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CHEAP REPOSITORY. Number 13.]

THE CHEAPSIDE APPRENTICE; OR, THE HISTORY of Mr. FRANCIS H***.

Fully setting forth the Danger of Playing with Edge Tools. Shewing also, how a gay Life may prove a short one; and that a merry Evening may produce a sorrowful Morning.

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PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED BY B. & J. JOHNSON, No. 147 HIGH-STREET.

1800.

[Price 4 Cents.]

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THE CHEAPSIDE APPRENTICE, &c.

ATTEND, ye young men, who are about to enter into trade, for to you I write my story. I was bound appren­tice to a respectable tradesman in Cheap­side. My master, Mr. Vincent, had acquired a very fair character, whilst he was making a comfortable fortune. His wife was a dressy, flashy woman, who li­ked visiting and jaunting more than ta­king care of her family; whilst my mas­ter was plodding late at night in the compting-house, Mrs. Vincent and her daughters were either making parties abroad, or giving entertainments at home. As we kept no footman. I was allowed, when shop was shut, to run from one pub­lic place to another to call a coach, to bring Mrs. Vincent and her daughters home. To lounging about the perleus of a Playhouse I owe my ruin. I was generally allowed to be a handsome, well-made young man; this unfortunately [Page 3] drew upon me the notice of a set of those wretched women, who nightly crowd the Theatres; I should have been delighted with the notice they took of me, had not my vanity whispered me that Miss Vincent was in love with me. This suspicion was fully confirmed to me by one Potter, an elder apprentice, but for whose wicked advice, I might have lived happily, and died virtuously.

The idea that Miss Vincent was in love with me, at once compleated me for the coxcomb; I now neglected my business, and to dress out my person be­came the only object of my thoughts; I began to commit little frauds on my mas­ter, in order to obtain money to dress out; for, ever since Potter had laughed me out of my religion, every principle of moral honesty fat loosely upon me.

I am sorry to say, the holy Sabbath in our family was only distinguished from other days by the shutting of the shop; my master spent the greater part of it posting his books, and my mistress and her daughters were either dressing to go abroad, or else to receive company at [Page 4] home. We young men, indeed, were sent to church, but as we had no exam­ples set us by the heads of the family going thither themselves, Potter and I generally hired a gig, and dashed away from one tea-drinking place to another; these scenes soon made me lose all respect for Virtue and Religion. It was at the Dog and Duck I first saw the infamous Miss West; she was many years older than myself, her person was as lovely as her heart was wicked. She was no soon­er informed that I was to come into pos­session of 3000l. the day I came of age, than she made use of all her deceitful arts to ensnare both my soul and body, as she often prompted me to defraud my master to supply her extravagance. My attachment to Miss Vincent was now on the decline, for Miss West had so far wrought upon my vanity, as to make me believe that so handsome a young fellow as I was, should look higher than a trades­man's daughter. From that moment I treated Miss Vincent with the most mar­ked neglect, although I saw my conduct cut her to the heart; yet, at the same time I was base enough to borrow money [Page 5] of her, which I wantonly squandered away on Miss West.

When Potter's apprenticeship expired, instead of improving his fortune by throw­ing it into trade, he plunged at once into all the vices of the Town. He possessed a plausible kind of prate, which caused him to be appointed Chairman to our Club, which was chiefly composed of clerks and apprentice boys. Potter's principal excellence consisted in singing a merry song, telling an indecent story, and teaching his hearers to laugh at mo­rality, and set all religion at defiance, for religion he maintained, was only an old woman's tale, invented, by cunning heads to keep children and fools in order.

There was an honest old Porter lived in our family, who for some time had set himself to watch my conduct, and at length he made such a faithful report of it to my master, that he gave up my inden­tures, and turned, me out of doors.

I was too much delighted with my li­berty, to feel the least sense of shame at the means by which I obtained it.

[Page 6] I was sorry, however, to break off en­tirely with Miss Vincent, for I still had a lurking affection for her; I told Potter so; his inventive genius soon laid a plan whereby I might get her into my power, and take a compleat revenge on her whole family at the same time. This was by writing her a letter, setting forth the violence of my love, the unmerited dis­grace I had received from her family, and at the same time requesting her to grant me a private meeting, in order that I might justify my conduct to her, as other­wise I feared the violence of my passion would drive me to a fit of despair.

