The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-22 00:00:00

A ROMANTIC STORY.

On Saturday morning last a gentleman, who hap-
pened to be passing the Mansion-housebefore the
opening of the justice-room, was accosted in sorrow-
ful accents, by a neatly-dressed and rather pretty
young woman, who asked him whether he could tell
her how to get access to the Lord Mayor. Struck
by her appearance, and anxious to aid the afflicted,
the gentleman questioned her as to the purpose for
which she wished to see the chief civic magistrate,
and learning-that she was a stranger in London,
that she had been robbed and was penniless, and
that her object in seeking an interview with the
Lord Mayor was to apply for some assistance while
she was struggling for the means of living honestly
and honourably in the great world of London, he
took her up to the justice-room, through the private
entrance, and recommended her to the officers of
the court until she had an opportunity of stating
her case to the Lord Mayor himself. Upon this
recommendation she was kindly received, and had
a seat assigned to her, where she remained while
the charges were being disposed of.
About 18 years old, rather tall, somewhat slim in
form, with fair and intelltint features, a neat little
bonnet (but not too little), a modest little veil, a
holland jacket, and a well-fitting dress, she made a
considerable impression upon those who happened
to be present and heard the outlines of her history,
and when, as ever and anon was her way, she lifted
her eyes from the floor and glanced upwards with
a sigh, then stooped and affected hastily to wipe
away a tear that' would force itself from beneath
her eyelids, pity and sympathy were excited on her
behalf to a very appreciable extent; for she seemed
to be a martyr to the tricks of Fortune, who was
persecuting a sensitive mind by exposing it to the
tortures of a degrading but inevitable appeal to
charity, in a public court. Some deference was
shown to the apparent lacerated state of her feel-
ings by disposing of all other business, and giving
a hint that " strangers might withdraw," before
she was told that his lordship was at liberty and
would listen to her application.
'Twice the officer gently urged her to ascend the
witness-box, and twice she shook her head with A
movement as if her very soul revolted from the
sacrifice. But the officer essayed his persuasive
voice a third time, and then, gathering up her
garments with dignity about her, she made' her
way to the spot, and spoke, but in tones so discon-
solate and inarticulate, that the Lord Mayor sought
to encourage her by telling her to come nearer and
speak without fear.
Upon that invitation, so kindly given, she got
down from the witness-box, and walked to the desk
which stood convenient for her purpose, about a
yard distant from his lordship ; and whether it was
that the courage which before seemed to have
entirely forsaken her returned of itself, or whether
it was conjured back by the benignant countenance
and paternal accents of the chief magistrate,cer-
tain it is that all at once she became a marvellously
self-possessed young woman, especially considering
the diffidence which, only a minute before, she had
displayed in responding to the invitations made to
her to come forward to state her case.
Upon the desk before her she laid smalllvvoall
respectsand
neatly-gloved hands (for she seemed in
to be au fait to the proprieties) ; upon the desk,
too, she fixed two lustrous, but downcast eyes (she
had previously thrown up her yFil) , and so estab-
lished in a most favourable Position, she made her
appeal, and thus ran her take :
Her name was Anna Bell, and she was a native
of Carlisle, in which ancient city her parents for
many years occupied a respectable position in
society. But, alas, for the uncertainty of all
things sublunary, her father and mother died, and
she was left to push her fortunes as best she could
in a cold-hearted and cruel world. She had never
been to service, but she had served a year's appren-
ticeship to a milliner, without, however, being able
to maintain,herself, as she desired to do. She had
no relations save one—an aunt, who lived at or near
Carlisle (she was not very explicit as to which), to
whom she h some little time ago paid a visit, and
might, perhaps, have continued there in comfort,
only her aunt introduced her to a gentleman whom
she (her aunt) thought would make her a good hus-
band and protector, but vihom she herself loathed,