A WEDDING INCIDENT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2601, 9 May 1877, Page 2

A WEDDING INCIDENT.

A curious scene wai witnessed at a West End Church the other day, when •a weJding party was leaving'the building. Before the commencement" of the cere* mony, two handsomely-dressed ladies en* teied the church,' their manner and appearance so much in keeping with the assembled guests that the pew-opener allowed them to pass.in and up to the seats reserved for the wedding party.. They remained as spectators; and when the I bridal procession passed down, the welldressed strangers followed in the crowd, which closed in as is the manner of the curious : minded- on such occasions, desirous of feeing the carriages drive away.- Suddenly a gentleman, hay*" ing the appearance of a detective, stepped from a pew, laid a hand on one of the well-dressed strangers, and, addressing ene of the wedding guests who had a lady on his arm, said aloud, " This ii a pick* pocket; she has taken the lady's purse." And the purse was gone, tin was ascertained in a moment. The man whom for' perspicuity- we call the detective went for a policeman, and in his absence a hurried consultation took.place within" the building. The pickpocket restored the purse, and pleaded for mercy. The owner lookea bewildered, and only half inclined to be stern. She had her purse in her band once more, and it was not pleasant to be in the centre of a crowd, with a stylish ' pickpocket on her knees imploring to be forgiven. ' Of course, there was no police* man at hand, and before one could be found the verger had come up, and most improperly jtaken the pickpocket's part, preaching quite an extempore sermon on the duty of one woman extending forgiveness to another, and assuring the owner of the purse that a day would came when she, too, would plead for mercy, <fee; and opening a side door, not only allowed the prisoner to escape, but actually thrust her outside. The indignation of the detective may be imagined. He declared she and her accomplice had secured three purses during the ceremony, and he wai there on purpose to arrest her.. The owner of the pni-se seemed pleased to get away, taking refuge in her and looking, under the sanctimonious old verger's rebuke, more like the culprit, as he evidently considered any one must' be who could hint that robberies were possible in a church under his charge.—-London Cor* respondent.