelry, at bay.
Lydia meanwhile had come up behind the younger pair of sisters, laying a hand on the older ones shoulder as she chirped a happy hello to them. Asking them if they would give some coins to the monkey for her, they got up and allowed Lydia to lead them across the path.
The girls called to the little monkey and handed him their coins, while they all laughed at the tricks he performed for them. The younger one was looking up at Lydia who handed her another coin; she scrunched down, and gave it to him, as they waited for him to perform again. Lydia placed her hand on thy older sister’s silken covered shoulder, than her fingers quickly slid up to the necklace of pearl, and with two fingers, flicked open the hook and eye clasp, and pulled away the pearls in one motion. She then moved back, leaving the younger siblings to play with the monkey and melted back into the crowd,
Watching all this, Angie made a noise after Lydia had vanished from sight, waking the sleeping lass, who immediately looked around for her wayward sisters. Spying the pretty red head sitting at the end of the bench, she smiled (girls always felt more at ease around other women), Angie smiled back, and looked towards the monkey, and the sister also looks, and spies her siblings. She calls out to them, and as they come back Angie sees with satisfaction that Lydia had been busy. The sister also notices something amiss; the middle one is missing her pearls.
They begin to look, with the concerned red head kindly offering her” a hand” in their search. After a fruitless 15 minutes spent searching through the crowd of huddled people watching the organ grinder and his monkey, the nice red headed lady gave her apologies’, saying she must leave to make her train. The pretty lady takes her leave, holding the girls hand as she earnestly expresses her hopes that the pearls are found. She holds out her arms, and is given a hug for helping by the grateful older sister. Angie places a hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes, as her other hand reaches up and unhooks the sapphire brooch from the sisters satin blouse, palming it effortlessly.
As Angie disappears in the crowd the search goes on in earnest, It is not much after the red headed lady had swished her way through her crowd towards the train, that the older sister discovers she is wearing on less ring! As she in bewilderment places a hand to her silk covered chest, her fingers feel nothing, and start to feel around fruitlessly for her brooch, her sapphire brooch, its gone, not even so much as a tear on her satin blouse where it had been pinned by her maid that morning. The older sister feels a hand placed on her shoulder, she looks up into the smiling eyes of a dapper gentleman in a grey top hat, I something wrong my dear? He asks her, showing genuine concern in his smiling eyes.
As the gentleman in the grey top hat was giving his upmost attention to the young lady Angie had been “helping”, Angie entered the train, and walking to the end of the last passenger car, settled into the seat next to Lydia.
Lydia Turned towards Angie, and speaking in French, Commented:
La levée de suite les bijoux d'une jeune femme est comme une plume prise !
Dear, Angie said in an almost motherly tone of voice, I really wish you would not go about quoting that Arsène Lupin wretch, as a pickpocket the man is a butcher.
Angelica, Lydia teasingly chided, you say that about all men with light fingers, like our gray hatted friend back there.
Honey, Angie smiled, most men like that are serpents, and Lupin is still a butcher.
Lydia watched Angie settle back in her seat with a secret smile. She did not know too much about Angie’s past, but there was something there about Monsieur Lupin, (whose exploits had been made into print, tickling her young girls fancy, as she poured over them), that seemed to get at Angie’s goat. A lot about Angie’s past life was a secret to Lydia, but she knew well enough when to let sleeping dogs lie..
Lydia than settled in as the train lurched forward, taking them safely away from the London park, along with the sister’s “trinkets “the pair had obtained.
A little later, it became Lydia’s turn to show her mettle.
An hour after leaving London Station, the train stopped at a fashionable suburb. Lydia watched with half opened eyes, the disembarking passengers, and the new arrivals now walking to and fro along the wooden platform. Suddenly her eyes opened wide, and she made a small noise. Angie looked up from her book with interest, immediately spotting it too.
A young couple was walking past their window. He was wearing a 3 piece suit, walking stick, a silver timepiece, and a small brown derby. It was his wife, though, upon which the ladies interest lay. She was sporting a slinking satin frock, pretty in itself as it lay along her voluptuous figure, but it was her necklace that stole the show, and as she walked it was noticed by more than a few of the people she passed. It was a buoyantly bright gold drop necklace that encircled her neck, with a large stone ruby in the center of the drop that lay along her bare throat. The necklace really vexed Lydia’s interest and she watched it, and the lady who wore it for as long as she could before finally losing sight and settling back in the seat with a long sigh.
Only a few short minutes later she her heart leapt in her throat. The couple had entered their car, probably heading for one of the private cars at the end of the train she reasoned, as her eyes took in every detail. But no, the couple stopped at the empty seat just before the one Angie and Fiona occupied.
Now Lydia and Angie had the end seats in the car, their back was to the cars wall, and directly across from them was a small storage room, , so the seating across the aisle started up about three rows, which meant that basically no one could see them unless they were walking past. Lydia continues to watch with interest as the couple settled in, the wife taking the window seat, in front of Lydia a. Angie just kept her nose buried in the book she was holding; this was all Lydia’s show. Lydia watched the lady as she sat back, her and her necklace reflected in the windows, The ladies shoulders were just above the seat, and after she had settled in, she made a show of doing up her long hair in a bun, giving Lydia ample time to study the valuable necklaces gold box clasp, and plan her way to it.
After listening to the few sharp words the lady gave her husband, Lydia decides this elegantly coiffured lady was somewhat a prima donna. Her husband tries to place his arm around her, but is chased off. They both finally fall off to sleep, and as the twilight outside takes over, Lydia sees her chance and seizes it. Lydia reaches over, and after licking her fingers, plays with the man’s ears. He groggily wakens, still aroused now that he thinks his wife is also now amorous, he reaches over and pets her affectionately. She wakens, angry and pushes the husband away. But Lydia is prepared, as the wife leans towards her husband, and away from the window, Lydia’s fingers have already flicked open the box clasp and whisked of the gold necklace from the opposite direction, towards the window, where she catches its reflection as slips over the back of the ladies seat and curls up in Lydia’s open palm.
Lydia and Angie now had private, “front” row seats for when the wife’s loss was discovered. It was always a performance that Angie never tired of watching when she could chance it. And Lydia? Sticking around and watching her victim’s reaction at being pickpocketed was one of the reasons she started lifting jewelry in the first place. Neither of them was disappointed on this occasion.
Now wide awake, the wife settled back down to read her book, playing with a strand of her hair that had fallen while she was chastising her husband. As she did her fingers brushed her neck, she stopped reading, and carefully felt around her throat, before letting out a yelp that woke her husband, and several of the other passengers ahead of her. She cried out (in a heavy Italian accent) my jewels, La mia collana , è svanito, it is gone? In panic she rose and started to look around, her hand to her throat, giving everyone watching a nice display of her pretty figure in its shiny dress and of her remaining jewelry. Angie, Lydia, a Stewart and the couple two seats ahead got up and helped in the fruitless search. Her necklace had somehow mysteriously vanished.
After things finally settled down Angie and Lydia made friends with the husband, but his wife remained angry and distant….
The rest of the trip had been uneventful, mainly because Angie and Lydia had had their fill of their appealingly pretty little games for the time being.
*******************************************************************
Angie suddenly perked up, letting go of her thoughts. She looked over at Lydia who was nursing her drink, her eyes looking a little less peeved. Did you see her, she asked? Who? Answered Lydia, Lilith? No answered Angie patiently. Not the Girl in the coral gown and pretty pearls, that one looked miserable enough without our help, stated Lydia? No, not her, but Angie reflected, Her pearls were nice, I almost suggested a go at them, but glad we didn’t, your right she did seem sad enough as it is. No, I mean that one over there, and she threw her eyes over to the entrance of the lounge.
Oh, Lydia exclaimed, I see what you mean. In the corner just outside the enclosed lounge area stood a lady in teal velvet, carrying a purse, her silver satin gloved wrist and fingers, home to a rather nice set of blazing emeralds and diamonds, matching those around her throat and hanging from her ears. Lydia looked over the situation.
The new mark wearing the teal velvet, was idling looking around, obviously trying to spot someone. Lydia looked at Angie, her Hazel eyes turning green with anticipation. Who gets her, she asked sweetly. Angie nodded,( wanting something to take Lydia mind off …..) she is all yours princess ( a nickname that Angie sometimes used on Lydia, and about the only person in the world Lydia could tolerate calling her that).
And watch her movements, added Angie in an instructing tone, See how she jumps up to peer over the crowd? Try and use it to your advantage. Lydia smiled and watched, licking her lips in anticipation.
Now Lydia’s forte was lifting necklaces, so that whenever it was Angie’s turn to be the spotter, she would always be on the lookout for Ladies wearing necklaces that would be within easy reach of Lydia’s talented fingers. Likewise Lydia, when spotting for Angie, kept an eye out for brooches. So, when Angie told Lydia the mark was hers, it was her emerald necklace that received close study first.
Lydia waited until the lady had her back to them, and she rose and carefully threaded herself through the maze of tables to the entrance of the lounge, her gown rustling against any object it touched. She came up on the lady in teal. Violet she cried out, as she raised one arm, wrapping around it around the girl’s back, while the other gripped the girl’s arm as Lydia drew the lady up against her figure in an embrace..
The girl tried to turn, squirming in Lydia s clasp, and as she did so, Lydia’s hand had already snaked up to the studied necklaces clasp, popping it open. I’m not Vio…. the startled girl tried to say, but as she turned around, Lydia exclaimed, you’re not Violet, oh I ‘m so sorry she said, asking for forgiveness sweetly,( undoing the clasp of the necklace and lifting up one end) I thought you were my cousin violet, Lydia apologized profusely, while her one hand squeezed the girls arm, finger bails digging in, as the other one holding the end of the necklace on her shoulder, moved down behind teal velvets back, slipping away the fiery necklace with it.. As Lydia balled up the necklace in her hand, she begged her leave, expressing regrets that she did not have time to chat with her new friend, have to find where Violet wandered off to she explained, squeezing the girl’s arm.
The mark was only too glad to accept the pretty stranger’s apology at not being able to stay and chat. The lady watched Lydia swish off into the swarming crowds. Her eyes slightly puzzled, before she remembered that she was also looking for someone, and went off, soon forgetting the entire incident ( and later, when the loss of her necklace was discovered, her brief encounter with Violet’s confused cousin was not even thought of)!
