Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-22
THE EVILS OF MISPLACED SUSPICION

Many poor girl holding the position of {
seamstress or sales woman is discharged from
her place because of suspicion resting upon her
from the fact that her humble station in life and
paucity OF means for OBJ aiming a livelihood
would seem to indicate her as, perhaps, the par.
" upon whom suspicion might reasonably be
liked. The same is true very often with clerks
porters, statesmen, wcrkmCn, eIrand-boys, aud
| tloe vi Ike occupations.
case has just come under our notice which
| we think, will So FIR heur Us 0At in the uboy.
takea premises. A gentleman, who shall be
nameless has q large lady's shoe-stOre in Eighth
street He commenced that business some years
ago III very humble way, but through enter
prise, economy, nnd honesty, soon increased his
trade, and far exceeded his most sauguiue an
iicpations of success. AS consequence, he
concluded to remove his wife from the position
OF shop-keeper TO that properly occupied by
wives and mothers, and he employed young
lady to atteld upon his customers, who was II
person of good character, and one well recon-
mended for honesty, but had been reared indul-
genily--her parents giving her up to mental
Improvement in her youth and neglecting to
teach her how to earn q living.
Months rolled 90, and the shopkeeper became
very successful in business, but upon a beautl-
tu summer afternoon, in taking au inventory of
stock, box of fine CATERS was missing, and
there was no evidence whatever of sale. The
goods had been stolen, aud that recently and
no one of a suspicious character had visited the
store, as only an expert could have removed so
large package from behind the counter without
being seen. Sine days passed, but no clue
was obtained of the thief. The suspicious of
the employer soon settled irrevocably upon the
girl "who stood in the store, and at last the
shopkeeper was so thoughtless as to observe that
the shoes must have been removed by some one
connected with the establishment, and intimaied
that whoever had committed the theft would be
welcome 10 twice the value of the shoes if they
would only come forward, clear up the mystery,
aud relieve his mind
AT the end Of another week the girl was dis
charged. Of course, she asked the cause,
hegged first for reinstatement, and then for q
recommendation but only to have her mortifi-
cation increased by being evasively refused
everything. It was a sad day for the shop-girl.
| Her father was dead and her mother depended
mainly upon the wages Of the dutiful daughter
for maintenance, but all was gone now. She had
not the assurance to look for another situation
often, and when she did sally forth to look for
work one of the FIRST questions that she had pro-
pounded to her was why did you leave your
last place ?" aud Have you any recommends
tiOn from your previous employer?' Alas she
had none.
Anxiety of mind superinduced febrile excite
ment, and the girl was taken i'll with no one to
SaLC Aui Dul u mOlnef HunOut any means.
1t was dark day for her, and the storm cloud
was gathering around her, but on the edge of the
horizon the mist was silvered, and she knew that
the sun was there, and would some day return
to revive the dropping flower
Not long ago a shopltting thief was arrested
by the detectives-one who had originated new
system of plundering stores, which from the
fact of its novelty proved eminently successful
for months Goods were recovered, when this
vi cd IN ha nj nf ,la anf
dollars, and accounts were found in his posses
sion showing that his stock on hand was but o
drop in tho bucket impaired with his aggregate
depredatons. Among the articles seized were
number of lots Of shoes. One of these lots
answered the description Of that one which The
above mentioned shcpkeeper had missed. He
proceeded to the detectives office, identified his
goods, and then the facts of his false suspicious
of poor and innocent girl came back with all
their power upon his memory and conscence.-
lnd ed, he ~ept like a child. He wep for joy
that his suspicious were unlounded he wept In
sorrow that he had seriously injured an innocent
fellow-being, and acknowledged before all pre-
sent that for thousand times the value of the
box of shues he would never be 80 hasty in the
future.
The shopkeeper hastened home, but only stop
ped moment to inform his wife of his discove-
ry. lie was now determined to hunt up his
shop girl, and in quiet manner, repair her
losses as lar as possible. He was just in time
to save the young ladys life, and prevent her
poor mother from going to the poorhOuse or the
insane asylum.
This is but an humble narration of faets, and
similar cases occur every day, and the heart of
the police reporter becomes eteeled ever and
anon by the revelations of detectives and the
actual pictures of real life that are presented
before the police justices day after day.
But there are many other cases of misplaced
suspicion occurring every day equally baqeiul in
their effects Porters, errand boys, clerks, sales,
men, workmen, and others are suspected of dis
honesty, simply from the fact Of their holding
humble positions and possessing small means
Suspicion seldom points her blighting finger to-
wards the partner, the brother, or the cousin,
who is often forced to steal to keep up appear
ances. We might cite number of cases which
would bear US out in this assertion, unpleasant
as it may sound to some but our article is sufii-
centy long for the present. In future lucru-
bration we may give some more startling narra-
tions, besides names and situations.
phid Press.