The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-08-15
THE STOLEN COLLAR.
From The Nsls Book Of d BurrIssrr.

sfg. slDDIETox.
II sas aurirg Tie spring sssizsi fes The
county o. --. in lie pear Is. that |
gslhsndlhe 1neidenisrf,hs folio wins lillls
slory: plain and simple 20 they sss. lay
them brfore he fssder. and should he fesl
one half The Interest in their psrussl that
! did IN their development. his trouble
vii be wsll repaid. They lo,m . DARK
and mnasnlul chapter in the hi.lory Of q
somsn's life.
Scarce had | taken possession Of my
lodgings. on ihs evening u lhe commits
slon.day. before my elsrk ushsfsd iaio
nv RON gvnIirmsn. whom he sanoane.
ed % Nj. i.lewerth. solicitor. lle wsss
middles sized. msrl,enl nan. &c about TWEEN
sy.fse or thiny ysars Of age. si.h light
auburn hair. aasid complexion. and clear
blue eyes. and his appearance was IN evs-
~ respect to- feminine ~ merit The al
m,ra',on Of q stranger; bn, there vas
msnliness IN his msnnsr, itmness in bis
..ep, and deep and powssfoI ,nionalianin
he so'ee. thai eomnsnded re.p.ci and ell-
cited sten,i"n. Alter The usual ronpll-
menisry ssIats,ion, handed him chair.
which he 81 once accepted. We were
seated directly opposite esrh o.her. and IN
such position lha, bad an orpo,iupity
If observing tbs sIgh'ess a.1eranOn IN his
counlsnanrr. ~>@
81 call upon you. Mr. -" said the
stranger. draw ing from HE porkri pack
., Of papers. /" wnh bEisfior The defence
Of an unfortunate prisoner"
Whist Is The ehsrg.!" inquired I. ia
,errarhng him.
Ill shalt not be intrndine uron yous
TINE. sepIiedihe ssrsngersagerIy. a. ~,ll
tell yon The . hole Story. 10 brisi. very
hr,ef." nodded assent. >~~
"The prisoner. he exclaimed, sis .
young lady 81 about t~sn,y-shrss y.srs &c
age. and the .ldes, OF high respectable
w,do~ lady. residing ~ this city; no, .
wnrt--nos s~bie.th % sgspieierwss ever
heard sga,ns. any ofihe family. until this
unfortunate occurrence; and. oh. sir. am
sure lhe,e 10 no, . pretence Zoe this Sc
rleus charge; yet sueh are the citcum-
stances Of tie case, that | know no, how
to meet ~"
4" II - unfortunate, but we must not
dsspsir," exclaimed |. observing the in,sn
sty 81 NJ. isIewo'th's freling..
IL would fam hope, but dare nj" 70.
piled he; " aud think s,r, YOU will have
good reason 10 be afraid. when | have 70.
ls,ed 10 you the tseis." Al,es moment's
pause. he cani,nurd his narrative: fran
Which, together with an occasional glance
=, the statements in my bsrf. | ~as ens-
bied 10 gather pretty correct outline Of
The case.
Mss Marian Merton. ths prisoner. J
was, ne The solicitor stated, the eldest
daughter Of q respectable widow lady.
then residing in -, in easy. II no, az
auen, circu m stances. and mixing 10 the
highest circle OF society.
II appeared lhs. lev weeks previous
to this time, Mics NJ had ons day
been engaged in msk nc several purchas.
es ., one Of the many fancy bsxaars in
the town. On leaving The bazasr, and
preceding 10 % ards her own home. scarce.
ly had she arrived o, ,hs end OF The FRS,
street, before she vas oseftakeB by the
! proprietor, and charged with having s,o-
len lace collar from the Counter. She
was immediate ly conducted bark again to
the bsz.sr. her bag vas examined, end
the collar found secr,ied therein. An as
sistsnt also spoke distinctly IT, having seen
her take up The col ar and place 4 in her
bag. The proprietor was naturally cold,
calculating, metcsuary man. and asgrs
waited this time by repeated lsrcen,es.
which had been almost daily ceWmated
in his establishment, wnhom dst.ct,on.
he had no regard 10 Mss Mert'n's pr"tes
tanons Of innocenre, resp. ctabtli'y ofcha.
ractet. heart.tenGing sul pacs,,cns. OF bit
ter iens--ali wete alike usavs,irrg. The
result wa-, that the Bnt"t,nnsie girl was
taken before the agnhste, aud there. be-
ing unable to scrount Tor the collar being
found IN her possession, she Was commit
ted Tor TRIAL. b..
Thee ~ere The plain and simple facts,
and how difficult ~ere they I" Tebut!
Would the jury believe the story "I Mss
Merton! Would they believe this. she
knew MT how the cellar had been placed
N her bag! or. ~ fact. that che was not
aware Of its beng there? These appear
ed to he the only ques'ions worthy OF cum
s'dsrste". folded up The brief. placed
il on the table, and for The first time s'"cs
The commencement, of the narrative. turn
ell To look upon The face Of the speaker.
He vas changed. strangely changed. Ills
checks were deadly pale, his t'p',li''d. hrs
eyes Wild aud staring, and bus hole frame