As Lydia sauntered off she stowed away the emerald necklace, and then meandered about the chamber, taking her turn to spot fresh victims, whose jewels were doomed to disappear under Angie’s talented fingers.
Meanwhile across the Ballroom another scene was being played out…..
********
Lilith was now holding court at the edge of the dance floor; her second straight dance had ended with the young gentleman she was leading to believe fascinated her. She was busy continuing chatting him up, expressing her utter delight at the wonderful dancer he was, when Ginny timidly approached. She drew near her erstwhile boyfriend, asking him for their dance, as she desperately tried to keep her lips from trembling. Lilith’s eyes lit up in false apology (Ginny could see that all too well), darling! Lilith exclaimed, could I borrow your young man for a bit more, he promised me a drink. She placed her arm around him, isn’t that right darling? The overly polite boy, choked up a bit, unsure of what to do, his breeding not letting him wanting to hurt either Ginny, or Lilith, despite what his true desires actually were, and that was to be alone with Ginny! Although the seeds of doubt that had been planted in his mind by Lilith were beginning to take root and he was starting to have worries about what if future with Ginny would become an actuality.
Ginny, Charles started, faltered, than tried again, Ginny, the band is going to play The Charleston, you know how you like to dance to it, why don’t you go and I’ll catch up with you soon, promise. Yes darling, Lilith chirped maternally at poor Ginny, It will be just a quick one darling, and taking Charles by the arm, led him off, leaving Ginny standing there, wilting away as the Lilith’s words and actions burned through to her very soul. The music stared, and she reluctantly, if not a little obediently, did as Charles wished. Three dances later, he still had not shown up as promised, and Ginny danced on, a burning hole opening ever wider in her heart.
**********
Meanwhile, as poor Ginny started dancing to her second of three solo dances, we visit another end of the chamber, where Lydia is found talking merrily with three girls around her own age that she had collected around her. She had lured them into her web by engaging the considerable charm, elegance and sophistication that had been bred into her by her parents pretty much since birth.
Three pretty maids all in a row, overloaded with a multitude of dripping jewels, and Lydia was waiting for Angie to make an appearance and lighten their load! A blond haired lady in shiny red satin, a brown haired maiden in bright blue, and a tow headed damsel in silky gold. As Lydia was chatting up the three girls, her eyes, discreetly and unobtrusively, take an account of their jewels, their placement and their value.
Amongst the jewels the lady in red is wearing the most valuable is a necklace of small diamonds and a ring around her right hand’s pinky that is a large diamond cluster that shimmers spectacularly as she plays with a locket of her lion’s mane like blond hair.
The pretty maiden in blue was displaying a nice collection of gold jewelry, braided chains with small flecks of silver woven in. But above her left breast, was her only jeweled piece, pinned with a simple c-clasp, a gold brooch with a center stone of blue topaz surrounded by dazzling ½ caret diamonds.
Then there was the damsel in the pretty gold coloured gown, woven of some type of exotic, overly expensive, material that just shimmered in the massive chandelier’s light. She was also wearing opera length gold satin gloves, from which were dangling a pair impressive jeweled bracelets, their stones a multitude of rainbow coloured gems. She also wore a long pair of dangling diamond earrings, held loosely by rather ancient hinge clasps. Although her many other jeweled pieces were pretty valuable, these two twin sets were by far the most valuable pieces that anyone in the group was wearing.
Lydia feasted on the show her three marks jewels were displaying as she won them all over, soon bringing them into fits of giggling and laughter as they started to talk about the things most groups of women by themselves talk about, men! Out of the corner of her eye Lydia spied Angie coming up and around to see what’s up. She circled past each of the girls, slowly, nonchalantly, attracting no notice from the others in Lydia’s little group.
As Angie passed behind the blond in red satin, Lydia adjusted one of her rings, like it was bothering her, the motion caught Angie’s eye. Then Angie passed behind the gold gowned miss, and her eyes darted to Lydia, who lifted up her hair, exposing her ears, than absentmindedly started playing with a bracelet. Then Angie went behind the little blue gowned miss, and saw Lydia suppressing a cough, patting her chest to stifle it, her fingers splayed just above her left breast. Nodding, as much to herself as Lydia, Angie melted back into the crowd, and made a wide circle before approaching Lydia’s side.
Angie touched Lydia on her shoulder and she swirled, delighted that her “new friend” had shown up. (for whatever the reason, it always makes the mark(s) more comfortable when a pair of newcomers are related or are friends, Gaston Monescu, page 15 paragraph 2), Lydia excitedly introduced Angie to her three new chums, explaining to them how Angie and her had met on the train and had bonded, and how nice Angie was, and how very interesting a life she had led, along with other bits of flummery.
Angie’s first formal introduction was to red satin, Jessica. Whom Angie took by the hand, then reached around and hugged her, receiving a warm embrace in return. After the embrace, Angie clasped Jessica’s right hand in both of hers, praising Jessica on her pretty gown. As Jessica looked down, lifting a portion of the gown’s skirt with her left hand to show it off better, all eyes looked down. As everyone’s attention was diverted for that fraction of a second, Angie released Jessica’s right hand, slipping off from Jessica’s satin clad pinky, the large diamond clustered ring. Angie discreetly passed off the ring to Lydia, who was standing close to one side.
Then Lydia introduced Angie to the elegantly gold gowned young lady, Abby. Angie raised one arm, wrapping it around Abby’s back, while the other gripped her wrist, flicking open the jeweled bracelet‘s safety chain, as she drew the gold gown wearing Abbey up against her figure. The girl tried to turn, squirming in Angie’s embraces. Angie’s hand patted the girl on the back as the girl halfheartedly did the same, feeling Angie’s face bury itself in her shoulder. Effectively blocking from view the hand the held her wrist, which was picking open the bracelets clasp. Angie pulled away, looking the young miss in the eyes, everyone else eyes were also on Angie, which is what she was aiming for. And as she told the sweet young thing that it was her pleasure, she patted the ladies wrist, squeezing open the bracelet, slipping it off and into the slightly open purse at her side. As she does, her other hand goes up to the lady in gold’s dangling earring,( all eyes follow this movement) admiring the earring openly, taking its clasp into consideration for possibly an attempt later if they meet somewhere outside after hours. One never knows.
The last one to be introduced was the pretty Miss wearing the blue gown, Meria. Lydia, laughingly teasing her about being last, led her by the elbow and pulled the Meria towards Angie, and while she was turning, Angie took a small step forward and made sure her left side would bump against her. As Angie drew her in for an embrace, her right hand right hand was on the brooch while Angie’s left was grasping Meria’s left shoulder. Performing a move so familiar and well-practiced it was almost second nature, her middle finger pushed the c clasp out of its hook releasing the brooch into Angie’s palm. Pulling her hand down, she deposited the brooch into her purse, as she enveloped the girl in a hug. Then she stepped back, and began chatting with all three, soon winning them over like Lydia had done, keeping them distracted from themselves and their missing fine trinkets. Angie told them a quick, funny story about a man she had met on the train recently, which soon had them all giggling.
Angie took her leave after about 5 minutes, making an excuse that she needed to freshen up, she again took each ladies hand in goodbye, including Lydia’s, whom Angie slipped off a ring from her finger, so if things got sticky, she would be one of the victims also.
Lydia stayed behind to keep the three darling ladies occupied. She noticed one by one the missing jewels of each girl. The three shimmering silken lambs had been most professionally sheared, the most expensive of their jewels disappearing in such a manner that requires a ladies touch, no mere male, not even the talented Arsène Lupin, could have done better in the same scenario. As she looked them over, Lydia mused that with the mass quantities of jewelry each of the three were wearing, it would be some time before any of them realized some were missing.
********
Meanwhile across the ballroom, as Angie had been introduced to her last of the three ladies and their jewels that Lydia had lined up; another scene had started being played out…..
Lilith had just finished her second drink with Charles, while the third song of a five song set had just started, fast and one meant for singles (favored mainly by the ladies, one of who was the wretched Ginny). Lilith looked at Charles, and suggested he should join the gentlemen up in the smoke room (she had seen him watching them mass exodus of gentlemen heading that way when the current set of songs had started). Charles hesitated, I should really see about Ginny, he cautiously stated, not sure of Lilith’s reaction. Lilith smiled, licking her re lips, don’t you worry yourself over the poor dear, I will go and keep her company until you return, she promised happily.
Defeated, Charles wearily accepts her suggestion, and Lilith watches him depart, then smugly looks in the direction of the dance floor, and exultantly plucking the fag from the gold holder, squashes it down quite hard in an ash container. She snaps closed the telescoping holder, and with a positively wicked grin, leaves her seat with a pounce and heads onto the dance floor, her hips swinging her black satin gown with a fluid motion, not unlike like a black cat making a move against a frightened mouse, or perhaps a snake slithering towards its victim.
It is a known fact that in the wild herding animals will avoid any member who is ill or dying. This may explain that, with Ginny’s 3rd dance of the 5 song set, she was still alone. It was like her wretchedness was felt by others and so kept their distance, leaving poor Ginny alone in her own empty circle, dancing at a far end of the chamber. This is also why she was not hard to spot by one who was now specifically seeking her out.
Ginny jumped as a hand grasped, not softly, her shoulder, and a voice said her name, with an evil hiss into her ear…
Ginny turned to face Lilith, whose look of utter hatred made that she gave the poor girl, made Ginny cringe as she backed away, dancing was now the last thing on the poor girls mind.
Darling, Lilith said spitting out the word as she looked around to make sure no one else was listening in, I have some very bad news….
Lilith launched into a tirade filled litany of reasons of why “Her” dear Charles would simply never be able to have anything more to do with her. Starting with her jewelry( really dear, you had to borrow them?) jumping to her moneyless parents( penniless in-laws, really darling it just isn’t done ), her now lowered position in society, (not to worry though , after she(Lilith) and Charles were marred she would find Ginny a maids position somewhere). And finally, that Charles was leaving because he was angry with the jealous way the sniveling Ginny had been acting.
With each sentence that was thrown in poor Ginny’s face she stepped back, the hateful words (some of which she knew had truth in them) slicing like a knife into the already tormented girls soul.
Finally she could take it no longer, and openly weeping she turned and tried to flee, looking fruitlessly around for Charles, but Lilith was quick, and grasped the poor girl before she could make good her escape..
