Little Falls transcript., 1879-09-18

ished Mr.. Pottridge. "She's cunning
thief, anyhow, and I'll step in and war;
the firm"
He hesitated moment, and whilst hi
lowered about the doorway, the lad,
came out escorted by an obsequious com
missionalre with medals on his breast
A foottnan, one of a row basking on 8
bench like oysters, rose and signalled te
the coachman of handsomely appointed
brougham, who at once drove forward
Evidently this lady was not an ordinary
thief. She was tall, dark person about
thirty, superbly dressed and very hand
some. Perceiving Mr.. Pottridge and see
ing his glance fixed on her as she waited
tor her carriage, she eyed him with aris'
tocratic supercilliousness and thereby
settled her fate, for Smallborough's alder
man, who could not brook the disdain of
a sboplitter, hurried into the mercer's
and explained what had happened, speak
ing in so excited voic> that number
Of customers heard hii...
Great commotion was caused by his
announcement, and the shopman who
had served her was quickly fred by the
idea that he had let himself be outwitted.
Darting out of the shop he accosted the
thief as she was stepping into her carriage
and said: "Will you come back If you
please? There is some mistake"
"What mistake2' asked she, turning
round with flash in her eyes. But she
grew ashly pile.
~Come back, please" repeated the shop
man, a pushing young 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
shop she slipped her hand into her pock-
ct and let piece of lace fall on the pave
mcnt. mo, ma'am, that wont do," cried
Mr.. Pottridge, seizing the thief's wrist.
"You're going TO pretend those things
fell by accident into the folds of your
dress we know that trick. And oficious-
ly acting as searcher be plunged his hand
into the pocket despite the lady's strug-
giles and threw out second piece of lace,
three cambria handkerchiefs, two pairs
of new gloves, one pair Of silk stockings
and a lady's silk cravat. "Well, never!"
exclaimed the pushing shopman, and
there was murmur among the bystand-
ers, including the lady's own footman,
who looked like a powdered figure of
CONSERVATION.
"How dare you! screamed the lady,
purple with rage and modification as she
glared at Mr.. Pottridge; "I'll prosecute
you for assault. 1 told the shopman here
that l meant to buy these things. Let
the bill be sent to my address; I'm Mrs.
Pounceforth- Keane."
"Ah, dessay," responded the shopman,
'but I'm just going to give you into Gus
todY; and running to the door, he beck
oned to a bl1e-coated member of the
force.
One of the partners of the firm, a grave,
civil-spoken man, who had been sum-
moned 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 already entered,
and all the shopmen and shop-gills, the
customers and the desultory people all
crowding around the door, were instant
in chorussing that the thief should be
made an example of. Mrs. Pounceforth-
Keane, seeing public opinion so dead
against her, uttered howl, and tell
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
is now sitting at Marlborough
street; We'll just go there at once and
have her charged.
This argument was acceded to, and in
a few minutes the lady and the police
man (who had got abashed by this time
from finding himself seated on the silk
cushions of a carriagc) were riding to the
police court in Mrs. Pounceforth- -Keane's
own vehicle, while Mr.. Pottridge, the
shopman, and the mercer followed on
foot to give evidence:
One would think that in 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, indeed,
had the thief been person of the lower
order, it would probably have been her
fate to be convicted summarlly. But it
turned out that Pounceforth-Keane was
the real name Of the elegant shopllfter,
whose husband was a person moving, as
reporters say, "in the best ranks Of So
ciety." Mr.. Pounceforth- -Keane was sent
for, and arrived breathless in a han
som from one Of the best clubs in
Pail Mall. At the sight of him his wife,