St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-09-16
NUMBER A..

| ucdu uuSUdHu anu IatUeT tcIIS IeaT-
full story Unlucky speculations have
swept away, with one fell swoop, his
once princely fortune and from the
bosom of splendor to the feet Of alb.
ject poverty his helpless family have
fallen A change to those who could
look around and count not one mis-
sing from the circle Of household dar-
lings-a bitter change but to that
poor widow and stricken orphan, with
the damp, cold blight of death hang
ing over all, it was indeed terrible I
Plain sewing, and occasionally tedious
EN- mbroidery-those last resources Of
reduced gentlewomen-are resortcd
to. Aching brain-weary fingers and
breaking heart A fashionable lady,
one rich in this worlds goods, engages
this friendless girl to ornament robe
which is to fall around her peerless
form on her birth-night. 1t must be
magnificent, it must be wrought with
exceeding great skill would clum-
silly embroidered fabric he fitting
drapery for the fairest of city bellies ?
A meagrc pittance-a trihc to the
rich, life, hope, everything, to this
poor, suffering child of poverty, is
offered in recompense. Weary days,
with cold, and want, and hunger ever
present and the work is finished.
Cheered by hope, it is taken home.
The young belle cannot pay the la
borer-it is not convenient. The poor,
wan scamstress entreats, with the
worm of hunger gnawing at her vi
tails, and the white face Of a starving
mother before her eyes-she pleads
she talks to stone She goes from
the presence of the rich out with all
her load Of care and grief! She ap-
plies to a being bearing the rcsem-
blance of q man, for one loaf of bread,
promising to pay in few days. 1t is
refused {! The last hope is fed She
thinks of the ring upon her finger
but she banishes the temptation. 1t
is the last gift of her departed father
1T contains that which keeps his
blessed memory green in her heart,
and she cannot part with it even 10
conciliate death She goes to her
cold, bare home, and her wretched
mother, empty-handed They kneel
to implore the assistance of that God
who they deem has forsaken them
their dcvotions are disturbed by the
so-called officers of Justice. And why?
simply, from the possession of tho
young belle, the owner of the cmbroi-
dcred robe, a ring has been stolen-a
valuable and costly ring of peculiar
and costly workmanship, and very
highly priced by this young lady as .
gift from an absent uncle. A servant
a mlnlon OF this same lady, affirms to
having seen the scamstrcss take some
article from table where this valu.
able ring had been placed The heart
less provisioner to whom the seam.
stress applied for bread, testifies to
having seen the ring upon the finger
OF his customer! The policc-officcrs
also noticed the same thing. They
place her under arrest for a presump-
tive crime, and the cold stones of a
prison, no colder than the bare walls
of her miscalled home, and the blank,
black night enclose her Upon this
apparently circumstantial evidence
you would condemn her Doom her
to fate worse than the grave Make
her the despised, the outcast of her
sex, and afiix to her name the ever.
lasting stigma of disgrace!
Having made these remarks, he he.
gan to crosscxamine the servant girl,
not replaced on the stand, by consent
of the Attorney General.
Did the ring which was stolen
from Miss Howard contain upon the
inside anything more than the initials
REP"
=" 1t did NOT said the girl.
Did you have access to the room
OF your mistress at your own option?'
! :" Yes" was the reply, hcsitatingly
: given.
\ visible murmur in favor of the
prisoner ran around the room.
Judge Harrington paused, and tho
hush which reigned in the court be-
came oppressive. Maintaining silence
until the full effect Of what no had
said should be felt, he resumed,
And now, gentlemen, one thing
more this ring, taken from the hand
OF the prisoner, it becomes my duty
to examine" The ring was handed
him by the prosecuting attorney. He
took it--pressed his finger along upon
the inside, and spring flew open, re-
vealing in the action small, but life
, likeness of a gentleman of middle
age. He held it up to view. Several
gentlemen who pressed forward. iden-
tihed 1t without q moments hesitation
as the portrait Of Roger Everett, the
father of the prisoner
The excitement became so intense,
that the Sheriff and police were under
the necessity of adopting stringent
measures to preserve the dignity and
decorum Of the Court.
Closing the spring, Judge Harring-
ton placed the ring in ,his pocket, and
turning his face, terribly beautiful in
its righteous indignation, toward the
principal witness for the plaintiffs
the servant girl, he thundered, AS
you hope to escape from the fires Of
eternal punishment, reveal where you
have hidden your mistress ring -
The voice, the look, the manner was
so terrible, that the afl'righted girl fell
upon her knees, and shricked out,
"Save me from him lam guil.
ty! In my--trunk you will find
the ring keep him away from me
, oh, keep him away from me 7"
; No more was needed. Judge Har.
. rinston looked at Lefty. Holding her
, mothers head upon her breast, her
r calm, truthful eyes, now full Of joy.
ful tears, were raised 70 heaven.
The form Of acquittal was gone
through with, and Lefty was released.
Judge Harrington called a carriage,
and supporting the halffainting Mrs.
Everett, with Lefty holding her hand
upon the other side, he passed out Of
the room, followed by the warm plau.
dts of the admirinr crowd