Oh, you poor darling, I haven’t hurt your feelings have I spat Lilith in mocking tones, her , and she drew Ginny to her in a tight embrace, feeling the girl squirming in her arms, much like a mouse would squirm under a cat’s clawed paw, or perhaps wrapped in a serpents coils( both scenarios fit Lilith). Lilith finally released the poor thing, who fled recklessly away.
Lilith stayed and watched Ginny bolt, an indulgent smile creeping upon her face. She started to move in rhythm with the music, extremely pleased with herself, her sleek, slinky black gown and gloves flowing down along her devastatingly pretty figure making her appear like some slithering serpent rising up from the bowels of some glittering hell….
It was no more than 2 minutes later that a hand was placed from behind on Lilith’s shoulder.
********
As Charles headed off to relish his cigar, and Lilith headed off to relish tormenting Ginny; Lydia was continuing to entertain the three young ladies, while biding her time until the next conquest of the evening.
Suddenly Angie appeared from the crowd, again behind the three unsuspecting girls still under Lydia’s spell. Angie gave her a subtle signal, indicating that she has spotted fresh prey in dire need of being shed of her jewels, and needed Lydia’s help with the shearing. Lydia encourages the three ladies to meet her a little later, she sees a gentlemen (winking) whom she had promised a dance. They let their friend go, thinking she should wait for a slow dance, the music being played now was no way to dance close and personal, but they unknowingly were quite wrong.
After leaving the 3 young ladies, Lydia soon reached Angie’s side by the edge of the dance floor. Angie turned and nodded her head indicated one side of the floor, is that Lilith? She asked Lydia’s eyes followed Angie’s nod, soon eyeing the solitary lady in black standing at one end talking with the girl in coral and pearls.
Yes it is she answered, why? Attend, said Angie, and Lydia listened as Angie laid out her plans before her, as Lydia watched her witch, and the diamonds she wore that flickered around her black encased figure like so many evil tongued serpents. Suddenly she saw the girl in coral whose pearls the ladies had admired earlier, suddenly turn and flee, crying. Still up to your dirty tricks, are you Lilith!, Lydia thought spitefully.
Ready, the pair of scheming red heads than made their move.
*********
Lilith turned to see whose hand it was, half expecting to see Ginny, she checked herself quite nicely when turning, when she saw Lydia’s beaming face.
The two ladies dance in step for a few seconds, than Lilith gushes, why Lydia dearest, I hadn’t noticed you were here. Perfectly lovely darling, then Lilith added, but who brought you this evening? She asked, appearing very casual.
Lydia stayed silent on the subject; she wouldn’t give Lilith the satisfaction of knowing that she had not found anyone since Lilith had stolen Lord St. Claire, her longtime Beau, from under her nose.
Instead, Lydia praised Lilith, her lovely figure and gown, false praise, and Lilith knew it. They both continue dancing, almost sparing like a pair of fencers, with sharp eyes, and tongues rather the swords.
***********
Having been pre-warned by Lydia that the situation would become volatile very fast, Angie had come up behind Lilith very quickly, and started to dance behind her, coming ever closer, unnoticed by Lilith whose guard was totally centered on Lydia.
Angie saw her chance and tripped on Lilith’s Gown, sending her into Lydia’s waiting arms. Angie’s hands at the same moment had flew up to clasp of Lilith’s diamond necklace, unsnapping it, and sending the necklace falling into Lydia’s hands as she pushed away Lilith, who was in the process of turning and rounding on the person who dared ruin her expensive gown. As she spat at Angie, reprimanding her for her careless ness, Lydia moved in between, flicking the clasp of Lilith’s diamond broach in the process. Pushing the pair apart, Lydia apologies, as her right hand neatly slipped of the opened broach from Lilith’s satin gown, saying it was her fault for dancing so close to Lilith that she had backed poor Lilith into the lady.
Lydia took Angie’s hand, apologizing, slipping her the necklace and broach into Angie’s half open purse in the process. And with that, Angie turned and went on her way, never looking back, Hearing Lilith saying something to Lydia about the clumsy bitch, as she left.
************
Later that evening found Angie walking through the lounge of an upscale hotel, having joined in with the spillover from the fancy dress ball that had gathered there. She had stashed in her hotel room the shimmering collection of purloined jewels that Lydia and her had lifted while attending the Ball proper.
For the past half an hour she had been having an enjoyable conversation with the sparkling (both in personality, and attire) tow headed lady in silky gold that Lydia had introduced her to at the ball, and who still had not noticed she was shorn of a one of her bracelets from her gloved wrist,. Angie had come across the damsel sitting alone by the bar, her friend (The pretty maiden in blue who had been displaying the nice collection of gold jewelry- less one brooch) had left her to party on with a male friend of hers.
Angie had just left the pretty ladies side, also leaving her without the bother of placing her earrings and one of her twin bracelet in the hotel safe that evening. She as of yet failed noticed that now her dangling diamond earrings that had been loosely held by their ancient old fashioned clasps, had gone the same route as her Bracelet. Angie had slipped off the earrings while giving her a generous hug of greeting after watching and waiting for her to be alone.
*******************************
Lighting a cigarette Angie left through the lobby and headed into a late night pub. As she nursed her first scotch, neat over ice, a familiar figure approached and slid onto the empty stool next to her. Thought I’d find you here, chirped a much happier Lydia. Just wanted to pop to give you an update, She waited and made small talk until after the bartender had taken and served her drink (a whiskey Soda) then began to fill in Angie.
So what was her reaction when you pointed out her jewels were missing, Angie asked Lydia with great expectations of what had happened? Well when I pointed them out, instead of thinking you (Angie) had been the culprit, Lilith assumed they had been taken by” Ginny” (the sad one wearing the coral gown and pearls) when Lilith had been hugging her. That little toad, Lilith had spat out to Lydia, and turned to hunt Ginny down.
Poor dear, said Angie, felling a small pang of sorrow for the little Ginny creature. No, answered Lydia, not really, and she continued…
Lydia had followed, realizing that Lilith was out of control, worried that someone innocent may be hurt.
And she was correct, because Lilith approached Ginny and lit into her something fearsome.
Lilith literally grabbed Ginny and started shaking her, demanding that she give them back. The girl was petrified, and Lilith started calling her some pretty nasty names.
A crowd started gathering.
Then all of a sudden this bloke wearing a gold pocket watch, cuts through the crowd and rescues the poor girl from Lilith’s clutches. Like a white knight Angie commented. Well he was in black tails, and boy was he angry with Lilith, he held the girl in coral tight as he looked at Lilith lividly, his face the reddest I have ever seen on an angry young man.
Lilith finally, collected herself, and I saw all fire drain from her face, and she turned around and stormed out of the chamber. I don’ know, nor care what became of her, stated Lydia.
Feel better now, princess? Angie asked Lydia.
Lydia smiled perking up, actually for the small bit of solace it may have been worth, it had made her feel better now that she had thought about it.
She smiled at Angie, producing a necklace of pearls, it seemed easier to do when she was so happy, Lydia confessed. So you do feel better Princess, Angie stated happily.
Lydia smiled, and the pair finished their drinks in thoughtful silence.
Lydia was the first to leave, smiling she bade Angie a good night, and began walking away.
Lydia had only gone a few feet, when she turned, and looked at Angie who had been watching her.
Lydia, a sly smile brightening her face and eyes, happily quoted “Assistez à un oeil de demoiselles dans vos s , chatouiller les dames de fantaisie avec une main”
Angie finished Lupin’s quote quote with a faraway look in her eyes
“tout en soulevant ses bijoux avec l'autre”
Till the morrow, Princess, Angie said in parting.
Till Tomorrow answers Lydia, turning with a skip, her gown flowing out behind her as she, now in very good humor, leaves into the smoke swirled darkness of the city to walk the few blocks to her hotel.
*****
The Epilogue:
Late afternoon of the next day, after attending an early afternoon Garden Soiree, Lydia and Angie are strolling through a park, both still dressed in their party dresses, both still wearing their fancy day jewels, (worn so they would fit in with the well to do female attendees), and both with secret pockets holding jewels lifted from some of said female attendees.
Lydia looks back at Angie, Lifting that silver dragon brooch with the ruby eyes and diamond scales was a nice move on your part Angie, she praises.
It was a lot easier with your help Lydia, Angie responded.
Lydia turned her head back onto the path, her pony tail whipping around, the pearls she had woven into it shining a bright white.
Angie said to Lydia’s back, that girl in the crème satin dress, you know I was going to go for her gold braided necklace, then you came out of nowhere and beat me to it.
Lydia just smiled satisfied to herself, I know she responded,, I wanted it to be my coup, she did not turn back to look at Angie’s reaction., but continued.. you laid down the gauntlet ,(or in this case satin glove) Angie when, as you commented on how pretty the necklace looked as it slithered along the front of her crème satin dress, you said it would take extremely deft fingers to slip it off her throat. Although I though her sisters pearls were a better score.
Angie, still walking behind her now had a secret smile on her face, and her eyes had glazed over as if her mind was drifting a million miles away from that quite park in the English countryside where the pair were now walking.
The two pretty red heads continue to walk on a bit, both in the silence of their thoughts.
Angie, Lydia asks, plopping down on a bench.
Yes dear, Angie says, her train of thought broken.
Lydia pulled out a long her gold braided necklace and was admiring it. The lady in the Crème satin dress who wore this lovely thing,; her sister, the one wearing the emerald silk gown and the pearls I fancied, you said she reminded you of a story you promised would tell me sometime? Could you tell me it now?
Angie smiled, Princess, you certainly are an inquisitive one! Let me think a minute…
Angie settled down next to her, and after mulling it over a bit, finally began…
It was during my first time in Monte Carlo, I had left the states soon after I had scored a major haul, and decided to ply my trade in new waters. It was during the fall of…
Lydia interjected, It was because of your haul at that politicians daughter’s wedding, (see album Angie being receptive)
Yes princess, that and a few other functions helped fund that trip. Angie confirmed, then went on…
I had met this pretty young like in an emerald silk gown, positively dripping in gold jewellery with rubies and emeralds…
Lydia cut in again, please start at the beginning; we have the rest of the day all to ourselves.
Angie smile, very well, I will start at the beginning: …….
