FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



of a common pickpocket. Those who have not 

 suffered a similar deprivation simply pity the loser 

 for being such a fool as to let anybody get the 

 better of him in this way. Having then occupied 

 myself at home for an hour or so, I sallied forth 

 looking as little as possible like any one who has 

 been dispossessed of anything. Only a few steps 

 from my own door 1 met a citizen with whom I 

 had a slight acquaintance, who at once pulled me 

 up in order to offer his condolences and to inquire 

 whether it was money, jewellery, or plate that the 

 rogues got off with and how they managed to 

 obtain entrance. Astonished and dismayed at 

 the escape of my secret and the proportions it 

 had assumed, I was obliged, in self-defence, to 

 admit the truth of the matter to the manifest 

 disappointment of my interrogator, who thought 

 that nothing less than a burglary was worthy to 

 be associated with the position of a chief magis- 

 trate. The mere snatching of a timepiece was 

 such a low, commonplace offence that it was not 

 maintaining the dignity of the office to allow it 

 to occur. I could see that this was the trend of 

 his thoughts, so I contented myself with asking 

 him how in the world he knew that anything 

 whatever was missing, and, for my consolation, 

 he assured me it was "the talk of the town." 

 which I too soon discovered was literally true. 

 Marvelling greatly how this was brought about, 

 I found my answer at the top of the street, 

 where a newspaper contents bill bore but this 

 one inscription, in letters bold enough to enable 

 him who runs to read, " The Mayor of Bath 

 robbed." 



82 



