Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-12-01

The Taunton (Mass.) Republican Is
responsible for the following story:


responsible for the following story;
"a romance In real life has just come
to light, and is at present the chief Cos
sip of the city. The facts, as related
by an intimate acquaintance OF the for
tunate family, are as follows: Itappears
that about twenty-seven years ago, a
Captain Brown, whose family resided In
Mattapoisett, was the Overseer of the
estate of Mr.. Henry 4. Clifton, veal
thy gentleman 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 aggrieved party.
To avenge himself for the supposed
wrong, he stole Mr.. Cliftons infant
daughter (then but six weeks old) on
the day she was christened. The child
was brought to Mattapoisett, and Sc
cretly adopted by Brown and his wife as
their own. She was named Julia, and
grew to be woman. When only six
teen years old, she married Mr.. Isaac o.
Pierce, a printer who learned his trade
in Fall River, Several years ago they
moved to Taunton, living for while in
East Taunton, but more recently at the
Green. Two children have been born to
them, one of whom is now living. Du-
ring this long period Mrs. Pierce has
lived in blissful ignorance OF her high
parentage, and Mr.. Pierce, who took her
for better or worse, had never imagined
himself the husband Of an heiress. 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 short time. Now comes the
denouenent. Last summer while Rev.
Mr. Talbot, of this city, was at Sarato-
ga, he became acquainted with Mr.. Cliff
ton 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 parish,
Toner of his in Taunton. Nothing
particular was thought of it at first
but on his repeating the remark,
Mrs. Clifton inquired the age of the
lady. On being informed that she was
about twenty seven, Mrs. Clifton imme
diately said to her husband, Why
that would be just the age of our daugh.
ter that was stolen The matter then
received their serious attention. Mr.
Talbot was taken into their confidence
and inquiry instituted as 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 converse.
ton, which led her to ask Mrs. Brown
who, she had never doubted, was hel
own mother, if she really were such, al
the same time telling her the reason O,
the inquiry. Mrs. Brown, who had
kept the secret of the child's paIentage
for twenty seven years, was so over
come by the question and the develop.
ment of facts, that she Immediately be.
came i'll and died of the heart disease
Before her death, however, she acknowl
edged that Mrs. Pierce was not her OWE
daughter. Capt. Brown died number
of years ago. Within few weeks the
affair has developed itself rapidly. Mr.
and Mrs. Clifton and Mrs. Pierce have
met each other; and the old colored
woman, who nursed the abducted in
FAINT, has recognized Mrs. Pierce as theil
real child by mole on the shoulder
The identity of their long-lost daughter
having been fully established, Mrs
Pierce and her husband have been in
vited to live with the Cliftons and share
in their wealth; and this they are pre-
pairing 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 Of an estate said to be worth
hundreds of thousands If not millions O
dollars, or as the old lady frequently
expressed it, a tryas less than two mill.
ions.' 1t having been rumored that
Mrs. Pierce had applied for divorce
from her husband, she has published 8
card Indignantly denying the SANDER