The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-12-03
A Romano &c i'm Real Life.


sponsiblc for the following story:
A romance in real life has just come to
and is at present the chief gossip Of this city
The facts as related by an intimate acquain
lance of the fortunate family are as follows:
1t appears that about twenty-seven years
ago Captain Brown, whose family resided
in Matapoisctt was the ovcrsccr of the es-
tate of Mr.. Henry +. Clifton, wealthy gen
tlcman of Richmond, Va. From some cause
which still remains a secret, difficulty arose
between Captain Brown and Mr.. Clifton,
wherein the former considered himself the
aggricvcd party. TO revenge himself for
the supposed wrong. he stole Mr.. Cliiton's
infant daughter (thcn but six weeks old
on the day she was christcncd. "hc child
was brought to Mattapoisctt, and secretly
adopted by Brown and his wife us their own.
She was named Julia and grew to be 4 wo-
man: When only sixteen years old she mar
ricd Mr.. Isaac O. Pierce, Il printer, who
learned his trade in Fall River. Several
years ago they moved to Taunton, living for
awhile in East Taunton, but more recently
at the Green. Two children have been born
to them, one of whom is now living.
During this long period, Mr.. Pierce,
who took her for better or worse. had never
immagincd himself the husband of an heir
css. He abandoned the printers trade,
shortly after learning it, and for several
years has earned his daily bread by the
sweat of his brow at Mr. Mason's works in
this city. This is their history until within
a very short time. Now comes the denouc-
mcW.
Last summer while Rev. Mr.. Talbot, of
dis city, was at Saratoga. he became ac
quainted with Mr.. Clifton and wife, who, it
appears, at the breaking out of the rebellion,
converted their Richmond property into
cash and moved to Baltimore. In the course
of conversation with them Mr.. Talbot re-
marked upon the striking resemblance of
Mrs Clifton to a lady pariShioncr of his in
Taunton. Nothing particular was thought
of it at first: but on his repeating the re-
mark, Mrs. Clifton inquired the age of the
lady. On being informed that she was about
twenty seven, Mrs. Clifton Immediately said
to her husband, "Why that would be Just
the age of our daughter that vas stolen"
The matter then received their serious at
tcntion. Mr.. Talbot was taken into their
confidence, and inquiry instituted as to the
reputed parents of the young lady. He re-
turned to Taunton had a conversation with
Mrs. Pierce in regard to her parcntagc; in
formed her of the Saratoga conversation,
which led her to ask Mrs. Brown, who she
had never doubted was her own mother. if
she really were SUCH at the same time telling
her the rea'on Of the inquiry. Mrs. Brown,
| who had kept the secret of the child's pa
rcntage for twenty years. was so over
come 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 Mta. Pierce
was not her own daughter. Captain Brown
died a number of years ago. Within a
few weeks the affair has developed itself
rapidly. Mr.. and Mrs. Clifton and Mrs.
| Pierce have met each other and the colored
woman, who nursed the abducted infant, has
recognized Mrs Pierce as their real child by
mole on her shoulder! The identity of
their longlost daughter having been fully
established, Mrs. Pierce and her husband
have been invited to live with the Ciftons
and share in their wealth and this they are
preparing to do, having broken up house
keeping and disposed of their furniture.
The cream of the affair is that Mrs. Pierce
is an only child, and therefore sole heiress
to an estate said to be worth hundreds of
thousands if not milions of dollars, or as an
old lady friend Of Mrs. Pierce expresses it,
"a trihe less than two millions" 1t having
been rumorcd that Mrs Pierce had applied
for divorce from her husband. she has pub
lished card indignantly denying the SLAM
der.
!