The speaker was a young man, not over one and twenty years of age; yet he was a most wretched and villainous looking fellow. His hair was wild and uncombed; his features bloated and covered with ulcers; his attire miserable and ragged in the extreme; and sundry sudden twitchings of his limbs, as well as frequent violent scratchings of the same, indicated that he was overrun with vermin. This man, whose indolence had made him a common loafer, had become a petty thief; he would lurk around backyards and steal any article he could lay his hands to--an axe, a shovel, or a garment off a line. 'What you say is true enough, Ragged Pete,' said a boy of about fourteen, quite good looking, and dressed with comparative neatness. 'A _Crossman_ has to look sharp now-a-days to make a _boodle_. And he often gets deceived when he thinks he has made a raise. Why the other day I cut a rich looking young lady's reticule from her arm in Broadway and got clear off with it; but upon examining my prize, I found it contained nothing but a handkerchief and some letters. The _wipe_ I kept for my own use; as for the letters, here they are--they are not worth a tinker's d----n, for they are all about love.' As he spoke, he carelessly threw upon the table several letters, which were taken up and examined by Ragged Pete, who being requested by others to read aloud, complied, and opening one, read as follows:-- '_Dear Mistress_,--Since your marriage, I have not enjoyed any of those delicious private _tete-a-tetes_ with you, which formerly afforded us both so much pleasure. Send me word when I can find you alone, and I will fly to your arms. 'Your ever faithful Nero' 'By Jesus!' exclaimed Bloody Mike--'it's a mighty quare name me gentleman signs himself, any how. And it's making love to another man's wife he'd be, blackguard! Devil the much I blame him for that same, if the lady's continted!' 'Here,' said Ragged Pete, taking up another letter, 'is one that's sealed and directed, and ain't been broke open yet. Let's see what it says.' Breaking the seal, he read aloud the contents, thus:-- '_Dear Nero_,--I am dying to see you, but my husband is with me so constantly that 'tis next to impossible. He is kind and attentive to me, but oh! how infinitely I prefer _you to him_! I do not think that he has ever suspected that before my marriage, I * * * _Fortunately for us_, Mr. Sydney has lately been in the habit of absenting himself from home evenings, often staying out very late. Where he goes I care not, tho' I suspect he is engaged in some intrigue of his own; and if so, all the better for us, my dear Nero.