Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 11, 2025
"You may have seen on the bookstalls and in shop windows an appliance called a 'Thumbograph, or some such name, consisting of a small book of blank paper for collecting the thumb-prints of one's friends, together with an inking pad." "I have seen those devices of the Evil One," said Thorndyke, "in fact, I have one, which I bought at Charing Cross Station."
"The 'Thumbograph. I never ascertained whether the police have it or whether it is still in the possession of Mrs. Hornby." "Does it matter?" I inquired. "Not much; only I must see it.
"Have you ever lent the 'Thumbograph' to anyone?" "No, never. No one has ever wanted to borrow it, because, you see " "Has it never, at any time, gone out of your possession?"
"Exactly," interrupted Anstey. "And you recollect quite clearly that your nephew Walter gave you the 'Thumbograph' on that occasion?" "Oh, distinctly; though, you know, he is really my husband's nephew " "Yes. And you are sure that he took the thumb-prints?" "Quite sure." "And you are sure that you never saw the 'Thumbograph' before that?" "Never. How could I? He hadn't brought it."
Well, after dinner we were a little dull and rather at a loss, because Juliet, my niece, you know, had cut her finger and couldn't play the piano excepting with the left hand, and that is so monotonous as well as fatiguing, and the Colleys are not musical, excepting Adolphus, who plays the trombone, but he hadn't got it with him, and then, fortunately, Walter came in and brought the 'Thumbograph' and took all our thumb-prints and his own as well, and we were very much amused, and Matilda Colley that is the eldest daughter but one said that Reuben jogged her elbow, but that was only an excuse "
On the opposite side of the room was a large, massively-constructed copying camera, the front of which, carrying the lens, was fixed, and an easel or copyholder travelled on parallel guides towards, or away, from it, on a long stand. This apparatus Thorndyke proceeded to explain to our visitors while Polton was fixing the "Thumbograph" in a holder attached to the easel.
Find out everything you can as to the characters and habits of those three gentlemen, regardless of all scruples of delicacy. Everything is of importance to us, even to the names of their tailors." "And with regard to the 'Thumbograph'?" "Find out who has it, and, if it is still in Mrs.
"We wish to know how that particular 'Thumbograph' came into your possession. Did you, for instance, buy it yourself, or was it given to you by someone?" "Walter says I bought it myself, but I thought he gave it to me, but he says he did not, and you see " "Never mind what Walter says. What is your own impression?"
"A 'Thumbograph, my lord," said he, "is a book, like this, in which foolish people collect the thumb-prints of their more foolish acquaintances." He passed the volume up to the judge, who turned over the leaves curiously and then nodded to the witness. "Yes. She said she had them all in a 'Thumbograph." "Then she fetched from a drawer a small red-covered book which she showed to me.
Then he turned to the counsel and said in a weary voice "Proceed, if you please, Mr. Anstey." "Can you tell us, Mrs. Hornby, how the 'Thumbograph' came into your possession?" said the latter in persuasive accents.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking