Litchfield enquirer., 1879-10-30
POTTRIDGE's LUCT.

MT. lnOmaS TOttrlugo, Ol OiIdIlUOTOugu, had been renowned in his native town for his constant run of luck so that at the age of 40, he was reckoned the ''warmest" man there an alderman who had been twice mayor of the city, a church warden and very popular character among the fair sex by reason of his being a bachelor. One or two things more only were wanted to complete hls happiness namely, good wife, nice little estate in the country, and the honor of knighthood. Mir. Pottridge wished to become Sir Thomas Pot fridge. Having long cherished this idea, and resolved, indeed, that he would not propose for the hand of pretty Miss Lucy Dott, the bankers daughter, until he could make her a ladyship, Mr. Pottridge ended by thinking that he could best secure his object by causing himself to be reelected mayor and arranging if possible that il. R. H. the Prince of Wales should pay visit to Smallborough during the term of his office. Intent upon the scheme, Mir. Pottridge came up to town to call upon Lord Beaconsfeld. Lord Beaconsfeld heark- ened kindly to the groccr's prayer Small borough was about to inaugurate some public baths, the first establishment of the kind ever seen in the town, and nothing could be more suitable than that the heir to the throne should preside over the ceremonial. Truly" said the premier politely, when he had heard the alderman speak, ''the cleanliness of the people must always be matter of interesting concern to those who are brought into relations with them. I shall be happy to take her majesty's commands on the-ahem !- publlc-spirited proposal which you have laid before me"
 ''If you manage it, my lord, should be glad if the visit could take place some time af- ter the 9th of November next, for shall be mayor then and able to see that the reception given is proper one.'
 ''Ah, quite so ]" answered Lord Beaconstield dropping his eye-glass, for he had studied MT. Pottridge through it and knew the man by heart.
 Leaving Whitehall. Mr. Pottridge sauntered toward Regent street, and as he walked along life seemed rosy to him because of Miss Dott. He began to stare into the shop windows ad-
 airing pretty things, which he was tempted to buy for his love. He was turning over this fancy and fumbling wistfully at the packet where his check book lay, when suddenly he beheld through the window a curious sight. An elegantly dressed lady was seated at the counter examining pieces of Brussels lace. The shopman averted his head for a minute, and she deftly whipped up yard of the costly texture and transferred it to her pocket The shopman spread over the counter a number of square, flat boxes containing hand kerchiefs, and once more turned away. Again the lady's deft hand went to work, and cou- pie of handkerchiefs found their way under her cloak. 'NOw that woman must have ca paclous pockets" soliloquiZed the astonished MT. Pottridge "She's cunning thief, any how, and I'll just step in and warn the firm. |"
 He hesitated moment, and while he how cred about the door the lady came out, escorted by an obsequious commissionaire with medals on his breast. A footman, one of row bask- ing on bench like oysters, rose and signaled to the coachman of handsomely appointed ,ho of ard vi dently this lady was not an ordinary thief. She was a tall, dark person of about thirty, ,su- perbly dressed and very handsome Perceiv-
 il g Mr. Pottridge and seeing his glance fixed upon her as she waited for her carriage she eyed him with arisrocratic superciliousness, and thereby settled her fate, for rSmallborough's alderman, who would not brook the disdain of shoplifter, hurried into the mercer's and ex- claimed what had happened, speaking in so excited voice that number of customers heard him. .-.
 Great commotion was caused by his an- nouncement and the shopman who had served her was quickly fired by the idea that he had let himself. be outwitted. Darting out of the shop'he accosted the thief as she was stepping
 into the 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 ashy pale.
 ''sCome back, please" repeated the shopman, a pushing young man, whose voice broke with emotion
 A small crowd had already collected and the lady was obliged to retrace her steps; but as sie was about to enter the shop she slipped h, r hand into her pocket and let fall piece of lace to the pavement. 'No, ma'am that won't do,' cried MT 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 officiously acting as searcher, he plunged his hand into the pocket despite the lady's struggles, and drew forth second piece of lace three cam bric handkerchiefs, two pairs of new gloves one pair of silk stockings and ladys silk cravat 'Well, neverr exclaimed the push- ing shopman, and there was murnur among the by-standers including the lady's own foot man, who looked like powdered figure of consternation.
 ''How dare you!" screamed the lady, purple with rage and modification, as she gared at Mir. Pottridge ''Ill prosecute you for assault. told the shopman here that 1 meant to buy these things Let the bill be sent to my ad- dress Pm Mrs. Pounceforth Keane."
 ''Ah, I dessay," responded the shopman, ''but Pm just going to give you into custody ;" and running to the door he beckOncd to blue coated member of the force.
 One of the partners of the firm, a graY-ha ed, civil-spoken man, who had been summoned from his office, 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 the shop girls, the customers and the desultory people gathered around the door, were instant in chorusing that the thief should be be made an example of. Mrs. Pounceforth Keane, see- ing 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 lady who kept brougham. ''The magistrate -ae sitting now in Marlborough streets we1l just go there at once and have her charged"
 This arrangement was acceeded to- ana ln a few minutes the lady and policeman (who had got abashed by this time from finding himself seated on the silk cushions of Q carriage) were ridino to tba psaice court in Mrs. Pounceforth Ksariers own vehieie, while MT. Pottridge, the shopman, and the mercer followed on foot to give evidence. se,f ....f ss.s | One would think that in case where the offense was fragrant and the testimony clear the magistrate might have sentenced the defen- dant straight of to SIX months imprisonment, and. indeed, had the thief been aperson of the lower order, it would probably have been her fate to have been convicted summariiy. But it turned out that Pounceforth Keane was the real name of the elegant shop p-lifter. whose husband was person moving, as reporters say, Sin the best ranks of society,"" MT. Pounceforth Keane was sent for, and arrived breathless in a hansom from one of the best clubs in Pall Mall. At sight of him his wife, who had been locked up for an hour in po- lice cell, wept profusely, and MT. P. K. was himsels much agitated. He 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 acceeded to the applica-. tion for bail. So very soon Mrs. Pounceforth Keane tottered out of court weeping like vic tim, on her husbands arm; and Mir. Pottridge walked away with the shopman and the civil spoken mercer. All three were crestfallen, as if they had committed blunder. "This will be very bad affair for me-" grumbled the sST 1z~ | l.