The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-03-30

innocence, and circumstances being
against her, the community were divided
in their opinions in regard to her guilt.
1t came about that the two families, the
Randalls and the Minots, who had here
tofore been quite intimate, did not speak
to each other even, and the Minots be-
came almost rancorous in their enmity
toward the Randalls. AS usual in such
state of affairs, the friends Of the two
families respectively marshalled them
selves on opposite sides, and lamentable
condition of things followed.
1t came near making rupture in the
church, for some of the people who had
so foolishly and vehemently espoused the
cause of the Mnots, refused to have their
children taught in the Sunday school by
'thief." Poor Maria in consequence
was constrained to give up the little class
of which she was so proud, and in which
she was so much interested.
This ring, and the circumstances con-
nected with its loss, did not alone bring
about this unfortunate state of affairs. 1t
was the first cause, to be sure, but old
family jealousies cropped out, social,
party and religious differences became
more sharply defined, all Of which added
fuel to the vicious little flame.
Maria grew thin and pale, and she re-
ceived so many Sights from old friends
and acquaintances that her parents were
forced to hasten her departure to a dis
tant State where she was to visit her
grandfather.
The miserable trouble did not abate
with her going away. There were plenty
of people, as there is in every community,
to keep the fire burning. There remained
the Randall party" and the ''Minot
party" the same as ever. The pastor,
Mr.. Wiswall, the father of Jane, who had
firmly believed in Maria's innocence from
the first, was compelled to espouse, in the
least pronounced manner possible, the
Randall side, conscious as he was that
the family had been deeply wropged.
At that, a number of the Minot party
said they shouldn't go to hear man preach
who upheld "thief," if that thief did be-
long to an aristocratic family. They even
went so far as to call a parish meeting to
be warned and convened, in which they
attempted to pass vote requesting the
pastors resignation.
Fooled in this ,endeavor, they withdrew
from the society, formed little organiza-
ton of their own, and had ''layman's
meetings" in a public hall.
There were so many parish meetings,
and Maria's mother, in addition to her
household duties, attending them, her
nervous system being wrought up to a
tense pitch in the meantime, she at length
became utterly worn out, and taking cold
was laid low with a fever.
Now Maria, among her new surround
ings and away from her enemies, became
quite happy for time. OF course, the
worst in regard to the present condition
of things at her home,in the church, and in
the community generally, had not been
told her by letter, and she was begin
ming to think that peace would before
long he restored.
But it Sc happened that by this time
Cora Minot made the interesting discov-
cry that a second cousin of her own had a
third cousin living in the village where
Maria was staying. The whole story of
the ring was written to this person, who
was an idle young man, loafing about
town, and he was commissioned to watch
Maria to SET if she should wear the miss
ing emerald on any occasion.
Having nothing better to do, this young
man limited the matter about, 80 that in
very short time it became generally
known in the village that Maria Randall
had been sent from her home on account
of her thieving propensities.
There was no end to the stories told
about her; some going Sd far as to say
that she had stolen a registered letter
from the Post Office; Others, that she had
been an accOmplce ia bank robbery!
With nobody to contradict these cruel
scandals, the old gentleman-Maria's
grandfather-and his aged housekceper
seldom going out, it became tie general
opinion that Maria was in the habit of
purloining articles from the village store.
and shops. 1t was not long before she
became painfully conscious that she was
watch ed whenever she went out, and one
day she receive | an anonymous letter APP
prlsing her of the foul reports that were J
being spread against her.
Overwhelmed with grief, she kept her
room for days. She could not be induced
to leave it, until one cold, cherries day
in March telegram was handed her,
saying that her father wished her to
come Immediately home; then the
stricken girl arose, weak and emaciated,
and fastened preparations for her re-
turn. She knew that the guarded yet
tell-tale phraseology of the telegram
barely concealed the fact that her mother
was very ill, aud the long, lonesome
journey homeward was sad one indeed
The quick mother-love saw, the mo-
ment her daughter had entered the sick