( We will post in the album’ Angie “holidays” in Monte Carlo’ the rest of the tale stated in the epilogue. Once the story we recently unearthed in previously unknown chronicles of Angie’s life have been modified …The eds)
The lifting away a young lady’s jewelry is as a feather taken
La levée de suite les bijoux d'une jeune femme est comme une plume prise
Editor’s Notes:
Our Thanks to Mr. J. Gardner for pointing out the existence of Mr. Monescu’s 1826 guide
If you enjoyed our little story, please like and leave a comment.
And if you wish, describe what intrigued you the most about it…
Thank You
And last, but not least,
Kudos to the Light Fingered Lady who planted the seed of the flower that became Lydia
Courtesy of Chatwick University Archives
Pamphlets
©Copyright 2017 Karlton Huber Photography - all rights reserved.
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Dolls to Tea
Time frame -- The Gilded age
Season -- Autumn
Back in the early 20’s there was at the time ( and still is today) a rather large hotel/Inn located just 20 minutes’ motor ride from Cambridge. For the sake of a name, we will generically call it The Riverside Inn….
It had been built almost 2 hundred years ago around a natural mineral spring long said to have healing benefits by drinking or bathing. The pamphlets for the place promised ‘ Here, for just a two week stay, almost miraculous cures for a litany of ailments are promised simply by imbibing of the water’.
Gullibly wealthy guests from all over the realm come to visit, lured in by those intriguing promises of great well-being.
The hotel still stands in this modern age of cells rap,and mini motels…
But allow us to take the reader back, back in the hotels sometimes murky past, to a time when Jazz was all the rage and socialization was held firmly under thumb by some rather imposing hierarchy led standards. AKA, if you weren’t in their circles, you just did not exist… which made it far too easy for certain talented scoundrels to ply their nefarious trades…..
This story is taken from a dusty, tattered old journal kept in the study archives of Chatwick University. It was discovered in an old 1930’s era steamer trunk found in a dark corner of the Riverside Inn’s basement.
The trunk, containing a males’ possessions, was tucked away amongst a rather old, musty collection of unclaimed luggage and steamer trunks, filled with clothes and other artefacts from bygone ages. These trunks were being examined during the early 1950’s in an effort to gather materials for several new display cases.
The rather unique journal was turned over to a university professor by the authorities’ for investigation. The Journal contained entries made in the mid-(19) twenties and concerned, well you will read bout it soon enough…
The gentleman who kept the journal had written a first name on the inside cover… the name was Sabastien
Here is the story… Mostly in his words
^^^^^^^^^^^^
“This journal entry was made during my second visit to the Riverside, nearly 4 years after the first, plenty of enough time given for short memories to have forgotten previous, rather encroaching, incidents.”
What follows is a description of Sabastien’s two week stay at the rather ancient resort/hotel called Riverside. He details in full observations about his fellow guests, noting especially the females, , members of their entourage, their dress on certain evenings, the jewels they wear on those times, as well as their everyday jewels. Chronicles are also made of movements, habits, rooms occupied and a multitude of lists that would be far too much for this story. So we have just condensed his story to the relevant facts and descriptions pertaining to the gyst of his story….
If interested in reading these rather lengthy entries, please contact the Criminology Department of Chatwick University.
We will start out story on the events recorded on Sabastiens’s final day… The EDS.
It was a rather balmy fall day, that Saturday Afternoon that I was planning to leave. It had been quite an interesting week spent, as noted previously, and I was all too ready to leave now that my plans had been finalized and strategies worked out for my next adventure, as I always preferred to call them.
…..
The hotels motor car was not due for some 30 minutes, my trunk had been packed and ready for transportation to the railyard since breakfast, so I decided to entertain me self by going down one last time for afternoon Tea in the outside garden area.
I always enjoyed afternoon tea’s here, meandering amongst the well attired, wealthy guests, most of whom were under the impression that I was one of their class. If they only knew the truth!
The men dapper in day suits, straw hats and dangling thick gold and silver watch chains, and clutching ivory handled canes.
Their ladies were enchanting in their afternoon frocks, hats and parasols, their shimmering day jewels flickering an appealing display of colourful lights.
Ah yes, the ladies… The whole lot of em were mascaraed and lipsticked up, reminding me, not for the first time, like so many well-dressed posh dolls. Dolls at tea I was constantly thinking..Genuine Dolls, with genuine jewels my mind always added… For there-in lay opportunism, but for a different game than the one I was currently playing!
This is basically how the scene played out every afternoon in the Inns’ proper English back garden, complete with encircling hedge!
Today was no bloody exception.
As I leaned against the post of a deserted gazebo and watched with interest as the above thoughts played about in me head…
I let meself travel back to a time when as kids, my twin sister and I were shooed outside to play on a brite sunny afternoon. Sis had met a friend, and I had gone alone for a tramp in the woods. As I was coming back into the garden I saw me twin sister and a friend, both dressed up in some of their mums old shiny dresses, wearing some bits of play jewellery. They were pretending to have a tea party and had collected an assortment of dolls which they circled about. One of em, a larger one in a shiny pink ruffled frock, was wearing a small rhinestone necklace that sparkled in the sun. I walked past as sis and her friend pouring the tea for a rather dishevelled clown doll across form the doll in pink. With their backs adventitiously turned away, I walked past and whisked away the necklace, with the intention of waiting till the girl’s noticed so I could tease them a bit.
When the pair satisfactorily discovered the doll’s, necklace had gone dodgy, they discovered my hiding place and chased me around trying to get it back. One thing led to another and we discovered a new game.
We called it Robing hood at tea, me sister having an infatuation with the bowman thief!
They would set their dolls about wearing jewels. I would try to find them and, while avoiding the sheriffs guards ( the girls) , lift the doll’s jewels and try to make it back to Sherwood forest uncaptured with the girls usually in chase if I was discovered. Basically it was a mixture of cops n robbers and hide and seek.
My mind drifted back to the present, I let my eyes travel as I rested in my perch, pondering.
It twas an intriguing thought though, I mean, what if some of these ladies, all dressed and bedecked in real jewels, had been actual life size porcelain dolls? How easy it would be to walk past some of them whilst avoiding the guards, and become a far richer man for it? Of course, for me it was more than just fantasizing, but I would not allow meself to mix any pleasure whilst I was still out on business.
I straightened, stretched, and with my thoughts still in mind, started to head over to a group of ladies that had just wondered out after refilling their china teacups. One of em was wearing a necklace and earrings dripping of rhinestones. Her name was Theodora ( Teddi for short) and I called her privately “The Flamingo” for she was always fetchingly dressed in some shade of pink.
Today was no exception, a frilly frock of pink island coral. I fell in place beside her, and her jewels…which I, for the reasons given above, was obviously being vexed enough by to get a closer look at!
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After a bit, I left the enchanting Teddi, and continued walking around , joining various groups of chattering guests, and making small talk for about another half of an hour, behaving me self like quite the proper (mock) gentleman.
Soon I observed the hotels car pull in and a chauffeur exited and disappear inside. He promptly reappeared, followed by a lad carrying me trunk. I caught the chauffeurs eye and taking my leave of a of a rather fetchingly cross-eyed red haired Irish lass by the name of Cybele Gealach, I kiss’d her well ringed fingers, while studying with wry amusement her emerald bracelets as they slipped down from her inviting wrist in a shower of sparks. She smiled prettily at me, and I bathed meself in one last look at her lovely figure, resplendent in a green satin frock, with a pretty display of jewels as green as the emerald isles themselves, before I forced meself to turn and head over to the path leading from the garden to the car park.
But to some trepidation, I found me path was blocked at the end by the “triplets”, standing under an old chestnut tree, amusing themselves.
The triplets now were a trio of young gangly 16 year old “ladies” who fancied themselves as being proper grown up adults! Thicker than thieves that lot was, and possessed no less a mischievous thievish outlook upon happily creating misery for others! And there they were, looking all pretty and innocent in the dappled sunlight that was coming through the grove of chestnut trees. A group of charming angels, to all outward appearances, these young ladies could be mistaken for……! Never mind, even in me private journal I am unable to put down the word!
But then, appearances can be a bit deceiving….
My personal nickname for these pet peeves was the triplets , even though they all had different mothers, and for all I know different fathers. Two were cousins, the third belonged to a wealthy lady( hell, they were all wealthy ladies there, now, weren’t they?) named Beverly whom I had become rather great chums with, when her youngest daughter Sadie and friends were not around that is!.
The three girls set themselves apart from most of the other children their age by being rather snooty, stuck up and all too very self-important. The lot liked to be dressed up, insisting on wearing their Mothers’ good jewellery rather than costume that most girls their age wore. This all made themselves to appear far older than the 16 years they were. They also liked to huddle about and make snide comments loud enough so that their victim was quite aware of what they were saying. . And they were always willing to play the innocent children, the all pure and sweetness role , if things got too hot, or their gullible parents got involved.
They were Pretty.. pretty much damn near an annoyance any time I ( and most others I noticed with satisfaction) I encountered them…
But now there was nothing to do but walk past the triplets as they stood there chatting away in aimless abandon.
I approached and tipping my hat to the three, watched as all three heads turned away, averting my saltation. I heard sassy Sadie say loudly enough to reach my ears( no accident), in her habitually whining voice, wonder where that repulsive prat is goin? Away for good, hopefully!, I heard her sulky cousin Jackelyn chime in, and homely Miranda just giggled, or cackled was it?
I tried to walked nonchalantly past, but as I did something struck me smartly at the back of me head. I turned, but the three had their backs to me, giggling … No tellin which one had done it, but I was pretty sure there was one less horse chestnut sitting at their feet. Who’s did they think they was playin at.., a bloody Pulcinella?
Now I could have behaved meself like a proper gentleman and kept on walking as if nothing had occurred and let them have their little laugh. But what would be the fun in that?
So I turned and faced their lovely shiny backsides.
“Oi’ Miranda”, I called out cheerfully like I was greeting a well liked friend.
The tallest of the trio, and far less pretty, Miranda, was a blonde lass, fetchingly wearing a party dress of sage satin and lace, with pearls that dangled about , now turned and looked at me with arched eyes. She was showing a most unfavourable expression upon her puckered face as she threw back her long brown hair, pearled earrings swinging gaily. I knew she had to have been taken aback that I knew her name, but it did not show.
