THE CHAMPION THIEF.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 4 March 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CHAMPION THIEF.

' The'Vienhi jcorrespondent,of fa.fihhl tells,, the.. follojying,; oitrioli ; t'aje, :—-." Last week' a .certain Hungarian cqitnwsg, known fP.i;^or,riches and''beauty j[tao,.Bf>mo [spirited.jady,, who.', last 'year .aecpn^adjher rbrother in a due,!),' graced with tier jpjesence the 'performance, at the Aresa, q'r, Buiijmer theatre. On one, of her fair fingers my .lady wore'two, 's'plehaid; dianipnd ..rjngs,exactly ■ .Diiring.'-an ffitfacje ( tpere presented hirnßeu in lier, liox ; a'togiojlpw in gorgco'us''.liyery -~','px~ flunkey imaginable. ',,'Quoth;.he, m the .finest ffuhgarian,,.' My.' mistress, Prin^JiP^—, has sent' me to beg of .your ladyship the Joan of one of your|rirlgi' for' fivp, highness' .them froni,her; (l box opposite) '^ndy.ipjvery to..examine onemqre.cl6sely,,M,'she l wishcj. to ,hajre one made after ''.ss\ pattern.! .. M T7ithout o an mstant's.h'psitationi;jtheVcountess handed a ring to.'Jeames, 1 who bowed with respcqtfid 'dignity and'retire'i. Theperformance,over, the two ; great j ladies ; met on the liaise, and 1 tlie: countess begged her'friend,,to ,k_eep the ring at her,'convenience. ! my" dear>'', 'Denouement!, , Tableau | ~'JThe •'powdered menial.' was no flunkey at all, but,a thief,, and , the, ring ,was; go^e. ; ;, .The police were informed of the impudent'ji;iok, J usijice seemed, to. have 'overtaken the «nl« prit in a very few strides, for nexjb. morning the .countess, .whilst still mrofo-iwhambre, received'a letter informing her, (that! jthejtjuef had been'caught and the ring'found, ,on hia person. '( Only,'added the note, ~'thp t pjan stoutly denies the charge and declares.;tho ring to,be his own. ; To clear up;all •doubt, pray come at once to tlie police • stationj or send the duplicate ring by.bearer? To draw the second :ring from the finger,and entrust it joyfully to' the messenger-a, fine .fellow in full police with a handsome Y ; tip ; ! for tho glorious news, : ,was the work of a moment.. Only whenmylody an hour later betook herself radiant to the police station tcirecover her jewels, a, slight, mistake' 'came.to.light. 'Well, myringsl I could not come myself the instant Igot your letter.'.: .'What letter, ..raadarne!' 'Denouementl TableauNo.,2l Thetliiefjhad gotthcinbothi,; "^! :'| ~ ..; ■■