Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-10-17
to send her the bill.''
''I'm hanged if she did," CALCULATED the
chopmap ipdirpopfJv ~ .l3 "a = f3 s5al r.

| ''I'm hanged if she did," calculated the
shopman Indignantly. A4
"Silence, SIR answered the mercer with
stern frown. eff this be really case Of
theft you are self condemned, for you
ought to have kept your eyes about you.
For some time past I have noticed that
you have been very negligent in business"
The shopman collapsed; as for Mr.. Pot
fridge, he trudged back to his hotel, feel
ing half inclined to 60 and ask Lord Bea-
cons6eld what he ought to do. The case
had been adjourned for week, so travel
led back to Scarborough in the evening,
and by the time he reached his native
town he had had worked himself up in a
state Of contempt for the mercer and met
ropolitan stipendiary, who seemed to draw
distinction between weI-dressed and ill
dressed plunderers. Meeting Mr.. Bungs,
the brewer, near the railway station, he
gave him an account of what had happen
ed, and was hearkened t. with sympathy
until he mentioned the name Pounceforth-
Keane; then Mr.. Bungs pursed his lips.
''Why, bless me, that's the cousin of Keyn-
sole, brother-in-law of our Lord Lieuten-
ant -
"What difference does that makep"
stammered MIR. Pottridge, like man who
feels less sure of his ground.
''Oh. nothing, except that I don't see
why lady of that sort should commit
robberies,' responded Mr. Bungs.
Further down the street Mr.. Pottridge.
who was rubbing his pate in rather violent
perplexity, encountered Mr.. Dott, the
banker, whose daughter Lucy he loved.
Observation-Disclosures exclaimed Mr..
Dott, as soon as he had heard the grocer's
story. "Why, Lord Keynsole, his cousin,
banks with u.s.
swell, but come, Dott,''' retorted Mr..
Pottridge impatiently, sis that a reason
why Mrs. Pounceforth- Keane shouldn't be
a dishonest jade?'' 439*
mo, but think the whole thing i'm
probable answered the b anker, sand I
confess should be sorry if anything I'M
pleasant happened to Lord Keynsole's
family"
Mr.. Pottridge was not in a very good
humor when he went to bed that night.
A magistrate himself, he knew what
shifts are often made to withdraw we'll
connected offenders from justice, and so
far as be was concerned he would have
cared little if an appeal had been made to
him, ad maisericordiams, to acknowledge
that he had, perhaps, been mistaken in
fancying that he saw Mrs. PIX. pocket
some lace and handkerchiefs. But Mr..
Pottridge could not bear to be pooh-pooh-
ed or threatened with unpleasant conse
quences if he did his duty. He was an
alderman, a grocer with a blameless
conscience, and he feared no man. Feel
ing that his character for veracity and
common sense, was at stake he resolved to
give his evidence against the wife of Lord
Keynsole's cousin with no more hesita-
ton than if she were the commonest iaiI-
bird.
From that date, however, things began
to go wrong somehow with Mr.. Pottridge.
1t seemed as though his long luck had for
saken him. On the morrow of his adven-
ture in London, Mr.. Chuckleworth, the
principal solicitor in the town, who was
Lord Keynsole's legal adviser, passed him
in the street without nodding, aud later in
the day Mrs. G. sent a stiff note begging
that Mr.. Pottridge would send in his bill,
and intimating that she would thencforth
purchase her groceries at another house.
Now the Chuckleworths had always been
excellent customers of Mr.. Pottridge.
This was bad enough, but worse was to
follow Next day some inspectors of
weights and measures arrived at the al
derman'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, leaving the gro
Ger speechless with confusion, than two
well-dressed strangers entered and bought
some tea, brown sugar, cocoa, pepper and
a pot of mustard; after which they stated
that they were public analysts who were
going to examine the quality of these
goods. They examined them, in truth, SO
fast, that two days later Mr.. Pottridge re-
celved summons to answer a charge of
putting birch-twigs in his tea, sand in his
sugar, tumuric in his mustard, clay in his
cocoa, etc. Mr.. Pottridge shrugged his
shoulders at first, taking it for granted
that the charge would be dismissed by his
brother magistrates, Messrs. Dott, Bungs
and company, but before the case came on
for hearing, it unfortunately transpired
that MI Pottridge had been up to Lon
don interviewing Lord Beaconsfield for
the purposes we know, and this made the
other alderman furious. Mr.. Bungs, the
brewer, was particularly angry, and de-
clared that Pottridge was traitor, inso-
much as the poor grocer, instead of having
a friendly Bench to judge him, found a
very stern one. .5 4a. l,.q ..H
II am sorry for you, Mr.. Pottridge,"
said Mr.. Dott, who sat as chairman, "but
men in your position should set an
example. You are fined. EGO on each
count, with costs. Total, e12O.'' e8s}
Ill-starred Pottridge! He left the
court politically and socially done for, for
he could no longer hoIe to be reelected
Mayor nor to marry Miss Dott. He should
have, moreover, to resign his alderman
ship, and his personal character, as well as
that of his tea, sugar and mustard, was
ruined "a Ef ast
So ruined was Mr.. Pottridge that when
he went to London to give evidence against
Mrs. Pounceforth-K eane the first question
asked him by the counsel for the defense
clustering Old Bailey barrister-was, 81
believe you have just been convicted of
selling adulterated goods and at false