The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-12-13
A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

An abducted Daughter Discovered After an IN
tervnl of T,centy-seven Years-Am Hetfess.
The Taunton Mass "Republican" is response
BILE for the following story:
romance in real life has just come to light,
and is at present the chief gossip of this city
The facts, as related by an intimate acquaintance
of the fortunate family, are as follows:
1t appears that about twenty-seyen years age,
CAPTAIN Brown, whose family resided In Malta
poisett was the overseer of the estate OF MIR Henry
4. Clifton, a wealthy gentleman OF Richmond, Va
From some cause which still remains secret, a
difficulty arose between Captain Brown and DIR
Clifton, wherein the former considered himself the
agerieved party To revenge himself for the sup
posed wrong he stole Mr. Clifton's infant daughter
then but six weeks old, on the day she was chris
tened. The child was brought to Mattapolsett
and secretly adopted by Brown aud his wife as
their own. She was named Julia, and grew to be
a womaH. When only sixteen years old she mar
ried Mr. Isaac o. Pierce, printer who learned his
trade in Fall River. Several years ago they moved
to Taunton living for while at East Taunton, but
recently at the Green. Two children have been
born to them, one of whom is now living
During this long period Mrs Pierce has lived
IN blissful ignorance Of her high parentage and Mr.
Pierce, who took her for better worse, had never
imagined himself the husband of an heiress. He
abandoned the printers trade shortly after learn
ing it, and for several years has earned bis daily
bread by the sweat of his brow at Mr. Mason's
works in this city. This is their history until
recently. Now comes the denouen1cnt
Last summer while Rev. Nlr Talbot, of this
city, was at Saratoga, he became acquainted with
Mr. Clifton and wife, who, it appears, at the break.
ing out of the rebellion, converted their Richmond
property into cash and moved to Baltimore. In
the course of conversation with them Mr. Talbot
remarked upon the striking resemblance of Mrs.
Clifton to a lady parishioner of his 10 Taunton
Nothing particular was thought Of it at first; but
on bis repeating the remark, Mrs Clifton inquired
the age of the lady. On being informed that she
was about twentys seven, Mrs. Clifton Immediately
said to her husband "why, that would be just the
age of our daughter that was stolen"
"The matter then received their serious atten-
ton Mr. Talbot was taken into their confidence,
and inquiry instituted to the reputed parents of
the young lady. He returned to Taunton; had
conversation with Mrs. Pierce in regard to her
parentage; informed her of the Saratoga CONVEX
sation, which led her to ask Mrs. Brown, who, she
had never doubted, was her own mother, if she
really was such, at the same time telling her the
reason of the inquiry Mrs. Brown, who had kept
the secret of the parentage for twenty seven
years, was overcome by the question and the
development of facts, that she Immediately became
i'll and died of the heart disease Before her DEATH
however, she acknowledged that Mrs. Pierce was
not her own daughter. Capt. Brown died num-
bel of years ago
"Withn few weeks the affair has developed
itself rapidly. Mr. and Mrs. Clifton and Mrs.
Pierce have met each other, and the old coored
woman, who nursed the abducted infant, has re-
cognized Mrs Pierce as their real child by mole
on her shoulder The identity of their long lost
daughter having been fully established, Mrs Pierce
an 1:s. husband have been invited to live with
In. IN ohitohs ane IS in their wealth, ODD this
they are preparing to 90, havlus Token up house
keening and disposed of their furniture
'The cream of the affair is that Mrs. Pierce ;s
an only child and therefore sole heiress to an es
tate said to be worth hundreds of thousands, if not
millions Of dollars; or, as an old lady friend of
Mrs: Pierce expresses it, ga trife less than
millions" 1t having been runored that Mrs.
Pierce had applied for divorce from her husband,
she has published card Indignantly denying the
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