The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-02-08

not rabbed me. He cannot be 80 base,
But il he has~
How stern aad hard instantly be-
came the eountenanee Of the merchant.
"lf he has. woe be TO him! will
track his steps with quick footed JUS
,iee; the ungratelsl wretch"
II was. alas. quite as bad ss the
mrrehanthad suspected. James Craig.
a young man in his twentieth year,
whose character hitherto had stood
above suspicion. in an evil hour had
Welded TO temptation, and become the
base rubber oil his employer. Bat
hardly was the deed done beyond the
possibility Of avoiding exposure. ere
the dishonesty was bltteriy repented.
His first act. after appropriatlng two
thousand dollars. instead Of depositing
the sum in the bank, was TO leave the
city in the earliest train OF cars Tor the
South. In Baltimore he took lodgings
in an obscure tavern. where he had
himself away from observation. hoping
TO remain concealed until the tirst
search for him should be over. Here.
in great humiliation and distress OF
mind. he awaited the progress Of e.
vents. bitterly repenting hls folly and
and CRIME. u, what would I've not have
given tor restored integrity The
price Of virtue and a good name WAS
his but the sum Of two thossand dol.
lars which a little while before had
loomed up with such golden attrac-
tion, naw seemed of no value whatey.
er. compared with the rich treasure
with which he had parted. in order to
secure il.
On the second day after craig's ar.
rival in Baltlmorr, as he sat irresolute
and despondsnt in his room. the door
thereof was thrown suddenly open. and
Mr.. Ellington stood befure him. with
sternly knit bruws. aud eyes that
seemed as if they would pierce him
through and through. Instantly the
wretched young man turned pale as
death. aud he was Tor some moments
50 paralyzed that he could neither
move nor speak.
"Humph! So I've found you. have
II" said Mr.. Ellington. as he closed
the door. There Was cruel menace
in the tunes Of his yoice, that left small
room for hope in the mind Of the gull
ty one, who covered before him. "And
now. what have you TO say for your
selfi"
Nothing" replied the young man.
Where is my money !" SAID Mr..
Ellington.
Cra,g drew from his pocket thick
roll Of bank bills, and handing them
to Mr.. Elkinglon, replied:
"ihere it is; have not used dol.
lar oi il. God in heaven knows how
bitterly have repented Of this dread
ful crime !"
The merchant was rather taken BY
surprise at this unexpected restitution.
Still his purpose TO hand the offender
over to justice remained firm. lie had
pondered the matter closely.-had even
weighed the strong appeals made BY
certain collateral conslderations.--bat
his rigid motto" let justice be done
though the heavens should fall"--had
decided his course of action, and even
now q police officer awaited his sum.
mons below.
"James." said Mr.. Ellington stern.
ly. "you have crossed the Rubicon Of
crime, and your enemy. RetrIbution,
must be met. The law wisely ordains
punishment for theft. You have sto.
len my property. and. as good citi-
zen, It becomes nv duty to give you
up to the ministers Of the law; which
| shall do. A police officer is in the
house you will pass from here into
his hands. Unhappy young man how
have you married your whole iuture
life What INSANITY was upon your"
20, Mr.. Elklngton!" exclaimed
Craig, sinking upon one knee. and lift.
ing ms ashy lace to that Of the mer.
chant; "do not sacrifice me Tor one false
step, the first have taken."
al do not sacrifice you, james, said
Mr.. Elklngton. The act IS your own.
You have committed CRIME, and 1t Is
my duty. as have SAID. to hand you
over to those WIN PUNISH crime. ! feel
for you, deeply but cannot give place
10 weakness. Justice must be d0ne
though the heavens should tall. II each
one against whom CRIME IS scommltted.
should suffer the offender, when IN his
power, to escape, every social safeguard
would be removed. No, no, James,
painful as the act will be, ! must give
you up to justice
And Nj. Ellington turned to leave
the room. But. she did SO. the wretch
ed young man started forward, and selz.
ing his hand. sad implorlngly;
81 have a poor widowed mother,
sir ! if her sou is disgraced her heart
will be broken"
.You should have thought of that be-
fore, James. II Is too late now."
.Do not say this! o. sir, do notsa,
,hisl ] am no. SO bad as you think
8 a Il.