Spirit of the age., 1853-06-29

From Authur's Home Gazette
Judging from appearances.
BYA LADY OF BALrIMoRE,

Ousti leS Ildl y Sup pOSeu 10 uafS 000h
stealing
Oh! no; cant think that
| am afraid it is so; circumstances are
very strong against him.
What has he been stealing 2
why. it seems, about week ago. Mrs.
Rupert asked him to take letter to the
post-otfice for her, which he did very readi-
ly. The letter was for her daughter, and
contained small amount Of money. Yes
terday. she received an answer, stating that
the letter bore evident marks of having been
opened and re-sealed, and that the money
which was stated to have been there, was
gone
'AIl that might lave been, and he have
had no more to do with it than. you or l.
said Mr.. Melville.
Very true replied his wife, but it is Gers
tain that whoever did it was a new hand at
the business, or else they would not have
sent the letter, stating as it did that thcre
was money enclosed, they would have des-
troyed it--at least, should think So
Did Charles know it contained money!
Yes. Mrs. Rupert mentioned it to her
husband before him, and asked him wheth-
er it would be safe to send a couple of gold
dollars IN that way. Shesintcndaskt thsm as
presents to the Children
Did she send them?'
'Oh! yes; and then there were some notes
besides:'
It's a pity they were SO imprudent as to
speak of it before him.
so it is; but then who would have
thought that he would have been guilty Of
such thing I'm sure should not.
Nor | either, responded her husband,
with his wife that the boy was actually gull,
ty Of the imputed theft and yet, he ad-
ded, after a pause, he may be innocent for
all that
[ should be very glad if such might be
the case, replied Mrs. Melville, but Mrs.
hupert says, the morning after she receiv-
ed her daughters letter, she mentioned to
him, while he was eating lis breakfast, that
some one had opened the letter he took to
the postoffice, few nights ago. and had
taken the money out lie got quite con-
fused, and merely said, WHO told you, Mrs.
Rupert 2 and when size replied that she had
received a letter from her daughter, he said
no more, bat hastily finished his breakfast,
and left the ROOM
What a PITY CALCULATED Mr. Melville
: if he is addicted to such practices now, what
will he be by the time he becomes man 2
Sure enough and Mrs. Rupert says that
she recollects, now, that often times when she
has sent him for anything, he has brought
less change than she thought he ought to !;
but still she never said anything, thinking
that, perhaps, he might have had to pay
more than she expected. But she thinks,
now, it's very likely he keptit himself
'Well, really [ am very sorry he is tur-
ming out Sc. What does Rupert intend do
ing 2
don't know. I suppose lie has hardly
made up his mind yet 1t wouldn't be hard.
ly right to charge him with the theft, as
strong as circumstances are against him for
as you say, notwithstanding all this evidence
he may not be guilty and if not he would
of course, feelyery bad to know that he was
suspected Of such thing
So he would but is there not Just as
much harm in telingit among their friends,
and leading them to regard him with sus
picsion g
don't know but what there is but ret
| do not suppose they speak Oft everywhere
as freel ely as they do here. Our two families
have always seemed so much like one, you
know, that speaking of it here hardly seems
more than speaking oft at home. do moi
suppose they would tell it anywhere else.
i If the Ruperts did not, somebody else
: did; for it was not long before it was known
: pretty generally, that Charles Grafton, Mr
) Ruperts orphan apprentice boy. had been
: commissioned to carry a letter, containing
money, to the post.otiice and that whel
3 said letter was opened, after having reached
It's destination, no money was there. Will
very few exceptions, the purloining Of Salt
: money was unhesitatingly declared to be TIL
4 act of Charles Grafton. If we were not wri
, ting true story, we might, perhaps, by
E little stretch of the imagination, imagin
Charles dismissed from his place, and sen
r forth alone and unprotected into the worlc
4 onl y to become more skilled in such pract
5 ces as the one imputed to him. But as thi
e was not the case, we shall not so record j
Y Mr.. Rupert, it is true, felt less confidence i
h him than before its occurrence, but though
1t it best upon the whole to let the matter re.
0 until something might transpire to thro
[e some more light upon the subject. Two {
d three weeks passed away, and then Mrs. Ri
s pert received another letter from her rdaugl
es ter. The substance Of it our readers ms
gather from the following conversation b
he tween Mr.. Melville and his wife. Says Il
n! former, addressing the latter,
nd You recollect that affair, two or thr
ce weeks ago, about the letter.,
lis About the money, do you mean 2
Yeg. Everybody, | believe, and on
selves, too, suspected Charles Grafton of ha
TO ing stolenit, 1t was So plain to some pc
'ar pie that they needed no other proof on 1
e subject. But | suppose, if they were 10
. told that lie had conftssedit, they would be
a little better satisfied any how
de Has he done so 2 asked Mrs. Melyil
hd Not exactly replied her husband.
n | saw Rupert, this morning, and he te
Ike me they got letter. last night, from til
fst daughter, which explains all the mystery
'et' How vast then 2