Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-08-16

pounds-ten She did it clumsily that l
could not help seeing her. ] affected not to
notice it smilingly took her order TO the
amount of few shillings, and, when sent
home the goods, put the stolen article down in
the bill. She called next day, and with the
utmost affability informed me Of the mistake
had made in charging an article which had
not sent, and which she had not ordered
She brought her companion with her to prove
that the article charged was not in the packet
of goods sent--whch of course | knew wei |
enough. | admitted the mistake with per-
feet good humor, and she went away 1t will
be acknowledged that had learned my lesson
well-but though [ congratulated myself on
that score, thought the teaching too expen-
sive, and resolved to try different plan next
time. had not long to wait for an opportu-
nifty. Lady s., the wife of Baronet, took
a fancy to some property of a rather rare de-
scription, and concealed it in the folds of her
sleeve. When she had made her purchases
requested her, under pre,ence that had some
thing remarkable to show her, to step into the
parlor. Your ladyship is not aware said [,
'of what you have done-l have observed that
at times you are very distracted in your man
ner /; allow me TO show you what you have
been doing With that caught her firmly
by the arm and in an instant drew forth my
property. She blushed red as fire, and her
eyes flashed-but recovering herself in an in
stant, she burst into laugh, and cried, Real
ly, MIR. Brown, am much obliged to you
who would have thought had been so dis
traite why, really, should have robbed you
without knowing it, Hardly thatI' |
thought to myself; but held my peace, bowed
smilingly, and attended My Lady to her car
| riage.
Lady-taief Number Three was Dowager,
of three score at least, who came at regular
intervals, who bought pretty freely, but al
ways stole as much as she could. This was
difficult case, and hardly knew how to
deal with it. She wore large pocket to con-
tain the plunder, and was constantly dropping
something into it. If | taxed her with theft,
[ should lose her custom and that of her con-
nection, which.was large and of high class.
could not persuade her that she plundeIed
unconsciuusly; she was too wide awake for
that. had serious thoughts of keeping a
professional pickpocket on the premises TO
rescue my own property from her gripe, but
feared the remedy might prove worse than the
disease. One resource remained; had kept
a pretty accurate account of all that she had
purloined during the six months patronage
she had bestowed upon me, and when made
out her account at the end of the season, set
down each article at its proper date. The old
lady sent her steward TO settle the account, to
arkich she made no objection; but she never
again entered my shop.
shall not go on with the catalogue. Lady
thieves are no rarities, and need not be de-
scribed individually. Thrty-fve years. prac-
tice as working shopkeeper has taught me
the safest mode of managing them, and that l
follow; but they are disgraceiul nuisance,
and constant source of pecuniary loss.-
When they make their appearance in my shop,
/ act according to circumstances. If 1t is a
young girl, new TO the trade, sometimes
bring home the theft to her, and talk TO her
seriously; and if she exhibits signs of shame
aud penitence, let her 60. If think prop
er, sometimes send for her parents, and lay
the matter before them but this is not always
a safe method-since in more than one in
stance the mother has induced the child to de-
nv the theft after she had confessed it in the
presence of witnesses and with all the evil
dences of the crime complete. On one or two
occasions | have made the thief when she had
money in her purse, pay for the stolen articles
and keep them but far more frequently have
allowed them to walk clear off with the
nlunder to save the bother and expense of a
disturbance. No farther back than Yesterday
morning, a newly-wedded couple came TO the
shop the husband bought his young wife a
/ handsome present, and she, in the most bare
| faced manner stole the fellow TO it, What
could | do There were dozen people
there. If had taken her up, should have
driven them all away, and perhaps had tu-
mult round the house all the morning and
what skeleton | should have set up in thai
poor bridegroom's house for the rest of his
days gfsh journal.