Smyrna times., 1869-07-07
Sad and Romantic Story.

The history of Miss Augusta ColbOurn, the |
supposed kleptomaniac, now in Jail at Concord, |
n. H., and charged with stealing an immense
amount ofclOthing, bedding, fancy articles and
JeWelry from many prominent families In the
above city, where she was employed as a sew
Ing women, is very sad but romantic one. She
was born in Wentworth, N. H., and is now
little over thirty years of age. Her home is
one of the most respectable in the country
where she lived, and her parents and connec-
tions are esteemed for their many good quail
ties. Miss Colbourn had the misfortune to
have been born while her mother was in state
of insanity, and the infrmities of the mother
were transmitted to the child. The not unusual
result OF such circumstance was an ineradicable
antlpathy between the mother and daughter.
Subsequently the frequently recurring attacks
of insanity on the former led to the placing of
the child with her grandmother, where she was
kindly cared for and tendrrly brought up. She
developed into pleasant and sweet tempered
child, and was beloved by all who knew her.
When about seventeen years OF age she became
engaged to most estimable young man, with
whom she had been acquainted since childhood.
| He was rich only in good habits and enterprise
and ambitious to do well, he left the granite
hills of his own notive State, and in the far
| West he sought to make home for his afian-
ced bride. Fortune favored him, and in few
years he was nearly ready to return to New
| HamShire to claim her who had 80 long been
the centre OF his affections and his hopes. The
preparations for the marriage and the depart
ure of the two for the West were nearly com
pleted, when Miss Colbourn received the sad
and entirely unexpected intelligence of the sud
den sickness and death of her lover This ter
rible blow cast blight over her prospects fol
life, and gloom and melancholy settled upon
her. The infrmity which she inherited from
her mother showed itself at various times, anC
sad results were feared. Suddenly Miss Col
bOurn disappeared, and it was soon found thai
she had gone to work in one of the factories a
Nashua, where she hoped to forget her trouble
Soon her health commenced to fall and theI
she went to Concord as seamstress, where, a
is already known, she was trusted and esteemed
by many. About the time of the breaking ou
J of the war, Miss COlbourn was again engaged t
be married, the gentleman knowing all the cir
cumstances of her previous life. With he
blessings he enlisted in the second New Hamp
shire Volunteers aud never returned. His cap
tain said that he was one of the bravest of hi
command, and that he was last seen doing hi
r whole duty in the thickest OF the first Bull Ru
; fight. 1t is seldom that a young woman Q
Miss Colbourn' age is called upon to experienc
SO many trials and disappointments, and it i
7 not strange that at Concord, where she is bes
r known, she has the sympathy of all who are &C
r quainted with her or knew the facts of he
checkered life. With the exception OF the on
s charge now laid to her, her life is supposed I
2 case has been awakened among those who ar
8 now preparing to do for her all in their power
. with the hope that the cloud may yet be reno,
D ed from her mind, and that the world may ye
have happiness in store for her-Neso Hamr
8 SHIRE Journal