The Princeton union., 1879-09-17

place sometime after the 9th OF NOvem-
ber next, for shall be mayor then and
able to see that the reception given is a
proper one."
| "Ah, quite so!'' answered Lord Bea-
cons6eld, dropping his eyeglass. for he
had studied Mr.. Pottridge through, and
knew the man by heart.
Leaving Whitehall, Mr.. Pottridge
sauntered towards Regent street, and as
he walked along life seemed rosy to him
because of Miss Dott. He began to stare
into the shop windows, admiring pretty
things which he was tempted to buy for
his love. He was turning over this fancy
and fumbling wistfully at the pocket
where his check book lay when suddenly
he beheld through the window curious
sight. An elegantly dressed lady was
seated at the counter examining pieces OF
Brussels lace. The shopman averted his
head for an instant and she deftly whipp-
ed up yard of the costly texture and
transferred it to her pocket. The shop
man spread number of square flat box
es containing cambria handkerchiets and
once more turned away. Again the
lady's deft hand went to work and q
couple of handkerchiefs found their way
under her cloak.
cious pockets" soliloquized the aston
ished Mr.. Pottridge. "She's cunning
thief, anyhow, and I'll step in and warn
the firm.'' g
He hesitated moment, and whilst he
hovered about the doorway, the lady
came out escorted by an obsequious com
missionalre with medals on his breast.
A footman, one of row basking on a
bench like oysters, rose and signalled to
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
shoplitter, hurried into the MERGERS
and explained what had happened, speak
ing in so excited voice that a number
of customers heard hilu.
Great commotion was caused by his
announcement, and the shopman who
had served her was quickly fired by the
idea that he had let himself be outwitted.
Darling out of the shop he accosted the
thief as she was stepping into her carriage
and said: "Will you come back if you
please? TCere is some mistake.'
''What mistaken; 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
mont. "No, ma'am, that wont d." 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 he plunged his hand
into the pocket despite the lady's strug-
giles and threw out a second piece of lace,
three cambria handkerchiefs, two pairs
Of new gloves, one pair of silk stockings
and lady's silk cravat. "Well, I neverw
exclaimed the pushing shopman, and
there was a 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 10 uortifcation as she
glared at Mr.. Pottridge; "I'll prosecute
you for assault. told the shopman here
that meant to buy these things. Let
the bill be sent to my address; I'm Mrs.
Pounceforth- Keane."
"Ah, I dessay," responded the shopman,
'but I'm just going to give you into Gus
tody; and running to the door, he beck
oned to blue-coated member of the
force.
One Of the partners Of the frm, a grave,
civil-spoken man, who had been sum-
moned from his study, now came forward :;
and he was at first disposed to rebhke
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 brougham. "The
magistrate 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) we're riding to the
police court in Mrs. Pounceforth- -Keane' s
| own vehicle, while Mr.. Pottridgc, the
shopman, and the mercer followed on
foot to give evidence.
* X x
One would think that in case where
the ofense was fragrant and the testi-
mony so clear, the magistrate might have
sentenced the defendant straight off to
SIX months imprisonment, ano, indeed,
had the thief been a person of the lower
order, it would probably have been her
fate fO he tcOnvictcd srmmarilv Rnf r.