Having convinced himself that the operation, viewed in a purely religious light, was strictly mercantile, TEDDY snuffed the candle with his thumb and forefinger, and spread the letter on the table.

It ran thus:—­

“HALF-WAY HOUSE, June 30th—­Evening.

“JEFFRY MAULBOY:—­You have gone back on your word, and made a desperate woman of me.  I’ll do all I threatened, and more.  I have just written to Mrs. CUPID, and kept back nothing.  If you ain’t here by day after to-morrow, ready to marry me, as you agreed to, I’ll send the letter, and go to her besides.  Do as you please.  I don’t care for my future, if you don’t for yours.  Trust the bearer.

“ANN BRUMMET.”

TEDDY read it twice.  Then he held up his hands, lost in admiration.

“Married to one man, and a goin’ for another afore the ceremony is cold!  What talints!  What nupchility!  Oh, what an illegant Mormyn is bein’ wastid in this very house!  If ye could grow a daughter like that, TEDDY me boy, she’d sit ye up for life.”  He shook his head, sighed heavily, and gazed wistfully at the letter.

“I couldn’t look poshterity in the face,” he continued, with a self-accusing air, “without a copy of that letther.”

He went and got writing materials with evident reluctance, and after three or four trials, succeeded in producing a very good duplicate of ANN’S letter, bearing himself, throughout, like a man who sees his duty plainly before him, and does it without flinching.

He put the duplicate in the envelope, sealed it carefully, put the original in his pocket, and in ten minutes was abed and asleep.

(To be continued.)

* * * * *

PUNCHINELLO’S PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF CRIME.

In view of the amount of crime which the detective police is apparently unable to trace to its authors, and the number of criminals who constantly elude arrest, Mr. PUNCHINELLO begs to submit an entirely new and original plan for the prevention and detection of crime, which he hopes will receive the favorable consideration of the powers that be.

In the first place, he would recommend that all Jail Birds be immediately transported to the Canary Islands.

Second. The entire population of the City of New York should be organized into a Vigilance Committee.  This force should be employed night and day in watching the remaining inhabitants and outsiders.  Any member found asleep on his (lamp) post should be drawn (by our special artist) and quartered (in a station-house for the night).

Third. All residents should be compelled, on pain of being instantly garroted, to surrender their valuables, and even their invaluables, to the Property Clerk, Comic Headquarters, PUNCHINELLO Office, who should be held strictly irresponsible and be well paid for it.

Fourth. Everybody should be instantly arrested and held to bail, as a precaution against the escape of wrong-doers.  It should be made the duty of proprietors of liquor saloons to Bale out their customers when “too full.”