Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-11

wife of Lord Keynsole's cousin with no
more hesitation than If she were the
commonest jail-bird.
From that date, however. things be
gan to go wrong somehow with Mr..
Pottridge. II seemed as though his long
luck had forsaken him. On the morrow
ofhis adventure in London, Mr.. Chucklc-
worth, the pr, ncipal solicitor in the
town, who was Lord Keynsolc's legal
adviser. passed him in the street with
out nodding. and later in the day Mrs
&. sent stiff note begging that Mr.. Pot
fridge would send in his bill, and inti-
mating that she would thenceforth pur-
chase her groceries mt another house.
Now the Chuckleworths had always
been excellent customers of Mr.. Pot
fridge.
This was bad enough, but worse was
To follow. Next day some inspectors OF
weights and measures arrived mt the
alderman's shop and found piece of
lard sticking under his scales. They
declared they should make "A report of
the fact. Scarcely had they gone, leav-
ing the grocer speechless with confusion,
than two well-dresscd strangers entered
and bought some tea, brown sugar,
cocoa, pepper and pot of mustard I;
after which they stated that they were
public analysts, who were going 10 cx-
anime the quality of these goods. They
examined them, in truth, so fast that
two days later Mr.. Pottridge received a
summons To answer "A charge of putting
birch twigs in his tea. sand in his sugar,
turmeric in his mustard, clay in his
cocoa. etc. Mr.. Pottridge shrugged his
shoulders Mt first, taking 1t for granted
that the charge would be dismissed by
his brother magistrates. Messrs. Dote
Bungs and company; but before the eats
came on for hearing Il fortuitously tran
spired THAT Mr.. Pottridge had been up
TO London interviewing Lord Beacons-
field for the purposes we know, and this
made the other aldermen furious. Mr.
Bungs, the brewer, was particularly
angry. and declared that Pottridge was
"A traitor. insomuch as the poor grocer,
instead of having friendly bench to
Judge him, found very stern one.
" am sorry for you. Mr.. Pottridge," {"
said Mr.. Dott, who sat MS chairman,
but men in your position should set nm
example. You are fined GOO on each
count, with costs; total. Ei20."
Ill-starred Pottridgc, He left the
court politically and socially done for,
for hc could no longer hope To be re-
elected mayor nor To marry Miss Dott
lie should have. moreover, to resign his
aldermanship, and his personal charac-
ter, "a well "a that of his tea, sugar and
mustard. was ruined.
So ruined was Mr.. Pottridge that
when he went to London to give evil
dcnce against Mrs. Pounccforth-Ke
the first question asked him by the coun-
sci for the defense--a clustering Old
Bailey barrister-was. II believe you
have just been convicted Of selling
adulterated goods and at false weight"
let me explain" stammered poor
Pottridge.
No explanations. sir. Give me n
pain answer. yes or no!'
Yes, then"
We'll, then. If you are liable to make
mistakes about your weights. you may
err in other things"
Perhaps" replied the grocer. dcs.
peratcly. " may have been mistaken in
thinking this lady was n thief | have
had enough Of bother about the busi-
ness"
You ought TO be ashamed OF your
hippant conduct, sir;" cried the counsel.
hnrshly, and the wretched grocer hob
bled out of the witness-box feeling very
hi'Wl lH5f'd' aitfE lllH confession OF
possible error on the part of the chief
witness the case against Mrs. Pounce-
forth Keane was. of course, dismissed.
and Mr.. Pottridgc skunk out of court
with magisterial rcprimand ringing in
his cars. To conclude this little story
one has only to add that when II. X. II.
the Prince Of Wales graciously went TO
open the baths at Smnllborough Il was
Mr.. Bungs who was mayor and evcntu-
ally got knighted. viii Mr.. Pottridge
was not even invited to ne dinner at the
town hall, whereof he paid his share
like the other rate payers
He is no longer regarded as a lucky
man. London Truth.