Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/182

166 The large hairy muff is charmingly adapted to facilitate this species of robbery: it being placed upon one arm, and the attention of the shopman directed to some article contained in a drawer or shelf she is sure is situated just behind, enables the lady to pick up with perfect impunity whatever she chooses, whether that be lace, ribbons, gloves, trinkets, books, or other desirable article.

The ridicule, which in summer supplies the place of the muff, sometimes raises suspicion from its capaciousness, and is no less adapted to receive the hasty acquisitions of its owner. Shopmen would do well to make an end of their bargaining and farcying, respecting one article, before they takedown another; with the additional precaution of couatmg the number of pieces, pairs, &c. of each, that he may place before his customer. This would prevent a great proportion of those shop robberies, which the tradesman feels has been committed, without knowing upon whom to fix the crime, and half distracted at his own suspicions, he robs himself of peace and the people around him of their comfort: and, as prevention shall be better than cure (all to nothing) any time of the day, "such shopmen are guilty (the law ought to say) who are so far derelict in their duty as to hold out the lure to their master's