This poor imprudent girl met me at the time, and place appointed. I will not here shock my readers with relating the vile stratagems I made use of to com­pleat the ruin of this young lady, nor the tremendous oaths I swore to repair her wrongs by marriage, as soon as I came of age, which would be in a very few months; this somewhat abated her sorrow for the the very indiscreet step she had taken.

The day I became of age, I went down into the country. My friends having [Page 7] been apprized of my profligate life, re­ceived me very coldly. I practised the deepest hypocricy on my good mother, to make her believe I was quite a reformed man, in order to wheedle her out of a sum of money, telling her at the same time, I had an immediate prospect of en­tering into a very profitable concern with a partner of great responsibility, if I could but increase my capital.

"Frank," said she, with firmness, "there is no trusting to your promises; as long as your conduct deserved my love, you ever found me an indulgent mother, but you shall never have cause to say, I acted towards you like a weak woman, by robbing my virtuous children, to sup­ply the wanton extravagance of a profli­gate son. Your wicked life, Frank, has nearly broken my heart, but it shall not shake my justice." The well known stea­diness of my mother's temper convinced me at once she was not further to be impo­sed upon by the fallacy of my arguments.

As soon as I had settled my business, I returned to London to Miss Vincent, who had waited for me with the utmost [Page 8] patience, fully expecting I was come to fulfil my promise of marriage to her "I can struggle with want, dear Frank," said she, "but I will never consent to live in shame."

Nothing I am certain hardens the heart like vice, for although this poor young creature was brought into a very trying situation by the prospect of soon becoming a mother, I swore I would ne­ver make her my wife, who had disgra­ced herself by living with me as a mis­tress. On hearing this, in all the tender agonies of grief, she urged me to repair the wrongs I had done her, reminding me at the same time of the wicked arts I had made use of to beguile her of her in­nocence, and then, with clasped hands and streaming eyes, she threw herself on her knees before me, beseeching me to pity the agonies which rent her soul, yet my hardened nature was untouched by her sorrow, again I solemnly swore I ne­ver would marry her.

Through excess of grief she sainted away, in which pitiable state I left her to the care of a servant, went out and [Page 9] spent the rest of the evening with Miss West, whose flinty heart turned into ri­dicule the sorrowful tale I related to her.

On returning to my lodgings the next morning, I was informed Miss Vincent had left them without leaving behind her the least information where she was to be found, and much did I rejoice when I heard it, that she had taken herself off so quietly.

I now lavished my money as though it would never have an end. By all I was esteemed the most noble spirited fellow in the world, and even little wits would be silent in my presence, because I was sure to pay for the wine upon which they were to riot. My cash at length beginning to run low, as I had been all along drawing from the principal, I advised with Potter how to get furnished with future supplies. He advised the gaming table as a never- [...]ailing friend, saying it had long since been the only resource from whence he derived his subsistence.

I took his advice, and for some months was so successful, that I began to dash [Page 10] away in higher life at the West end of the Town. I bought an elegant phaeton which I drove every Sunday in Hyde Park, with Miss West by my side. One day as I was driving furiously through Temple Bar, I had the misfortune to overturn a poor man with a heavy load on his back, and on his getting up I per­ceived him to be Mr. Vincent's old por­ter, to whom I formerly owed my dis­grace.

"Ah! ah! what is it you, young hopeful?" cried he, on seeing to whom he owed his misfortune, "well, he must needs go whom the devil drives; thy prancing nags may die a natural death, master Frank, but verily, I think 'tis more than thou wilt, boy, for if thou diest in thy shoes, the gallows will be robbed of it's due. What is become of poor Patty Vincent, thou profligate dog, hast thou broken her heart, as thou hast that of her poor afflicted parents?"

