Letter X. THE PEARL NECKLACE, OR THE HISTORY OF MISS HANWAY. MY DEAR ELIZA, THE events which occurred in our late excurfion down to N appear to have made a very deep impreffion on your mind. Neither the novelty of the scene nor the variety of your amufements feemed to weaken its force; and fince your return home you have recurred to them again and again. There is nothing in this to surprise me; nor will you be at any loss to account for the interest these circumftances have with you, when you have read this letter. We will, in order to investigate the subject more fully, enter into a detail of the events which have thus forcibly laid hold of your mind. You You are no stranger to your grandfather's attention and tenderness to his horfes: he determined to leave them at C, during our short stage to Vernon Park, which lay twelve or fourteen miles out of our direct road, and to meet them the next morning. On entering C we found the town in an unusual buftle: it was the affize week, and the judge was that inftant going into the court. At the inn we met with an unexpected impediment to our defign. The horses which we wanted were in their pasture at fome diftance; delay was inconvenient to us, we having appointed to be at Mrs. Ackerman's by dinner, and knowing that the had invited friends exprefsly to meet us. We reluctantly refolved therefore to proceed with our own horses; when Joseph entered the room to inform us that one of the leaders had fomehow galled his fhoulder; at the fame time infinuating that the road was not the bett in the world.' I obviated at once a difficulty which I well knew would render render your grandfather uneafy for the whole of the day I propofed dreffing at the inn, whilst the innkeeper fent a perfon for his horses. This arrangement was adopted: but, on asking for a bed-chamber, I was told that they were all occupied except the landlady's own room, which was at my service. I accepted it with thanks, and she immedi ately led the way to it. On entering the apartment, we were furprifed by the fight of a girl of about your own age, who was tied to the bed-poft, and was weeping bitterly; the mother, as it appeared, having in her zeal for our accommodation forgotten the culprit she had confined there. She looked confused, and faid, "You fee, ladies, a very naughty girl; but I will remove her instantly," untying as she spoke the ribbands that faftened her." What fault has fhe committed?" asked you in a tone of pity.-"Oh! my dear young lady," replied the good woman, "I am ashamed to tell you; but every one will hear of her difgrace! She has gotten a fad and wicked VOL. II. M trick trick of purloining every thing that takes her fancy; and yesterday she brought from fchool a filver thimble, although she has one of her own, and knew fhe had it in her pocket: she was seen by her mistress to take the one in question from the work-bag of one of the scholars. This is not her first offence by many; and if fhe be not corrected fhe will bring her parents to shame and forrow, and herself to utter ruin. Yes," added fhe, turning to the weeping girl, whilft her voice rofe to anger; "yes! you will come to the fame wretched condition as the ladies who are to be tried to-day for theft; and like them you may come to the gallows!" The distress of the poor child, and our limited time for our toilet, prevented any inquiries relative to the fingular trial to which the landlady alluded: I therefore dif miffed them, recommending lenity to the one, and better behaviour to the other. At our friend's, we met a numerous party affembled. After dinner the converfation turned turned on the extraordinary trial which we had heard mentioned at the inn: it feemed to interest every one prefent; and it was no wonder, for feveral of Mrs, Ackerman's guefts knew the young ladies, and had frequently met them in fociety. They were fifters, and daughters of a very refpectable officer in the army: happily their parents were deceased. Their fortunes were not abundant, but sufficient to support them in independence their education and connections gave them a place in fociety at once honourable and fecure: and to thefe advantages they brought youth and beauty and pleasant manners: few had rejected these recommendations; and few young people in the town or its vicinity enjoyed more notice and favour They were notwithstanding actually under profecution at the fuit of a very refpectable fhopkeeper at C—, on the charge of having clandeftinely taken from his shop various articles, fuch as lace, muflin, ribband, &c. &c. They had been imprisoned fome weeks, and |