ANECDOTES 



robbery was always attended with much difficulty. Upon 

 one occasion a woman, a well-known pickpocket, was 

 captured, handed over to the police, tried, convicted and 

 sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment. 



Soon after the expiration of this term, information was 

 sent to me that the lady had again entered the Gardens. 

 Her dress being described to me, I sought her out, and 

 meeting her in the Monkey-house I recognized her, but 

 had entirely forgotten the name by which she was pre- 

 viously known. As I intended that she should know that 

 I knew who she was I walked quietly towards her and 

 looking her full in the face, said, " Mrs. Brown, I believe ? " 

 She indignantljr retorted, " No ! sir, my name is not 

 Brown." I replied, " I am sorry I have made a mistake, 

 as I thought I knew you.'' 



I immediately quitted the Monkey-house and went 

 across the lawn to the Fish-house, where I found the 

 keeper Tennant, who had been the principal witness 

 against her at the trial at which she had been convicted. 

 I called him on one side and told him that the woman 

 pickpocket was in the Gardens, and that I had left her 

 in the Monkey-house. 



" You keep a look-out, and when she leaves walk up and 

 speak to her." " Oh ! " said Tennant, " what can I say to 

 her ? " " Well, anything — ask her if she is Mrs. Brown." 

 Tennant took the hint and I saw him meet her. He 

 spoke to her and she made a rush at him, but he 

 escaped from her clutches, and, to my great relief, I saw her 

 make hasty tracks to the exit gate, through which she 

 passed in a great hurry, after having paid a shilling with- 

 out any return for her money. 



I have never heard of her reappearance in the Gardens 

 since. 



11 