The sudden recollection of that unfor­tunate girl caused such a swimming in my heed, that the reins dropt from my hands, my horses took fright, and it was almost [Page 11] a miracle that I got home alive. The porter's words had made such an impressi­on on my mind, that I could not shake them off. Soon after Potter calling in upon me, I told him of my interview with the old porter, and also the effect it had on me. "Frank," said he, if a fel­low of thy spirit can be thus easily over­come by qualms of conscience, let us in­stantly adjourn to the tavern, since good wine is the best remedy in the world to drown all uneasy recollections in." I gladly accepted his proposal, we called a coach, and off we went. He no sooner saw my spirits inflamed with wine, than he drew me to the gaming table, where, before morning, I lost every shilling I had in the world; I applied to Potter to lend me 50 guineas, as he had won more than 200 of me.

Laughing heartily he told me, it had ever been a maxim with him, never to lend his money to a man who had not prudence to keep his own; "but harkee, Frank," said he, "I'll give thee my best advice gratis: such a noble spirited young fellow as thou art, needs never be at a loss for money, while he can snap a trigger, [Page 12] and the highway is lest open for him to practise upon. Men who follow the same course of pleasure, are the last people in the world to help each other in the hour of distress; virtuous men, Frank, only feel for the wants of their friends, and they alone find pleasure in relieving them." He then whistled himself off.

When I got home, I sat revolving in my mind how to get myself out of my present difficulties, when in a fatal mo­ment, Satan whispered in my ears the word FORGERY. At first I started at the thought, but my poverty was clamorous, my pride startled at disgrace, although my conscience did not shudder at the crime. I knew I could copy Mr. Vin­cent's hand exactly, I snatched up the pen to draw a bill upon him for 500l. but a cold shivering seizing me, it dropt from my singers, a strong sense of my guilt now overtook me, I tore what I had written to pieces, and exclaimed, I am a free man again; and for a moment felt thankful that I had been enabled to resist the violence of temptation. I sat pon­dering, however, how I should maintain myself, again I was assaulted with the [Page 13] dread of poverty, and again I snatched up the pen, drew the fatal bill, and in­stantly went out and got it accepted.

But the moment I sought to take rest at night on my pillow, I felt as if all the horrors of Hell had seized me. I jumped out of bed in my sleep, and was going to throw myself out of the window, ha­ving dreamt that I was apprehended, the people of the house, awakened by my cries, ran into the room, concluding some villains had broken in, and were going to murder me.

I never afterwards went into the street but my fears told me I was the subject of conversation of all the people I met. Once I happened to hear one man say to another, pointing to a third, "that's he, that's he," I took to my heels, conclu­ding that I myself was meant, and ran from one street to another, without know­ing whither, till my sight failed me, and through loss of breath, I dropped down in a fit. Some humane people, however recovered me, and put me into a hack­ney coach which carried me home.

[Page 14] One day, a sudden gust of wind blew open my chamber door, again I concluded the officers were coming to take me. Snatching up the poker to defend my­self, I swore I would not be taken alive, when turning about suddenly. I caught a glimpse of myself in the glass, my eyes looked wild, my lips quivered, my jaws dropped, my teeth shattered, and my bo­dy shook, as though the last agonies of death were upon me. On finding I was once more become the dupe of my fears, my spirits rallied again, I dressed and went to the play; there I met Sally West, whom I had not seen for some weeks; for, to say the truth, I dreaded to meet an old acquaintance from the time I committed the forgery; after the play, we went off together to sup at a tavern, we had not been there a quarter of an hour when she made an excuse for quitting the room in about ten minutes she returned to me, expressing in the tenderest terms the satis­faction she had to see me again.

We were, as I believed, just going to sit down to supper, when the waiters came in followed by two of Sir John Fielding's men. Immediately, with the [Page 15] greatest coolness, Miss West arose, and and laying her hand on my shoulder ex­claimed, 'the Philistines be upon thee, Samson.' "Gentlemen," continued she to the officers, "this is my good friend Mr. Francis H**** of whom you have been some time in search. Perhaps Frank, continued she, "you do not know that your forgery is discovered, and that 100l. reward is offered for taking you, when I left the room just now it was to write a note to these gentlemen, signifying to them where you were to be found; I see you are terrified, but hear me for the last time perhaps, and you will less won­der at my conduct. Early in life, Frank, I was betrayed to ruin, by a base design­ing man; my reputation once blasted, I was deserted by all the virtuous part of my own sex; by having bad examples always before my eyes, I soon became hardened in sin and abandoned to shame. I have lately contracted debts; if they are not immediately discharged I shall be sent to a jail; this jail I know not how to avoid but by sending you thither in my stead, as the reward offered for taking you will just set me free from my creditors."

