Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-08-12

the shop she slipped her hand into hel
pocket and let piece of lace fall on to
the pavement. No, ma'am, that won't
do" cried Mr.. Pottridge, seizing the
| thiefs wrist. You're going to pre-
tend those things fell by accident into
the folds of your dress; we know that
trick" And oficiously acting as
searcher he plunged his hand into the
pocket despite the lady's struggles and
drew out second piece of lace, three
cambric handkerchiefs, two pairs of new
gloves, one pair of silk stockings and a
lady's silk cravat. swell, neveri" ex-
claimed the pushing shopman, and
there was murmur among the by
ISLANDERS, including the lady's own foot
man, who looked like a powdered
figure eofconsternation.
How dare you!" screamed the lady,
purple with rage and modification as
she glared at Mr. Pottridge; "rll prose-
cute you for assault. | told the shop
man here that | meant to buy these
things. Let the bill be sent to my ad-
dress; I'm Mrs. Pounceforth- -Keane.'
81 dessay," resumed the shopman,
:" but I'm going to give you into Gus
tody;" and running to the door, he
beckoned to a blue-coated member of
One of the partners of the firm, a
gray, civil-spoken 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
already entered, and all the shopmen
and shop-girls, the customers and the
desultory people crowding around the
door, were instant in chorusing that the
thief should be made an example of.
Mrs. Pounceforth- -Keane, seeing public
opinion SO dead against her, uttered a
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 a lady who kept q brougham.
1.-The magistrate is sitting now at
Marlborough street; Wen just go there
at once and have her charged"
This arrangement was acceded to,
and in few minutes the lady and the
policeman (who had got abashed by this
time from finding himself seated on the
silk cushions of a carriage) were riding
to the police coult in Mrs. Pounceforth-
Keane's own vehicle, while Mr.. Pot
fridge, the shopman and the mercer fol-
lowed on foot to give evidence.
One would think that in a case where
the offence 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 person of the
lower orders, it would probably have
been her fate to be convicted summarily.
But it turned out that Pounceforth-
keane was the real name of the elegant
shoplifter, whose husband was person
moving, as reporters say. :" in the best
ranks Of society" Mr.. Pounceforth-
Keane was sent for. and arrived breath
less in a 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.. T. X, was himself much agitated
lie asked for remand, 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 daughters 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-Ke tot
tered out of corlrt weeping like victim,
on her husbands arm and Mr.. Pottridge
walked away with the shopman and the
civil-spoken mercer. All three were
crestfallen, as if they had committed a
blunder. "This will be a very bad
affair for me-" grumbled the mercer.
. | would have lost a hundred yards of
lace sooner than appear in court against
lady like this
= well, but she's thief" cried Mr..
Pottridge, rousing himself and speaking
with spirit What harm can she or
her friends do you?"
"Are you quite 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 nv
shopman to send her the BILL"
Pm hanged if she did," calculated
the shopman, Indignantly.
Silence, sir,'1 answered the mercer,
with stern frown. If this be really
case of theft you are esef-condemned, for
you ought to have kept your eyes about
you. For some time past have noticed
that you have been very negligent in
business"
The shopman collapsed; as for Mr..
Pottridge, he trudged back to his hotel,
feeling half inclined to go and ask Lord
Beaconsfield what he ought to do. The
case had been adjourned for a week, Sc
he Travelled back to Smallborough in the
evening, and by the time he reached his
native town he had worried himself I'D
into state of contempt for the mercer
and the metropolitan stipendiary, who
seemed to draw distinction between
we'll dressed and addressed plunderers.
Meeting Mr.. Bungs, the brewer, near
the railway station, he gave him an ac-
count of what had happened, and was
hearkened to with sympathy until he
mentioned the name of Pouneeforth-
Keane; then Mr.. Bungs pursed up his
lips. "Why. bless me, that's the cousin
of Lord Keynso,e, brother-in-law of our
lord lieutenantt'
What difference does that makepn
stammered Mr.. Pottridge, like man
who feels less sure of his ground.
"Oh, nothing, except that | don't see
why a lady of that sort should commit
robberies. " responded Mr.. Bungs.
Further down the street Mr.. Pottridge.
who was rubbing his pate in rather vio
lent perplexity, encountered Mr.. Dott.
the banker, whose daughter Lucy he
loved. Pounceforth Keane - ex-
claimed Mr.. Dott, as soon AS he had
heard the .grocer's story. why, Lord
keynsole, his cousin, banks with u.s.
We'll, but come. Dott," retorted Mr..
Pottride, impatiently, " is that reason
why Mrs. Pouncefor.h-Keane Shouldn't
L. : L 0fs