The other two looked also, on ready to pounce at me next move, I saw Sadie quickly glance over at her mother Beverly, making sure she was close enough to scurry to her daughters rescue..
For disclosure the cousins, their names were Jackelyn and Sadie. Both lassies were brunettes, of the same height and shapely build. Jackelyn was wearing a rather adultish cocktail dress of flowing purple silk, with brite silver chains decorating her figure. Sadie was wearing a velvet long sleeved French Frock, and her jewels were obviously an adults seed pearls with diamond clasps. If I had been up to the challenge of playing that robin hood game, Sadie’s pearls would have been the most desirable objective of all.
But I digress…
As Miranda and her “clowder” looked on I smiled and said…
Ta’ Miranda, almost forgot, Lucius said he would meet you in the gardens at ten tonight..
(Lucius was a 17 year old playboy with Italian good looks that all three had been playing for after he had arrived with his Mother, a vivacious raven haired lady by the name of Pamela) several days ago..
I turned heel abruptly and walked away with a purpose. After lobbying that bombshell into their midst I figured that jealousy should rear its vindictive head and do the rest of the damage. It would be ever quite a delight to see the three of em receive some comeuppance
I heard nothing from them as I walked away, and made it to the waiting car without further incident ( or thrown horse chestnuts).
The ride in the hotel’s car was rather dull, and unexciting. I arrived at the train station with 45 minutes to spare, saw my trunk on the train, and carrying my black valise headed off across the street to a pub for a spot of rhine steak and kidney pie( a item never found on a classy Riverside Menu) , along with two pints of house bitters to wash the lot down with.
I took my time, not even budging when the train, ten minutes late, whistled for the final departure.
I got to the station just as the departing train was just disappearing around the corner.
Appearing breathless I explained to the station master my predicament , and he told me that there would be no other train heading out till 2:00 am! ( a fact that I was well aware of, but I kept it on the quiet) Mocking my displeasure, I paid for a second ticket and had the master cable ahead to secure my trunk.
Taking my valise I went into town and found a place that hired out cars. Paying for 1 day in advance, I hopped in and headed back to the Riverside. There I made my story of woe known to a chosen few that I had missed my train and had decided to come back to pass the time.
Fortunately there was always enough going on to help pass the time ( one could almost feel Sabastien winking as he wrote this, especially considering what mischief follows ….the eds)
Traditionally, every weekend on Saturday there was a 5 course meal served (formal attire required) followed by a posh ball held for the guests in the elegant Regal ballroom located at the end of the Inns west wing, with a full orchestra playing. ( The ballroom still exists, but has since been turned into a modern dinner play theatre..the eds)
After supper I meandered out to the gardens while most of my fellow guests headed over to the ball room’s bar to start drinking their way into the night’s festivities. The Orchestra started up promptly at 8 and soon the ballroom was filled with the vast majority of the guests who were staying at the hotel that week, happily dancing and socializing with not a care in the world. If they only knew of the cat amongst the pigeons.
With the majority of the hotels security helping out at the ballroom, and with the guests letting down what little guard they felt about protecting any of their valuables here, it was the perfect opportunity to do a bit of my business that evening in the Hotels’ East wings third floor.
This area was home to some to some of the better suites, occupied by the wealthiest of the Riversides’ guests. Since said guests were all happily partying their night away, I was soon to be most happily occupying my “accidental” layover by emptying their rooms safes of jewels, money notes and other small, but pretty things of value. I was certainly not unabashed, for my livelihood, my trade and pleasure in life, is being a professional jewel thief, burglar and rather skilled amateur pickpocket.
I added the pickpocketing bit due to the reference I have written earlier in my journal about the Robing hood at tea game I played with my sister and her friend … because it had a direct refence to my becoming a pickpocket as well as a cat burglar…
This was because at my suggestion, usually the girls would be in play dress up mode, which I found to add a quite alluring addition to our play. I found meself becoming tantalized by dangling jewels shimmering about them as we were involved in the game. So Robing Hode soon had a private desire, to not only take the jewels that adorned the hidden dolls, but to lift those that the dolls’ guards were wearing! At first I was caught in all my attempts at this new objective… but practice makes one perfect! And so it was that I was soon able to become quite adept at certain opportune times ,lifting the very jewels me twin sister and her friend were wearing! Using the various distractions and engaging conversations I employed, Rhinestone necklaces, bracelets, and brooches soon fell under my ever increasing light touch. This awakened in me a certain secret desire, that may been a major focal point leading me to my eventual path in life.
So, for having played those childhood games with my sister and her friend, I would say made me a somewhat skilled amateur pickpocket. Giving me quite a feel for some things, I guess would be a way of putting it! So much so, that even though I started out emulating that persona of a gentleman thief , being a pickpocket of certain shiny lures was at the same time, never far from me mind!
Then, as it so happened , I was able to meet up with a like-minded bloke who( for a price) instructed me on a few of the finer, less practiced, points of pickpocketing.
So I was more than prepared for the first time the opportunity arose! And once it did for the first time, I was able to relieve, quite unnoticed, a pricey necklace from around the throat of a lady I had been dancing with… Possibly not an outstanding accomplishment on its own, for some people I will admit.
But when taking in consideration that I had brought up the subject to a lady I had been seeing during the course of gathering information, and found her so quite intrigued by the notion that she bet five shillings against me taking a piece of her jewellery before the night was gone, says something! It proved to be a rather enticing little challenge: If she caught me with my fingers in the till, I was out a few shillings, and if she didn’t?
Well suffice to say, betting 5 shillings against a 1000 sovereigns worth of her jewellery was a suckers bet, and the end play was, as I paid off my bet and left ,was a whole new avenue opened to me on a way to make a nice bit of extra money between heists..
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So, now, with just burgling on me mind, I waited in the shadows till the party was well underway before making my move from the gardens. Once I made sure all the players/pigeons were in position, and away from their suites, I slipped away to my hired car. Once there I retrieved my valise, and in the obscurity of some nearby woods, donned a black silk face mask, holstered my rather wicked looking military stiletto knife with its finely whetted blade., and pocketed a set of well used skeleton keys.
Then I circled around the woods, and cut across a small bit of grass, to a seldom used service door that I had opened earlier from the inside. I than snuck up a back-service staircase to the third floor, and opened the upstairs service door leading directly onto the east wing. Making sure the coast was clear, I went into the corridor, and starting at the far end, I began to work my back down..
I Finished the first six suites in record time, easily locating the safes( It was not Sabastiens first time here..the eds ) and quickly opening them and scooping out their lovely contents. End result being ¾ of me valise filled. To be honest, it had almost become mechanical and a bit run of the mill at times, but the thrill that drove me( as well as living money) still held strong….So It went quite smoothly, with no interruptions, or hearing any intruding footsteps coming down the tiled hallway floor. The tiles were black and white in a chess board pattern, which made me feel that I was playin a game on chess against and unseen, probably unforgiving, master. It kept me on my toes, never knowing if a vengeful queen would appear to check ( or checkmate) my roguish Pallidum as he pilfered the fair maidens jewellery caskets !
My next move was on the seventh Suite. This one was a large double suite at the end of the hallway, across from rooms 8 and 9 across the hall. This room was occupied by a silly lady named( kid you not) Bunny! , and her two pretty younger sisters’. I went across and easily picked opened the locked double doors.
This room was a right cornucopia with not one but two bedroom safes!
I took the master suite located on the right first. Slipping in I took my torch around for a careful look. A large four poster was off to one side, a vanity was set up next to it, my light catching in its mirror. Holding the light firm, I watched as my shadowy form approached, filling up the mirror. Above the vanity was a pretty picture of a lady in pink lingerie reading a book as she sat in a chair, her evening dress spilling about . This picture was on a hinge, and I moved it, exposing the wall safe hidden behind. Spinning the tumblers I soon cracked it and upon opening its door was rewarded by my torch setting off a display of rather dazzling light from an open jewels case. The small safe was crammed full of other, unopened jewel boxes and cases. Quickly, holding me torch tween my teeth, I quickly opened them and dumped their quite glittery contents into my valise. Then following the same pattern I had been all evening, I closed up the safe, slide back the picture, and making sure nothing else in the room had been disturbed , or missed,by me, quickly walked out.
Then I made my way to the second bedroom and slipped through the door. Again I let my torch canvas the room. This time a rather small, but shimmering pinprick of light came from one of the twin beds that lay on either side of a rather large vanity. My torch, following the pinpricks, soon captured a figure laying on the bed. Quickly I turned off me torch and by the moons light streaming through a window watched with held breath, not a peep! , Cautiously I made my way to the bed. It was Khaliesi, one of the sisters ( the prettiest in my book), out stone cold.
I looked at the small table next to her where several bottles lay. I picked up a couple, one was for a cold, the other was a sleeping aid, one I knew to be strong enough to put an elephant down for the count. I turned on my torch and allowed my light cautiously go up and down her silken peach coloured nightgown that outlined her petite figure. It was a diamond bracelet upon her lovely wrist that was sending out the shimmery pinpricks . It was a beauty, worth quite a few quid and I was rather shocked it had not been locked away safe. She also was wearing an emerald ring on her pinkie.
Turning away I went up between the beds and slid open the middle ages themed picture above the vanity. Then quiet as a churchmouse I cracked the safe and began opened a second assortment of jewel cases and boxes.
This safe was a little smaller, but no less full! I finished up, locked the safe and slid back the picture. Not a peep from the sleeping lady in the bed. I let me torches light go over her again, she looked like a china doll there asleep , her colourful silk kimono making her appear even more doll like! Me light caught the living doll’s bracelet again, and beckoned out to me like some dazzling sireen..
For a second my mind travelled back to when me sister and I were children. Sis had been wearing a costume bracelet that shimmered like the sleeping Khaliesi, along with a quite soft long gown our mother had worn as a bridesmaid to out Aunts wedding. I had taken that very bracelet from one of her dolls during play the week before, so I knew its clasp. As sis was talking to her friend ( similarly dressed for “tea”), I ran up to them and told them I had seen a fox with her pups in the hedge. Naturally the both wanted to see it and led them to a hole in the hedge. As both girls were bending down and gawking through, I stood close enough to be able to press a certain arm between me and a silken waist, then undo the clasp the shiny bracelet form the pressed wrist and slip it off without notice….The I went over to our friend, and attempted the same maneuverer on her necklace, but was caught red handed and promptly pummled and tackled in a smothering of silk and satin until I was forced to give up my ill gotten gains!
