The daily gazette., 1877-11-26
Who Was The Thief
BY w. B. o.

Tn the county of Staffordshire, only
about one hundred and fifty miles from
London, is the manufacturing town OF
T,eek. The manufactures of Leek are
partly of sewing silks, shawls and NIB
hons but women and children are en-
Moved mostly upon the Florentine but
tons. In this department in the year
1899. were employed the entire family
of Peter Ashcroft, who had been crippled
by the falling of some machinery, ana
who now depended solely onthe exertions
of his wife and children for his support
NilIcent Ashcroft, girl of sixteen.
was the eldest of this family. The rest
were mere children at the time of the ac-
cident, but were capable of being en-
ployed upon the buttons, excepting, the
Youngest, little Grace, who seemed too
spiritual ever to take any part In tne al
fairs of earth. The mother-a delicate,
nrettv woman-went cheerfully TO her
task every day, leaving her crippled hus-
band with only little Grace for company
Sitting this way, one evening with the
head of little Grace lying upon MS shoul-
der, to which she had managed to chmo,
and where she was quietly sleeping, ne
was startled by the quick and hurried en-
trance of his wife, followed by Milicent
and the two younger boys, Harry and
Mark. The father, who was always I'M
patient to welcome them all, looked
around for Richard, the eldest son.. ~
did not come into the house, ana MI
Ashcroft heard the suppressed whispers
of the door, that sounded like his Doy S
name anxiously repeated by the mother'
She came in at length with pale race,
and an evident struggle at composure.
"Sit down here, wife, was his greet
ing. "Something has gone wrong,Wshlcn
Ii, Il
me. Let me hear what IL Is. droupie
crows smaller when it is divided"
He must know all, and that "alp" was
soon told. Richard had been accused OF
theft, and was under arrest and tins
night-the first ever spent from uhdeI
thar own roof-would be spent In a
nrisou. Several large and valuable pack
aces of buttons had been missing from
room to which the foreman OF the eStap
lishment had kept the key, ana 10 whicl @
he had often sent Richard Ashcrolt, pu,
no one else. Suspicion, therefore, mac
fastened upon the boy, and he was taken
away amid the cries of his little brothers
and the silent anguish of his mother ano
Milicent. , o,d
Two or three weeks passed away ano
Richard. against whom circumstantla
avidence had fully prevailed was senCen-
osd To nrison for stealing. The family al
home were In the deepest distress, renev
cd only by one thought-that of Richards
innocence. Mrs. Ashcroft and the chill
dren had refused to go to the factory &c
work. and they were living now upon
former earnings. They rarely went ou'
and were only waiting for the boys tern
Of nunishmentl to expire, when It wa
their intention ito remove to a dlstan
country, fa away from Staffordshlre
| tbav cared not whittier.
Milicent,s health failed under her grle
| and the close confinement of the house
and her mother persuaded her to 60 ou
| one morning and visit very poor famii'
| to whom she had always been kind. sh'
went reluctantly, for she could not bea
to he seen out. This morning she TOOK
hy-path, and on arriving at the neighboi
| bodd she intended to visit, she saw
number of little children at play. Evel
their innocent mirth seemed moekery Z
her for was not Richard locked up In
dreary prison, while they were not NOR
| guiltles than he? --.a.s. =,
In passing the group, however, ne
eve was caught by necklace that W.
worn around the neck of a pretty HUI
girl. If her eyes did not deceive her,
was composed of the peculiar Elorentii
| bHttons, such as had wrought all the
misery. She stopped and examined
and The cage and gratitied ehlidre