The Grinder Papers — page 243: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

238 THE GRINDER PAPERS. , ‘A petty larceny, highway burgular,” sez I. ‘‘Gracious heavings!” sez he, ‘‘I’m a gentleman in the em- ploy o' the eternal revenue. I’m collectin’ taxes,” sezhe. ‘‘I hev the proofs in this here book,” and he pokes it at the perlice. ‘‘T’m afraid there’s a mistake,” sez Mr. Tibbs. ‘<’You shall find it more than a mistake, sir,” sez the young man. ‘What did he do?” asks Mr. Tibbs. ‘* Asked questions about what you were wuth,” sez I, ‘‘and who had watches, and what the silver cost; I'll swear tu that.” ' ‘* He didn’t tech nothin’, eh?” sez Miss Tibbs. **Not yit,” sez I. ieee | ‘‘Gracious goodness! This gentleman was perfectly correct —excusable—ah! that is—I’m really shocked,” sez Mr. Tibbs. ‘Then you believe he’s an eternal revenner, du ye?” sez I. ‘Why, yes,” sez he, ‘‘I’veno doubt you've been very hasty, - Miss Grinder.” Sez I, ‘‘You’re imposed upon. Don’t be took in, but hev , him took up.” But, land o’ liberty! they didn’t listen tu me, but was apolo- gizin’ tu the burgular, and finally let him off. Now Miss Tibbs sez she hopes they won't be taxed double on account o’ treatin’ the collector so; but she expects to be. I feel disgusted with ‘em. They’d orter hev better sense. I never seen an external revenner; but any one o’ intelectability must know howt they wouldn’t come askin’ about watches, and silver, and that. That young man wasa burgular and nothin ‘else, comicboo