Shaking me head clear of the rather pleasant memory, I focused on the task in hand. There would be no friendly pummelling if I was caught now.
I tip toed on over and looked down upon the lovely girl’s Bracelet encircling her wrist. It was a simple enough clasp, box style with a button on the side.. In for a penny ,I thought to meself, and I reached down and ever so gently flicked open the clasp. It lay there shimmering along the brown satin sheets of the bed. I crouched down, and watching the lass’s sleeping face, half covered with her mass of long silken black hair, , slipped away her bracelet off from under her wrist, where it fell into my palm with the whisper of a swish. I watched carful, not so much as a flutter. Then I carefully removed a glove and dipping two fingers in a obligingly placed glass of water, whetted her pinky finger, the lass was out cold, did not stir a bit as I prepared. I Than slowly worked the ring over her wetted knuckle, then simply slipped it off her finger as easy as if she had been a real life doll. Actually, almost like, one of the mannequins I head of being used by some pickpockets to train others…..I hadn’t needed a mannequin with bells, not with an obliging sister close at hand !
Rising from her bedside, I backed my way carefully from the room, she had never as much as budged.
I made it back into the main room and took a few seconds to catch my breath and take quick inventory. Both safes had been surprisingly full, with enough jewellery and cash that my small satchel was now filled to bursting.
I right then and there then decided that I should call it a night, an early placed Checkmate if you will, leaving the last 2 rooms on the opposite side of the hall untouched.
Though one of em belonged Beverly and her three daughters, one daughter being Sadie of the nefarious triplets who like tossing horse chestnuts. Their room had been on my not to be missed list, but alas, birds in hand I thought. Though I would have liked to have nicked something of Sadie’s, if only to cause her further grief for the twit’s actions earlier.
The last room belonged to the flamingo, the beguiling young lady named Theodora ( call me Teddi, simply everyone does luv) . Teddi was a whimsical long blonde haired, blue eyed lass always ( as I wrote about earlier), dressed in some shade of pink and usually wearing pearls. I had quite liked the lass, so probably would have given her room a miss anyway I consoled meself.
Un-donning my mask and placing it in my vest pocket, I placed my knife in its sheath strapped to my right leg, straightened myself nicely up in one of the rooms floor length mirrors, picked up my now weighty black valise, then headed back out to the corridor. Swiftly walking the few paces to the end, I entered the service door, and made way down the corner staircase, and out the side door leading to the back lot.
I cut across the green space at the back, keeping in the shadows of the tall bushes that lined it. I stopped on the inside of the exit and looked over the parking lot where I could see my rental was still parked in its corner..
As I stopped and looked about for any signs of quick movement, I suddenly heard a girl giggling form quite close by. . I froze, then immediately hiding the weighty valise in a small hedge, cunningly made my way around to the corner. Glad I had stopped!
I let my eyes quickly become accustomed to the dark, a trick I had learned when as a lad I had gone into the woods at night searching for the elusive foxfire mushroom! I tiptoed It past the corner looked around a small shrub. There, I saw the girl Miranda talking to Lucius. Both had a clear view of the car park and my car! I grinned to meself, so the silly twit had believed me and approached Lucius I thought, well all the luck to them I thought!
I knew that Lucius and Pamela had had plans that evening, so was a bit surprised to see him around that early?
I will admit That earlier I had envisioned Lucius being out of the picture and a well jewelled Amanda searching in vain for him around the darkened gardens , perfect for a good jewel lifting bumping into! It had been a nice daydream while going to the station.
One that note, Miranda was looking quite rather fetching in a long lime green gown of satin and chiffon, an outfit I had seen her wearing out in earlier that week. . Her accompanying jewels were also the same, glittered smartly as they were bathed in the full cloudless evenings’ harvest moons brite light. It was a rather nice set, emeralds and small diamonds. As well as an expensively complete one, hairs clip, earrings, necklace, brooch, bracelet and ring, the horse being worth far more than the buggy, as my great uncle Thomas was always found of saying..! But wait a minute, Miranda was not wearing the either necklace or the brooch of the set… twas odd I thought at the time, knowing how she liked to flaunt her mother’s pretty jewels about ?
I watched the show for a bit, waiting till the quite engrossed couple were distracted enough to permit my unnoticed escape. I decided to chance taking the long way around and approach form the ballroom’s front gardens so that it would not seem unusual for them to see me coming from that area. I had begun to slink back, when the pair did me a favour and moved off towards that very garden. I watched until they had disappeared around the English ivory covered stone entrance. I did not think for a minute that the pair were heading back inside, rather probably going to one of the secluded gazebos to have a bit of unobserved fun…
I slipped away, retrieving the valise, I made my way straight into the woods and circled out of sight back to the rental car. I Quietly opened the boot and hide the valise with its purloined contents inside, carefully closing it. locked it up and pulled out me silver pocket watch. Luck had been on me side that evening, no lie, and it had all gone so very smoothly that time was also now on me side. I had well over 3 hours left to make my train. Double checking the autos door locks, I turned and slipped back into the woods to ponder about things a bit.. .
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From my concealment, I looked back at the far wing, eyeballing the lights spilling out from the ballroom’s massive windows unto the green close cut grass.. The faint strands of the orchestra could be heard from inside wafting over the top f the coming mist..
I mulled it over a bit, In my chosen line of business, one learned not to shy away from taking risks. I will also admit I was keen on practicing up on my pickpocketing skills. I had been a good boy up till then in regards to any such thievery for fear of upsetting my planned bit of burgling.. but now that that had been accomplished in spades, I felt a simmering desire to make an attempt, but only if the situation was 110% in my favour…. Seeing Miranda all decked out had whetted my appetite for an additional score, and one of the Triplet Doll’s would be a perfect “after meal Hors d'oeuvre”! Miranda was out of the running, But her cohorts Sadie and Jacklyn were probably not!
Now to note, even though I had behaved meself for the whole week, opportunities to lift a few rather enticing baubles form unsuspecting lassies had come up on numerous occasions. But during that time, I remained true to my plans. But If I hadn’t, I could almost guarantee that the jewels of one, if not all of the triplets, would have fallen into my plucking grasp. So, that now I decided if I was going to try for a second bird the evening, It would make all the sense in the world to try to make an additional score one of my pet peeves….!
I only needed 20 minutes to drive to the train station, so I had plenty of time to re-join the party, for one last look around at the poshly dressed guests, and also to satisfy my rather wide array of curiosities.
I skirted back through the woods around the opposite side the Inn from where the happy couple were probably snogging. I stayed in the wood line till I reached the back garden, hidden behind some thick hedges. I knew that there was a break in those hedges behind a pagoda that I could squeeze through. I did so and cutting across the deserted gardens made my way to one of the 3 exits that led back into the ballroom/banquet halls…
I entered a door that was next to the restrooms and looked around at the mingling throng of guests, all decked out for the grand event. There were whole families in attendance, ladies and girls in proper gowns and dresses, decorated with all sorts of gems and jewels imaginable. The men and male youths were all dapper in starched evening dress, high collars, many of the men wearing gold pocket watches that dangling from vests, and sporting large family crested signet rings.
I made my way through the crowd before I spotted Ms Bunny and entourage. I wanted to find her for two reasons, the first was to make sure she saw me there (after all, what thief is going to chat it up with the person whose room he has just burgled). The second reason was the question I had as to why the safes had seemed too full of jewels. That was answered as I came up to Bunny and her other sister, none of them were wearing any jewellery, other than a small ring or two. Lucky thing for me, rather a pity for Bunny and her sisters…
I showed no previous knowledge of where her sister Khaliesi was , playing it nonchalant by asking if she was, dancing with some dark mysterious stranger perhaps… Bunny , twittering at my foolish jestering, admitted Khaliesi had retired upstairs, with a cold, poor dear! That explains it I thought to meself, for I had made sure all the occupants of the rooms I had planned to visit were accounted for, and I knew I had seen Khaliesi’s perky figure swishing about earlier….
So my curiosity satisfied, I stayed around for a bit continuing on with my socializing when I noticed someone ( jewels) of interest coming towards me….
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Now, while I had been chatted up Bunny, I had been discreetly watching a table that was in a shadowy corner of the dining area. The shadows were caused by the placement of the table under an upstairs walkway that led across the wall of the room. The stairway was used by the service staff to take food up to the guest rooms. Since most of the guests were down here partying, it was not seeing a lot of use this particular evening.
But getting back to the table. There were two young ladies, quite well dressed, sitting there. Both were decidedly pouting. They were none other than the other 2 thirds of the triplets ,I had been seeking. Sadie and Jacklyn! It took no genius to guess what they were sulking on about, Miranda being absent, and in their vapid minds, still probably snogging Pamela’s prodigy Lucius!
I had been keeping them under eye, admiring their quite flickering jewels, positioning meself so that they stayed in my view. I was duly rewarded when Sadie pulled away and began walking with purpose across the room. Most of the tables were deserted, supper being over, most of the guests being on the dance floor, smoking room, or drinking heavily at the rather extensive bar on the opposite side of the ballroom. There were a few groups of ladies talking amongst themselves in the dining area, but all had their backs on the sulking girls. So Sadie leaving was not observed by anyone other than me!
I offered my sad my goodbyes To Miss Bunny, kissing her shiny gloved hand and whimsically wandered off, falling in line a discreet few paces behind young Sadie, who was walking with her usual swishing strut, nose high in the air.
Now Sadie had proudly preened herself in a rather fetchin silvery dress with puffed sleeves, that flowed with an elegant slickness along her petite figure. Sadie wore only three pieces of jewellery. One being a long gold braided chain with diamonded pendent in the shape of a rose, with deep blue sapphires for petals, the second was a brite Sapphire ring with diamond chips.
But it twas her third item of jewellery that dazzled above its companions! A pair of long diamond and sapphire earrings that shimmered and sparkled like African wild fires as she walked with her snooty noise held high with arrogance. The jewels were probably were her mothers, or an older sisters, and I was surprised that she wasn’t better watched whilst wearing such expensive baubles about.
My curiosity whetted, I was being speculative about where she was heading off to, weaving in and out of the mingling crowd, unescorted by any adult, advantageously unattended by her “clowder” of fellow fiends namely Miranda and Jackelyn!
