The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Flaw in the Sapphire, by Charles M. Snyder

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Title: The Flaw in the Sapphire

Author: Charles M. Snyder

Release Date: December 6, 2007 [EBook #23752]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE FLAW IN THE SAPPHIRE

BY CHARLES M. SNYDER

AUTHOR OF "COMIC HISTORY OF GREECE"
"RUNAWAY ROBINSON" "SNAP SHOTS" ETC.

NEW YORK
THE METROPOLITAN PRESS
1909

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Copyright, 1909, by THE METROPOLITAN PRESS
Registered at Stationers' Hall, London (All Rights Reserved)
Printed in the United States of America

Press of Wm. G. Hewitt
24-26 Vandewater St.
New York

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Augustine E. McBee

A friend who stands since "Auld Lang Syne"
To all that's fine related;
To him, this little book of mine
Is duly dedicated.

--Charles M. Snyder.
New York, September, 1909.

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THE FLAW IN THE SAPPHIRE

CHAPTER I

Not long since there lived, in the city of Philadelphia, a young man of
singular identity.

His only parallel was the comedian who is compelled to take himself
seriously and make the most of it, or a tart plum that concludes in a
mellow prune.

He was the affinity of two celebrated instances to the contrary.

To those who enjoy the whimsies of paradox he presented an astonishing
resemblance, in countenance, to the late Benjamin Disraeli, and
maintained in speech the unmistakable accent of O'Connell, the Hebrew
statesman's Celtic antagonist.

For these reasons, until the nature of his business was discovered, he
was regarded with interest by that class which is disposed to estimate
the contents of a book by the character of the binding, or thinks it
can measure a man's ability by the size of his hat.

On nearer acquaintan