[Page 16] I was struck motionless with terror, and fainted away on the officers approach­ing to tie my hands behind me; not had I the least recollection of what passed, till I found myself safe locked in my pri­son. About a week after this, the keep­er came to tell me, there was a prisoner lately brought in who was very desirous of seeing me, and as she appeared an ob­ject of great pity, he offered to conduct me to her. On entering the chamber, I saw a young woman very shabbily dressed, lying on a miserable bed, in a very weak condition.

"Dost thou not know me, Frank?" said she in a hollow broken voice? "Hast thou lost all remembrance of Patty Vin­cent." I felt instantly as if struck with a thunderbolt. "Merciful heaven?" cried I, falling on my knees by the bed­side, "I am unable to bear the punish­ment my crimes have brought upon me! O God of mercy support my troubled soul." She kindly urged me to be comfort­ed, said she wished not to see me to re­proach me for the evils I had brought up­on her, but only to tell me with her last breath that she forgave me. "It is not [Page 17] an hour since, Frank," continued she, "that I heard you were my fellow pri­soner, and what is worse at my father's suit. I will not reproach you, Frank, I tell you again, for all the miseries you have brought upon me, because you are a prisoner and in chains. If my breath will hold out, I will endeavour to give you a short history of myself since we parted. On your refusing to make me your lawful wife, I quitted your lodgings, resolving by my labour to eat the bread of industry rather than follow a course of vice for a wretched subsistence. I hired a garret in Holborn, where I applied for needle-work, and soon obtained it. In a­bout three months after our separation, my infant came into the world, I sold my clothes for my support during my confinement, but that resource soon failed me. My health and strength declined, I was seized with a constant fever and cough, and quite unable to supply the scanty morsel of bread for the day, yet resolved to die ra­ther than afflict my dear parents with the knowledge of my misery. At length being too weak to labour, I contracted se­veral small debts, for which I was seized and brought hither, I have however since [Page 18] been prevailed upon to send my poor hal [...] famished baby to my parents, ho­ping they will afford her that bread which her dying mother dared not ask for her­self." Observing I was speechless with agony, poor Patty went on, "I did not wish to see you, Frank, to afflict you, I wish only to warn you with my dying breath to repent the evil of your ways, and humble your soul before God. Re­pentance for sin, Frank, though bitter for the moment, yet I have found health­ful to the soul, and however the wicked who are at ease, may deride the God who made them, yet the sighing and the sorrowing heart will flee unto him, as the only present help in time of trouble; I shall very soon lay down my heavy bur­den of sickness and sorrow, and escape from a darksome prison, as I humbly trust, to everlasting rest.—O Frank! Frank! it is far safer to die a penitent in a jail, than to live in a palace, with a heart untouched with God's grace."

Here she was interrupted by the unex­pected entrance of Mr. and Mrs. Vin­cent. O ye, who shall hereafter read my story, drop a tear of pity at the agony I [Page 19] now endured! They no sooner beheld their child, than each by turns tenderly embraced her, assured her of their forgive­ness, and gently child her, for having con­cealed herself so long, adding, that as a penitent child they would most gladly have received her, though they would have shunned her, if they found her living in prosperous wickedness. She thanked them, and said.

"Mourn not my death, my dearest parents, but rather rejoice that I die peni­tent for my transgression, and since I have received your blessing and forgive­ness, I have but one more favour to ask in life, which is, that you my kind father, will extend your pity towards that young man," pointing to me. "O save him, if possible from an ignominious death, and remember, that my child is also his. My business in life is done, and now, O hea­venly Father! receive my spirit, and par­don my sin through Jesus Christ my Re­deemer." Here her speech failed her, and after a few convulsive struggles she expired.

