The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-10-16

Dy the 1Qea That he had let himself be
outwitted.. Darling out Of tine shop he
aecosted the thief as she was stepping
into her carriage: @Will you come
back, if you please? There is some
mistake"
"What mistaken" asked she, turning
round with flash In her eyes. But
she grew ashy pale:
Come back, please" repeated the
shopman, pushing yonhg man, whose
voice broke from emotion.
A small crowd had already collected
and the lady was obliged to retrace her
steps; but as she was about to enter the
shopshe slapped herhand into herpocket
and let piece of lace fall onto the
pavement. No. ma'am, that won't do"
cried Mr.. Pottridge, seizing the thief's
wrist, You're going to pretend those
things fell by accident into the folds OF
yudr dress; we know that trick And,
officiously acting as searcher, he plunged
his hand into the pocket despite the
lady's struggles and drew out second
piece of lace, three cambria handker.
chiefs, two pairs of new gloves, one pair
o. silk stockings and lady's silk cravat,
Well, 1 neverl" exclaimed the push
ing shopman, and there was a murmtir
among the bystanders, including the
lady's own footman, who looked like d
powdered figure of CONSERVATION.
How dare yon?" screamed thelady,
purple with rage and modification as
she glaped at Mr.. Pottridge; " I'll prose-
cute you for assault 1 told the shop
man here that / meant to buy these
things. Let the bill be sent to my adj
dress; I'm Mrs. Pcunceforth-K -Keane."
@Ah, I dessay," responded the shop
man, but I'm just going to give you
into custody" aid, running to the
door, he beckoned to blue-coated
member of the force. @
One of the partners of the firm,
gray, civilspoken man, who had been
summoned from his study, now came
forward; and he was at first disposed to
rebuke the haste of his shopman, but it
was too late. The policeman had al
ready entered, and all the shopmen and
shop girls, the customers and the des-
ultory people crowding around the door,
were instant in chorusing that the thief
should be made on example of. Mrs.
Pounceforth- Keane, seeing public opin-
ion SO dead against her, uttered howl,
and fell swooning to the floor.
"Never mind that; we'll soon rouse
her" said the policeman, facetiously, for
he did not yet know that he had to deal
with lady who kept a brougham. "The
magistrate is sitting now at Marlborough
street; we'll just go there at once and
have her charged"
This arrangement was acceded to, and
in few minutes the lady and police
man (who had got abashed by this time
from finding himself seated on the silk
cushions of carriage) were riding to
the police court in Mrs. Pounceforth-
Keane's own vehicle, while Mr.. Pott-
ridge, the shopman and the mercer fol-
lowed on foot to give evidence.
One would think that in a case where
the offense was fragrant and the testi
mony SO clear the magistrate might
have sentenced the defendant straight
off to six months Imprisonment, and, in
deed, had the thief been a person of
the lower orders, it would probably
have been her fate to be convicted
summarily. But it turned out that
Pounceforth-Kea was the real name
of the elegant shoplifter, whose hus-
band was person moving, as reporters
say, in the best ranks of society" Mr..
Pounceforth-K was sent for, and
arrived breathless in hanson from one
of the best clubs in Pail Mall. At the
sight of him his wife, who had been
locked up for an hour in police cell,
wept profusely, and Mr.. P. K. was him
self much 'agitated. He asked for re-
mand, and rendered bail, saying he
should produce medical evidence to the
effect that his wife had lately suffered
severely in health. The magistrate
timid man, who had grown-up daught-
ers to marry, and was terribly afraid of
society-stammered out something like
an apology, and readily acceded to the
application for bail. So very soon Mrs.
Pounceforth-Keane tottered out of
court. weeping like a. victim. on her
husbands ann, and MIR. Pottridge
walked away with the shopman and the
civilspoken mercer. ALI three were
crestfallen, as if they had committed a
blunder. "This will be a very bad
affair for me-" grumbled the mercer
aI would have lost hundred yards OF
lace sooner than appear in court
against a lady like this
Well, but she's a thief" cried Mr.
Pottridge, rousing himself and speaking
with spirit. What harm can she or hel
friends do you?"
Are you quites sure you saw her steal
the things?" asked the mercer, gloomily
Besides. supposing she did put them
in her pocket, she says that she told my
shopman to send her the bill"
I'm hanged if she did," calculated
the shopman, Indignantly.
"Silence, sir" answered the mercer
with stern frown. eff this be really 6
case of theft, you are self-condemned
for you ought to have kept your eyes
about you. For some time past 1 have
noticed that you have been very negli
gent in business"
The shopman collapsed; as for Mr.
Pottridge, he trudged back to his hotel
feeling half inclined to go and ask Lore
Beaconsfeld what he ought to do. The
case had been adjourned for week, sc
he travelled back to Smallborough il
the evening, and by the time he reached
his native town he had worked himself
up into state of contempt for the mer
Ger and the metropolitan stipendiary
who seemed to draw distinction
between well-dressed and addressed
plunderers. Meeting Mr.. Bangs, the
brey er, near the railway station, he
gave him an account of what had hsp
pened, and was hearkened to with sym
pathy until he mentioned the name O.
Pounceforth-Keane; then Mr.. Bung
pursed up his lips. "Why, bless me
that's the cousin of Lord Keynsole
brother-in-law of our Lord Lieutenant 7
"What difference does that make 2
stammered Mr.. Pottridge, like a mar
who feels less sure of his ground.
"Oh, nothing, except that I don't set
why lady of that sort should commit
robberies," responded Mr.. Bungs.
Further down the street, Mr.. Pott
ridge, who was rubbing his pate il
rather violent perplexity, encountered
Mr.. Dott, the banker, whose daughter
Lsucy he loved. "Pounceforth- Keane I
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