Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-09-08
A Fashionable ShoplLifter.

AuOuL a mUllu since Il very IdSlllO1a
bly, alfred lady. quite good looking and
of very gracious address. called at a GER
tain extensive lad es furnishing store in
this city, the name Of which we are nat
permitted to give. and Looked at q quaint
ity of articles. The gentlemanly clerk
was by no means dismayed at the extent
of her curiosity, which ID seemed would
hardly be satisfied short of an Inspection
of the whole of their extensive stock
Naturally urbane. his accute perceptive
faculties enabled him to see that the
lady dress was expansive enough to de
note the existence ola deep parse, and
he was willing to make any sacrifice in
the kepe Of securing a portion of her
patronage.
At length she purchased a handkeri
chief for one dollar and a quarter, and
left the clerk to the serious. task Of.
replacing the boxes, packages and roofs.
From more force Of custom his eye
inspected each in a critical manner as he
put it away, when he was startled from
Q mental calculation OF the exact cost of
the ladv's attire hy noticing thai a fine
lace collar was missing. 1t could not be
possible that the fashionable purchaser
tof the handkerchief had distracted it.
No he drove the suspicion Indignantly
from his thoughts. Had some other
clerk sold it lately !? They all denied
the impeachment. Inexplicabfe mystery I
he entomhed it within the recesses of his
mind, to he exhuned perhaps by some
chance revelation Of the future.
Three weeks passed-and another of
the clerks. was waiting on q %fashionably |
dressed lady, alike grac!oaa IN demeanor.
alike Unsuitable in her desire to inspect
a multitude of articles. 1t took her a
long timeto decide upon purchasing two
yards of ribbon, bat she at length accom-
fplished It, and swept gracefully out Of
the store. Very 500 after the clerk
exclaimed aloud that a pair of the lace
Iundersleeves were missing. The urbane
clerk at once became interested, and to
his astonishment discovered that they
we're matches to the collar he had lost.
He inquired the appearance of the lady.
and it correspondent with one of whom he
had an excellent remembrance. The
Eurbane clerk became silent and thought
full.
Saturday. Questionable, gracious and
inquisitve lady was again in the store.
1t was the same person whose future
visits seemed in some manner connected
with the mysterious disappearance of.
lace. This time the urbane clerk again
waited upon her, and while diminishing
none of his urbanity, kept the corners Of
his eyes opened to the utmost tension
A pair of kid gloves were bought. and
while the clerk was hand ng her the
change he Suddenly noticed a valuable
handkerch eff had disappeared. lie was
thunderStruck at this, for he had watched
her so closely he had not thought it pos
sihle the lady could have distracted a
single article. Where could she have
concealed it? There was mantle hang
ing loosely on her arm, and within its
folds was The only place she could easily
have laid the handkerchief. had she ia.
ken it. Bidding the clerk q smiling
Tadieu, she was jast about to turn away,
when he suddenly calculated with a
look ofhorror:
"Oh Madame. See that big spider"
As be said this, he pulled the mantle
off her arm and shook it violently, when
lol not a spider, but a magnifdently EN-.
b~roidered handkerchief fell to the floor.
The clerk pointed silently to the box
from which it lad been taken, and looked
full in the lady's eyes. Quickly her face
flashed up, and she exclaimed:
What! you little simpering, good-for-
nothing counter hopper, do you mean to
say | stole that handkerchief"
All her elegant air and gracious de-
'meanor had vanished and she now look
ed anything but the laay.
+" fear is is so, madam, and you may
perhaps remember likewise a lace collar
and a pair of undersleeves."
oh / you-you-but III go right
down to MY husbands Office and make
him come here and cowhide your life out
Of you. Yes, and you, too, you little gig
Cling blackguardt" :
Wait a moment. madame. You will
oblige me by remaining until ! can send
for an officer" !,
AN ofieerl No, doil't do that. l
don t want to be disgraced by being ar
rested. Here, tell me what those things
are worth that you think | stole from
YOU. I would FATHER give yop tie money
Than BE arrested"
Z. I could nottake sncl a responsibility !
~ myself, nadame, but , gu may wait in
the back otlce for the proprietor
The proprietor soon came ii and so did
a police officer, whom the clerk had sent
for privately, aud who had his crescent
i'll his pocket. The proprietor received
lhs worth OF Tho collar end allowed the
Judy to depart. Well, what did you {
send me for Z" asked the officer. The
clerk answered. Il do not know but
what night have to get you 10 arrest
lady who had just passed out."-
:" Lady, returned the officer, with a
snile at the clerks greenne,$. = Why. {
is ons-of the most natori Gus taarac- {
ters il Eaw 0slospsa /