[Page 20] Great Heaven! is there any punish­ment for me to suffer hereafter beyond what I endured at the moment? A dead silence succeeded for some time, my groans only were heard. As soon as Mr. Vincent had somewhat recovered the shock, he raised himself from the body of his child, and spoke to me as follows:

"Behold, O young man, the calami­ties which thy crimes have brought on my family! Behold, my departed child lying on the bosom of her fainting mother; yet I am not insensible to the agonies which rend thy soul, and sorry am I to add to them, by telling thee, thy excel­lent mother went out of her senses, on hearing thou had'st committed a crime, by which thou hadst forfeited thy life to the laws of thy country. O Frank! Frank! what deep distress can one profligate child bring on whole families! Thy crimes, alas! have brought on thy own destruction, for I fear it will not be in my power to befriend thee on thy trial, much as I am disposed to do it in conside­ration of thy relations. Too late, Frank, thou must now see, how fatal an excessive love of pleasure must prove to a young [Page 21] tradesman. Honest industry is generally a sure road to wealth: as a sober religi­ous life is to happiness. To thy cost thou must already have experienced, that the wicked can have no dependance upon each other, since thou art betrayed, and brought to shame, by those very fr [...]nds who first led thy youth astray."

"O, Sir," cried I, "few and evil have been my days, but the great God above, who knoweth the secrets of all hearts can alone judge of the sorrows of mine it is not, Sir; the punishment of death which I fear, but the just vengeance of offended Heaven which must follow it; for though a very young man, I am a ve­ry old sinner. Alas! my dear, and ho­noured mother, is it then true, that the crimes of your own child have robbed you of your senses? And yet the merci­ful hand of God has hitherto with held his vengeance from striking me dead. To whom shall I fly for mercy and pity in my distress? from the law I cannot expect it, and from the offended Majesty of high Heaven I dare not hope it, since my pre­sent punishment is but the certain wages [Page 22] of my sin." Here I am told I fell into strong convulsion fits, and in that condi­tion was conveyed to my cell.

Written the Night before my Execution.

It is a month since I was put on my trial, and my guilt being fully proved by the Court, I am condemned to hang by the neck till I am DEAD! DEAD! DEAD!

O, ye thoughtless young men, who have forsaken the God of Heaven to fol­low after the enticing pleasures of this world, attend to my words, as to those of a man speaking to you from the grave, since the dawn of that day is now break­ing on the world, in which I shall be numbered with the dead. Although, at the time I write, I am in all the prime of youth, and all the vigour of health, I shall this day die a just victim to the bro­ken laws; and my precious soul may be consigned over to everlasting torments, unless the great Judge of all things will be graciously pleased to accept my sor­row for my sin, through a gracious Re­deemer.

[Page 23] My days are numberered, my hours are few, and the tolling bell will soon be summoning me to meet my God in judg­ment. The convulsive struggles of death are already upon me before I reach the gallows, whereon I must shortly hang as a warning spectacle to gaping thousands, and from whence I must shoot through the great gulph which parts

TIME from ETERNITY!

O, blessed Lord, have mercy on my soul!

The above story was found in the young man's pocket after his execution.

THE HYMN.

Father of light, O cleanse my stains,
Look on a sinner vile;
In dungeon dark, oppress'd with chains,
Deign thou on me to smile.
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Condemn'd to die by human laws,
I own my sentence just,
With mercy mild judge thou my cause,
Who art my only trust.
Though great my crime and short my race,
My FAITH and HOPE receive;
Since souls enrich'd with pard'ning grace,
With thee shall ever live.
Then farewell all beneath the skies,
The sting of death is o'er;
O may my trembling spirit rise,
Where sin shall be no more.
THE END.
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TRUE EXAMPLES OF THE Interposition of Providence, IN THE DISCOVERY AND PUNISHMENT OF MURDER, (By that famous Magistrate, Mr. Justice, Fielding.)

A Man was taken up on suspicion of Murder, but when brought to the Bar, the evidence appeared not strong enough to convict him. He pretended to be quite easy about the matter, and be­haved with great boldness, because he knew there was no witness to the fact, for he had really committed the Murder, and had taken every caution to prevent a discovery; making use of all that care and prudence which are always much sharpened by a sense of guilt, though they have hardly ever been known to answer the end; some one circumstance being generally overlooked, by the per­mission of Divine Providence, in order [Page 26] to lead to a sure, though perhaps distant discovery. Sooner or later all sins come to light.

When he came upon his trial, the Judge observed in the Man's countenance an uneasiness, terror, and confusion, which all his pretended boldness, and pro­testations of innocence could not hide. This much increased his suspicion, and he therefore kept his eye steadily fixed on his face during the whole time. As soon as the last witness was dismissed, the Man asked, with pretended coolness, if they had any more evidence to produce against him. The Judge fixed his eyes sternly upon his face, and in a very so­lemen manner asked him this question. Friend, do you not yourself know that one could appear against you, whose evi­dence would put the matter out of all doubt?—At this the Man started, look­ed extremely terrified, and eagerly cri­ed out—"My Lord, he is not a legal witness, no Man can speak in his own cause, nor was the wound I gave him half so large as what he shews against me."

[Page 27] The Judge, who had a very deep knowledge of human nature, presently perceived by the Man's starting, and the wildness and terror of his look, that he was the real Murderer, and that in the distraction of a guilty conscience his ima­gination had raised up to his mind the Ghost of the Murdered man. The Judge therefore acting upon such a reason­able supposition, talked to the prisoner accordingly. By his farther examination, he soon brought him to confess that he had been guilty of the Murder for which he was now tried; though, as was said above he had made sure of being acquit­ted, because he knew no human witness could be brought to appear against him. But the justice of God made his own con­science his accuser. After this full con­fession of the fact, he was condemned, and hanged in chains at the very place where he declared the Murder had been committed. At his death he confessed that his guilty conscience was so haunted with the crime, that upon his trial he ve­rily believed that the Ghost of the Mur­dered Man had stood before him with a wound, twice as large as that which he had given him,

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A Prayer to GOD, that our National CRIMES may not bring down National PUNISHMENT.

WHERE Justice waves her vengeful hand
Tremendous o'er a guilty land,
Almighty GOD thy awful power,
With fear and trembling, we adore.
Where shall we fly, but to thy feet?
Our only refuge is thy seat;
Thy seat, where potent mercy pleads,
And hurls thy thunder from our heads.
While peace and plenty bless'd our days,
Where was the tribute of thy praise?
Ungrateful race! how have we spent
The blessings which thy goodness lent.
But when distress and wasting war
With threat'ning frown thy wrath appear;
Still war and want are but thy slaves,
Nor can destroy when mercy saves.
Look down, O LORD, with pitying eye;
Tho' loud our crimes for vengeance cry;
Let mercy's louder voice prevail,
Nor thy long-suffering patience fail.
Encourag'd by the sacred word,
May we not plead the blest record,
That when a humbled nation mourns,
Thy rising wrath to pity turns;
O let thy sovereign grace impart
Contrition to each rocky heart,
And bid sincere repentance flow,
A general undissembled woe!
Fair smiling peace again restore,
With plenty bless th' industrious poor
And may a happy thankful land
Obedient own thy guardian hand.
FINIS.
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The following is a List of the REPOSITORY TRACTS already published by B. & J. JOHNSON, and now for Sale at their Book-Store, No. 147. Market St. PHILADELPHIA.

  • No. 1. Containing The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, Part I. & the Lancashire Collier Girl.
  • No. 2. The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, Part II. & The Sorrows of Yamba.
  • No. 3. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vine-yard, The Horse race, & the Plow Boy's dream.
  • No. 4. The wonderful Advantages of Ad­venturing in the Lottery, & the Hap­py Waterman.
  • No. 5. The two Wealthy Farmers, Part I
  • No. 6. Ditto. Part II.
  • No. 7. Ditto. Part III.
  • No. 8. Ditto. Part IV.
  • No. 9. Ditto. Part V. & A New Christmas Hymn.
  • No. 10. Sorrowful Sam, & An Account of a pious Negro.
  • No. 11. Tom White the postilion. Part I.
  • No. 12. Ditto. Part II. & The Grand Assizes.
  • No. 13. The Cheapside Apprentice, True Examples of the discovery of Murder, & A Prayer in Verse.
☞ Next Week will be published Husbandry Moralized; & An Antidote for Slandering and Backbiting.

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