The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-25
Have you any thing further to tell us

enough to make her give her the ring, and
so I'd like to ask how she got it ?-and
then, who's thief, after al?
Those points will be settled at the pro-
per time said the Judge. At my re-
quest he ordered Mary Murray to be re-
called; she appeared, quite red with anger
examined her as to where she obtained
the garnet ring, and, as | anticipated, re-
ceived "~Ss uRsatiSEact9rY R0d c3ntEadic-
tory answers.
The Judge requested her to remove il
from her finger. She refused. An officer
in attendance soon relieved her of the or
nament, which he handed up to the bench.
The Judge looked at it carefully, and then
read from the inside, Miles Allen. To
the girl | love best
There was general litter through the
Court room. Iglanced at Miles. lie was
smiling and blushing, but showed no EN-
barrasSment or shame. 1t was plain he
thought it no unmanly thing to give a
ring to the girl he loved best, and he was
not unwilling to have it known that the
pretty, modest looking Selma White was
that girl, though she was now III the pris-
oner's dock, on trial as a boarding house
thief
Now, said the Judge, turning to the
clerk, 4 think we will look ut those stolen
clothes again They were produced, and
on being examined, there was found fast
ened to some head trimming which orna-
mented the dress, n bit of brown plush,
the same in shade and fabric with tina,
the clerk had secured In the meantime
an officer had returned from Mary MUIR
rays lodgings (where he had gone at nv
suggesti0n) with brown plush cap, which
she had lately finished and, on compari-
son, it was found that its material was
the very same with the shreds before in
Court.
The testimony was now all in, ard
rose to make tue defense. went over
the evidence aud showed there was no.
thing against the prisoner but the one fact
OF possession, always strong one, ad.
mitted, but in this case outwcished by
the too apparent malice and guilt of c
girl Murray, who had not only hated and
plotted to ruin her, but had stolen from
her herself IL proof of all this | alluded
to her jealousy, her threats, and her too
great readiness in throwing suspicion on
Selma. dwrlt on the circumstance that
BIT of plush, which appeared to be a
cutting from Mary Murray's work, was
found upon the stolen dress, although il
had been packed away for long time
previous to being found in the prisoner,
possession. 1t had not been shown tha,
Selma White ever had any plush, or hal
ever been in Mary Murray's room to ob
tain it.
Then how asked, 'di this detec,iv,
shred lind an opportunity to taStcn its /
upon dress in IA sudden transit from it,
owners trunk to the >trangrr's travelling
bag PEI Ihaps,' suggested, MARY Mar
ray might tell us. She had a similar shred
attached to her shawl, and it is not posi-
bic, nay, probable, that she could tell how
and where its fellow became attached tt
the trimming Of the stolen dress? Might
II not have been caught in Temporary
lodgment in her room, or by contact with
her oNn clothes. How else =
In view of all the circumstances proved
it was easier to believe that Mary Murray
had stolen the clothes aud then put then
in Selina Whites carpet bag in order tc
ruin her and get her out Of her way, thar
that Selma had stolen them.
then touched upon the garnet ring
showing that it had undoubtedly belonged
to the prisoner, and had been taken from
her carpet bag when the stolen goods had
been deposited there, and ended with q
few words Of appeal TO the conscience and
sympathy Of the Judge, intended to pro.
duce its effect on the spectators rather
than the person addressed. The Judge
whispered Il moment with one of the off
GERS near him, then rose and pronounced
Selma White innocent of the charge pre-
ferred against her There was a louc
burst Of applause. took Selma littl,
cold hand in mine, and told her she hat
better leave with ME at once. We hae
just reached the door when Miles Aller
joined US, shaking hands and laughing
and talking so fast that one could hardly
understand him. learned this, however
that he and Selma loved each other too
well to be far separated; that Selma hac
come to get work near Miles, at his sug
geStion; that owing to series of blunder.
not so easily explained as frequently me
with, she had failed to find him on bel
arrival, but that certain Of meeting hin
soon, she had spent her time in looking
for employment, till she was arrested anC
lodged in Jail. Miles declared himself {,
have been surprised beyond expression, 81
much, even, as to have been suspicious o
his mental state, when on going to thu
Court room to make complaint of som,
wrong done 10 himself, he saw the very
girl he loved the best in the vile dock OF
trial
But the lovers were happy now; and 81
was !, notwithstanding my old overcoat
| don't know whether or not Miles Allel
noticed that was thinly clad, and that
| spite of strong effort of will, ! showed
| great sensitivenesS to the cold on reachin!
the outer air, but this know, the warm
| hearted fellow, gave into my hand Il don
say paid. for of course | never charged
him or Selma any thing, the price of on
of the very best overcnatS | ever wore
within " eek of the time when first me
him in the police court room.
There may be some who arc desirous t
know whatever more can tell them abou
the garnet ring.
will. therefore, add, that soon afte
the trial | have described, the mornin,
papers reported Mary Murray to hav
been convicted of stealing ring and fne'
twenty dollars, failing to pay which sh
had been sent to Jail.
And this further. No longer ago thai
last summer, met Miles Allen on a pleas
ant Sunday afternoon, leading a fine littl
boy, who looked the very image of Selin
! White as when first saw her.
Leaning on Miles right arm was Sehn
herself, and what was curious, on her lei
hand. which clung to the strong, muscu