Transcriber’s Notes
Inconsistent hyphenation retained as originally printed: cooperation/co-operation, everyday/every-day, lamppost/lamp-post, pipestem/pipe-stem, upended/up-ended.
About This Book
A series of linked sketches and short narratives portrays urban characters and incidents, blending comic observation with crime and legal procedural detail. An author abruptly vanishes, and other episodes follow local figures through encounters with theft, police, courtrooms, and eccentric neighbors. Each chapter centers on a discreet episode that illuminates human foibles, small hypocrisies, and the routines of law and gossip, alternating wry humor with moments of sharper social comment. The collection favors vivid character portraits and brisk, anecdotal storytelling over a single sustained plot.