I saw her stop by the door wherein I had gained entrance. I backed off and went to an opposite corner. She had stopped and was looking out looking out to the deserted (still I hoped) garden. So she did probably know about Miranda, and hence the reason for the sulkiness. But no, She skipped away and headed towards the ladies powder chamber. So I now pondered, should I wait to see until she came back through, or chance it that she was going to come out into the gardens? I didn’t want to make the wrong decision by hesitation too long .. There was a reason for this…
As I have stated previously, I had forced meself to be on best behaviour the entire week while plotting my nocturnal visits to the selected damsels inviting safes/lockboxes on Friday evening. So much so that even though opportunities were constantly waved beneath my nose, I had tried not to allow even so much as an attempt at any well decked out Ladies pretty baubles for the better part of a week. . Which was not easy, especially if I felt the opportunity presented would have been a way at teaching some snotty young lady a rather surreptitious lesson, even for my benefit only. Then it happened, on Thursday.
One of those opportunities had presented itself in a rather unexpected way. It concerned Miss Sadie, who on that delightfully enchanted evening’s party, had given me a bit to fantasize on. Sadie was scampering about in a ridiculously pretty long satin number that spilled and flowed swishing in an all too naughty fashion for one so young and naive. She was also wearing the even more ridiculously expensive Necklace and Earrings, bouncing gaily to and fro, that she was wearing again this very evening.
But I had been good, and had taken leave and was heading to bed when I started chatting it up with the pretty female desk clerk. Out of the corner of me eye, I caught sight of young Sadie scurrying through the lobby towards the rickety old elevator that led to the upper floors suites. I hesitated mulling it over, then the devil on my right shoulder made much more sense than the rather harried angel perched on the other. I made it just as the door closed in to my face. I watched as the ancient machined groaned and jostled its way up. Ahh it would have been all so very easy, but I convinced myself it was all for the better.
And now, right here, I was being given a rare second opportunity to …….. well you know!
So I made my gamble, and moved along the wall, reaching the outside door I propped it open an inviting( I hoped) crack ,then headed outside and took a position in the shadows of an advantageous and welcomed hedge wall. I figured that she would after all try coming into the garden to snoop up on Miranda. So I wanted to be ready to seize upon that little bit of opportunity if it presented itself..If not, than I was just all the closer to my exit anyway!.
So now I cunningly waited, ready to take full advantage of whatever situation decided to present its lucrative self.
My intentions were to do a bit of falling in step, slipping up against, and execute a bump like move in order to pickpocket a bit of this ones jewels, especially a try at her fancy necklace
.
Now I harboured no doubts that the Sadie’s earrings possibly would be out of reach, but her pretty ring and necklace would not be so elusive and was worth a tidy enough sum to whet my appetite to the point of taking the risk.
Now there are several ways to relieve a lady of her ring or necklace! I have at times given employment to a majority of them. So, with me thoughts training on which method to use, I waited, still hidden in the shadows, in eager anticipation. For the hunt was now very much on!
Then I saw a petitely lithe shadow by the door and sure enough, Sadie had come peeking around the corner and flutters down the path towards the hedge where I awaited with eager anticipation. I could see her flickering jewels sparkling with pinpricks of fire, as they were swinging against her figure whilst she made her way down the path towards me lair, and the trap I had set!
I smelled her perfume before I saw her… another chess piece was on the scene… Pamela!
Her shadow loomed behind the girl, she had swiftly came from the same exit as both Sadie and I.
It was most definitely Pamela ( or Pam Pam as Lucius was apt to call her) … She must have seen the naughty girl sneak out of the party and come to collect her back inside. I moved deeper inside the hedge, cursing me luck as I watched through a crack. And what I was witness too made me freeze in place. For this evening I was not the only scoundrel out seizing an opportunities.
Pamela, it should be noted, was purposefully dressed up in a pretty gown of slippery green taffeta, quite simply stunning on her. Her only jewellery was a pair of long earrings, swinging provocatively down to and almost touching her semi bared shoulders.
As I watched she approached, unnoticed, right up behind the girl, catching Sadie just before she had reached my hidey hole. She tapped Sadie on her satin clad shoulder, catching her startled attention with a hug of apology. She excitedly asked Sadie what she was ever up too this evening, outside all alone? She was seemingly surprised that Sadie was not with Jacklyn? Sadie just told her that Jacklyn was back inside, and that, she(Sadie) was old enough to be on her own. Of course you are me dear, were the approving words given, and Valentine gave Sadie a second hug to show no worries.
Within the course of the conversation, just 5 short minutes, Pamela admired Sadie’s slick silvery dress, her silken blonde hair which she playfully lifted up over the child’s head and let it flow down again in a silken mass. Then she had held Sadie’s hands as she cooed to the girl over how pretty Sadie was looking that evening. It was being laid on all too rather thick for my tastes I was thinking as I watched the show. Sadie had giggled as Pamela had touched her (Sadie’s) wrist, and with a ticklish touch, had let her fingers brush along the girl’s sides, doubling Sadie over giggling. Pamela laughed right along with he. Sadie was eating it all right up, blushing red at all of Pamela’s flattering words and the pleasant touch of her long, quite nimble fingers.
Pamela then told the girl to better shoo on about her business. I could see the relief in Sadie’s eyes that an adult had not scolded her for being out on her own, and had instead treated her like a real grown up girl! She turned skipping merrily towards my hiding spot. I shrunk back into the shadows, watching from a crack. Sadie came past, her shiny dress fluttering as she still was skipping happily on her own secret mission.
I then looked back at Pamela. She was still standing there, watching Sadie with a rather interesting smirk playing along her ruby red lips. After a long few seconds Pamela briskly turned and headed purposefully back inside, again using the very door that both Sadie and I had used to come into the garden.
I watched her disappear inside, my mind reeling over what had just transpired between Pamela and poor unwary Sadie.
I had watched, captivated and captured, the whole affair with awed astonishment...
Now, of course I have met several male pickpockets, including the one who had mentored me. But never given much thought that there would be any female ones, until now. For as I had watched in amazement as in a much quicker fashion, and using much more honed methods, than ever I would manged to accomplish. Pamela had first lifted and slipped Sadie’s sparkly pendent and gold braided chain effortlessly away from the poor thing not!). Then, focusing on Sadie’s hand, she had greedily, ever so gently caressed ,Sadie’s fingers while slipping off the enticing sapphire and diamond ring from her pinkie finger with an almost effortless simplicity of ease. Thus only Leaving Sadie’s dangling earrings, expensively and beckoningly, last on her list!. Pamela had then, with great finesse, managed to pluck the pretty sparklers off from delicate earlobes, one by one, as the pair of ladies had giggling away, their fore heads touching in a conspiracy like manner.
Mulling over the entire bit of Pamela’s’ inspiring achievement, I gave some careful thought to the situation as it now existed, whilst I waited for the coast to clear.
Now, I had learned earlier through idle gossip, that that the function Pamela and her “son” Lucius had been attending was rather posh, fancy dress bit of a wedding. It was taking place, or had been, at the big cathedrals ballroom in Cambridge. I figured that Her “son” Lucius, if indeed the handsome youth was her son atoll, ( I had wondered what the Pam Pam bit was all on about!) must be the spotter, giving Pamela information on the jewels of the girls he had met and probably danced and cajoled with.
Pamela, tipped off ahead of time, must then have moved in and worked her talents, magically making the chosen victims jewels mysteriously disappear. I wondered how many times the team struck gold (diamonds?) tempting fate before wisely knowing when to vanish before the wealthy guests finally figured something was not on the up an up due to the fact that their jewels were vanishing at an alarming rate?
Quite a charmingly practiced team indeed. I found meself wondering how much they had gotten away with ?, And now they had come back here , playing their tricks, putting a nice bit of shimmering icing on their already jewel gem encrusted cake!
(While doing research on the Journal, an undergrad was able to match up some of the incidents Sabastien described , including the ones that occurred at the Riverside, to police reports of unsolved thefts during the same time frame! Since it is highly unlikely that any arrest could be made( even if the suspects are still alive) by solely using the journals’ entries, said cases will most likely remain unsolved. Though in some a footnote has been made in the official files. the eds…)
I looked at the door leading back into the ball room. The one Pamela had just used a minute or so ago. I wondered if she had a purpose in mind, another well adorned victim, previously preselected and carefully observed. A vision of Jacklyn suddenly popped into me head. The last of the three. If that was where Pamela was heading, I knew of a shortcut to the dining area!
Now I was determined to beat Pamela at her own game….. go to play out a gambit. For there was yet one of the trio still in play, the fair damsel Jackelyn! I rose and went up the path, my mind traveling inside to her, as she had sat alone at the table after Sadie had passed me.
My vision went to her, imagining that she was still put, sitting alone at her table, wallowing in her self-induced misery….Jackie was wearing a soft gown of long purple silk that fell fluttering in layers from her shoulders down to her high heeled lavender painted toes.. Each layer was adorned with long fringed threads that swayed every time she moved. Her jewels were far pricier than Sadie’s, all genuine sapphires ringed with small diamond chips. They had consisting of a dainty jewelled necklace ,small dangling earrings, brooch on one shoulder and matching bracelets and rings, one on each wrist and hand.
A thought played out that I should not take any risks, bird in hand and all of that usual bit. But I felt an overwhelming urge to take something sparkling from at least one of the triplets, and to silently beat Pamela. For now I was sure that Pamela had Jacklyn in her heinous sights!
Or I could just leave right then and there, but where would the fun in that be! I ask of thee?
So, on a lark, I headed to the third entrance off the garden. A secluded door stuck in a corner that led to an upstairs corridor that looked down over the banquet hall. The hall below containing the tables where I had seen Jacklyn and Sadie brooding sulkily earlier. It would get me there far quicker than it should reasonably take Valentina who had to travel across the crowded ballroom before reaching the area.
Reaching the door , I waited a few precious seconds before slipping inside. I made my way up the stairs and into the seldom used , quite deserted corridor. I made my way, hugging the wall and staying in the shadows. The banquet hall came into a birds eyed view. I looked down and saw a flicker of a rich purple Silken gown at one of the tables. Jacklyn was still there, and she was alone, none of the other tables were occupied, everyone appeared to be on the dance floor, except for a small group with their backs to the dining area as they huddled by a roaring fire in the large stone hearth.
All I had to do was go down the back staircase, and walk up behind Jacklyn and make my move. It was a perfect set up, or would have been. For as I studied Jacklyn, while making my way to the stairway, I could not make out any sparkling signs of her expensive sapphires. which was odd, for they had ever so sparkled, winking vexingly at me as I was talking to Bunny.
I Made my way down stairs to the banquet hall floor, and started to stalk ever so carefully towards the unsuspecting Jackelyn. Soon I got close enough, without being spotted, to verify the reason I couldn’t see her sapphires sparkling, she was no longer wearing any of them.. She had been plucked as clean as her partner in crime, Sadie!
So once again, I was too be denied! But by whom? Was there yet another? A third pickpocket working the area stripping these unwary dolls of their precious baubles? Lucius perhaps?
I stopped in step and looked around.
Soon I saw her. So she had either beaten me to it, or had already visited the poor doll after I had left to follow Sadie!! Either way, she had made rather quick of it I thought , looking back at the totally unawares Jacklyn…
Pamela was back in the area, and had joined in with the group of four exceptionally well dressed ladies standing by the Hearth. As I watched one was hugging everyone good night, I observed her as she walked off… She was wearing a rather provocative long ruffled dress of ivory lace and satin. Her ears, wrist and fingers were home to a matching set of blood red rubies and diamonded jewellery. She was wearing no necklace, which I found conspicuous, and as I looked back towards the remainder of the group, I wondered what else, aside from Sadie and Jacklyn’s jewels, dear Pamela had buried deep inside some unseen pockets!?
Pamela stood amongst them as the rather shimmering decked out group prattled on. She currently had her hand on the gloved elbow of a lady in a long teal satin frock. Diamond rhinestone chains were hanging down from the ladies bobbed haired head, and a rather nice set of dazzling diamonds sparkling along the rest of her well-endowed figure, tightly outlined by her cocoon of shiny teal.
I looked back at Jacklyn, she had a foxy gleam in her eyes, and was happily singing to herself, obviously making plans. She was watching out towards the dance floor, oblivious to anything different. As I watched I saw her stand and move off towards the dance floor, perhaps looking for the erstwhile Sadie and Miranda?
I looked back to Pamela, she was already briskly moving off, her eyes on the wandering Jacklyn. I looked back at the well-dressed group she was leaving. Immediately I saw that a diamond bracelet was gone ,that quick and easy, from the lady in green teals wrist. The same arm Valentina had been so chummily holding… and I couldn’t quite put a finger as to why, but there was another member of that group wearing a brown satin gown that appeared familiar. And I had the distinct impression that there was a rather pretty diamond brooch that should have been hanging down like a glittering waterfall, from the front of that very same shiny brown gown!
Bollocks, I swore silently to meself , right there and then deciding to concede my intriguingly private game to the quite skilful Pamela and leave forthwith. For with a hefty satchel brimming with these wealthy guests purloined jewels in hand, it really was quite silly to keep trying riske it all on a silly parlour game of trying to outwit a fellow jewel thief! Turning sharply, I regained the stairs and again keeping against the shadows of the wall, followed the corridor to the outside exit, pausing up at the top of the stairs to see if I was being observed. I was not!
But my mood was anything but dark due to my missed opportunities. For I had still made quite a nice hull that evening, far more than Pamela had made from what she had taken from the triplets, and speaking of the triplets ; it twas Quite a delight to see the three of em receive their comeuppance, even if it was not done by my hand.
I went outside and entered the garden looked quickly around. No one was in sight. I darted behind a fountain, and watching the exit doors from the building, and the exit from the hedge for newcomers. With the coast seemingly clear, I slowly meandered my way down the path to the exit from the garden. The exit was in the form of a rather fancy wood trellis with red climbing moss roses set in the hedge. As I walked I heard voices, and looking back I saw all three of the triplets by a corner gazebo, talking with Lucius.
I could see nothing sparkly from anywhere on any the poor lassies figures. And apparently none of the three twits had noticed they had been royally stripped down to their pretty frocks either. What a shame I said, sarcastically, to meself, feeling not a bit of pitying empathy…And I was sure that Lucius was not going to enlighten the wretched young ladies’ as to the situation either!
Gaining the exit I waltzed me way out . I I then, with my back to the hedge , skirted the woods and made it back to the car, unseen as far as I could know, and hope.
Checking the boot to make sure I hadn’t been burgled (that would have been a laugh, not!), I started the engine and drove a nice leisurely pace back to the station. I only passed two other cars, so the road was my own so I travelled with comfort and ease, and made it to the train station without incident.
I gained my seat with 35 minutes to spare..
Figuring I would be the last on, I snuggled down and prepared to sleep the hours till the next stop (Chelsea which was about 2 hours away where I would meet up with my luggage, having the clerk telegraph ahead to have it taken off for me)
The train blew a last call whistle at 5 minutes to leaving. Suddenly there was a bustle of activity as two passengers scurried on. Cutting it close I thought.
Sure enough they were, and it turned out to be none other than Pamela and Lucius. Lucius was attentively carrying a large carpetbag, and I was pretty sure I knew some of its contents. Neither had changed costume, so they must have had a car loaded and ready for a quick exit.
They breezed past me without a glance and disappeared into the back bowels of the train.
I pulled me hat down over the eyes and pretended to be asleep , dozing for a quick kip as it were , while they passed by…
No need to chance uneasy recognition.
My mind, far from sleeping, now started to whirl with all sorts of thoughts upon the new development in me plans! Just as the train was pulling out at midnight I was pondering over those two, and the shiny contents of a certain carpet bag.
Now the express only stopped at larger cities, a total of 5 more stops on the route before that last at Surrey..
As I had said Chelsea was the next stop, and if Pamela and luscious did not depart the train with me at that stop, the next one was 4 hours away in Hampshire, which had a rather respectable police presence, no less than 2 chief detective inspectors
So I thought to meself, If the pair were to stay on the train, and the Hampshire constabulary were to receive an anonymous wire about what the contents of a certain carpet bag has to do with some nefarious activities occurring at Riverside Inn, Cambridge earlier that evening. And if the triplets jewels were returned, than it would mean that they were back in play for me to follow them home and try to steal the pretties for meself at a later date! It was a rather warming thought indeed!
Or, I additionally reasoned, I could give honour to the supposed thieves code and keep me tongue?
But than, I ask of ye, where would the fun be in that?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Editors Note:
The journal has been ended at this point deliberately to maintain an element of mystery to the tellin.
However, without giving too much away.
We can reveal that there was at least a third visit that Sabastien made to the Riverside some years later, possibly this is when the trunk was left behind unclaimed.
During this visit he once again met up with one of the triplets, a bit older, a bit more posh, and a bit more of a bratty glib . She was also adorned with far more enticing baubles….. So it was no great deliberation on Sabastian’s part to come away from that rather unexpected reunion with a nice bit of added acquisitions. He accomplished this feat in ( his words) a rare trifecta; Burgling, lifting(pickpocketing), and stealing jewels from the same female victim in a 24 hour period!
And that is where the fun in that would be!
Repository: California Historical Society
Date: 1923
Call number: SF EPH
Digital object ID: CHS2014.1682
Preferred citation: Pamphlet, Sutro Baths & Museum [cover], courtesy, California Historical Society, CHS2014.1682
Online finding aid: www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt3r29r798
Hilda and I are hosting an event at the convention. Come join us if you have the time! Blogged about at insidethefashiondollstudio.com/2013/10/30/flying-by-the-s...
A selection of illustrations found in this pamphlet for cooking with California wines.
I go into more detail about all this on my blog.
Unknown illustrator, circa late 50's.
Well ... My wife made a boat, for my son, of a advertisement pamphlet that came along with the newspaper. And I took the opportunity to create this picture.
By the way, Vrisan came up with the idea of flag. He got a toothpick and pasted a piece of paper on it and stuck it in the paper boat.
In this picture: My wife and daughter looking at the sailor (my son) on the boat.
Strobe: SB700, camera right at 45 degrees and full power, triggered through CLS.
Curvy Barbie on Made to move Body
Made by me: glasses, brochure, her bag, skirt and top
Bench: flea market find
Bushes: square plants from Michael's
New York City
Leica M6
Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 NOKTON Classic
Kodak Tri-X 400: Pushed to 1600
Kodak D-76 1+1: 13min 15sec
Epson V600 Scanner
RawTherapee: exposure, tonal curve, crop
The BBC printed many thousands of leaflets and booklets and many are of design interest. This simple cover - just using one colour and the buff card is by one of the great 20th century designers, Edward McKnight Kauffer. The printing is also interesting in that the Kynoch Press, the printing arm of Imperial Chemical Industries, was a highly regarded print house who undertook work such as this for external bodies.
Pamphlet for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. (c) 1956. No artist mentioned.
UPDATE: Several people got in touch with me and have said that the illustrator is most likely JP Miller. Thanks for the help, guys!
Oh, the trials and tribulations of being a teenager.
Pamphlet published by prominent Loyalist Charles Inglis to counter the argument in 'Common Sense' - a pamphlet published by the opposing Patriot side. Find out more about Charles Inglis on our Learning Zone www.nls.uk/learning-zone/politics-and-society/american-po...
Handmade Nautical Chart Notebooks - I've collected LOTS of nautical charts over the years - its seems like as soon as one of my chart using scientist or sailor friends heard I was re-using them to make notebooks and journals, more and more found their way to me! I made some cute little sets of three books - these were also featured on the etsy blog as part of a post about packaging!
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Title: Texas: the short line to Texas is via the I. & GN. R.R.
Creator: Unknown
Contributors: International & Great Northern Railroad; Rand McNally and Company
Date: ca. 1878
Part of: Texas: the short line to Texas is via the I. & GN. R.R.
Place: Texas
Description: This promotional brochure provides information about traveling and temporary accommodations for immigrants coming to Texas. Railroad schedules and a map of railroad routes are included.
Physical Description: 1 sheet: illustrations; 39 x 61 cm folded to 19 x 11 cm
File: f384_3_t3925_1878.pdf
Rights: Please cite DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University when using this file. For more information, contact degolyer@smu.edu.
Digital Collection: Texas - Photographs, Manuscripts, and Imprints
For more information, see: digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/tex/id/2428