Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-03-30
CAN OVER TRUE TALE"

AN OFER TRUE TALE"
Eight years ago there was not iu the largo,
gay and fashionable circle in which she NOV.
ed, gayer, more fashionable being, than
was Jane Blossom and many readers Of this
sad chronicle of her horrible end, will bear
us witness, that at that time, when she had
just fully budded into womanhood, surround
cd by prosperity, and friends. and luxury,
she was ole of the most beautiful that mixed
IN the fashionable society of our city. On
Sunday evening last she died in the street, a
miserable, houseless, friendless, diseased out
cast, while Waterman was sustaining her
lettering steps toward the watch house, for
Nights shelter.
She was the widow of the gifted and we'll
known - Blossom, long u clerk with the
late Henry Eek ford and subsequently prin>
ciPai clerk in the memorable Life and Fire
Insurance Company. Blossom died soon az
ter Tho bursting of that bubble and as he
had lived beyond his income he left her wiih-
Out any other means of support than she de-
rived from The sale of her jewelry, dresses
and other expensive articles purchased in her
days OF prosperity. Perjury by degrees
crept upon her, and she shrunk and fell be.
meath lis whitening grasp. She had long
oeen IL The habit OF using opium and a.
distress aHd misery grew upon her, she in
du'ged tue more freely in the use of that
drug, as an antidoe to the modification and
chagria hsr proud but i'll directed spirit sus-
tanned by her fallen estate.
w bile In this situation, she was seen and
recognized in the street by lady (Mrs.
Clark) who had been her associate in better
DAYS, and who humanely persuaded her 10
60 home with her. This charitable lady
gave her clean apparel, AID then took her TO
me aims house. AT that institution s..rs
BLOSSOM
herself with sobriety and proprietv, and she
was there visited by the good Samaritan,
who had snatched her from the keanel OF de-,
PraVlty, and also by many others wi no had
known her in better DAYS.
Gradually, by yielding TO the weak ness of
mind betrayed by her indulgence in opium,
she sank from one slage of poverty and
wretchedness 10 another, and when her means
for procuring her tavorile and banetul opiate
Jailed her, she resorted TO the use OF The poi
Sonous and ioathsome intoxicating liquors
that are so easy OF access in the low hsun,s,
which, among blacks and whites, she finally
oetook herself to. Rags and filth soon be-
cams The raiment Of the beautiful form that
was snce won't TO be clad in finery, and to 1T
| tract universal admiration and tho Lowest,
sinks In the city became her only places Of
resort
She finally left that institution, and " as
mol again heard of by her friends, till she vas
second time found in the situation from
which she was previously rescued. A second
time did her friends prov ide Tor her suitably
and got her back again TO the aims house.
There she remained, however, but short
Time, leaving very suddenly and without no
lice TO any body. No one knew whittier she
had gone; and the melancholy intelligence
OF her death, given above, is most probably
the hrst That any of her kind friends have
heard OF her, since she left Bellevue.
On Sunday afternoon last, as Mr.. eros
sart, Sunday officer OF the 18th ward, was
on duty in Delaney street, his attention was
attracted by parcel OF children, making
game OF woman in ragged and filthy con-
ditIon, and evidently helpless from disease
and suffering. He went up 10 her, drove off
The children, and in reply to his inquiries she
stated that she had mol where to Law her
head that she slept, the night before. IN an
open alley, that she had not eaten mouth
iui during the day, and knew not where TO
procure particle Of food; and that, witbal,
she was deatbly sick, and felt that her end
| was nigh.
Mr.. Grossart helped her into little shop
hard by, kept by very humane and excel
lent woman, named Catharine Moore, who
~beeriully permitted The poor wretch TO re-
MAIN IN her shop TILL the watch should be sci
and extended TO her food and drink, and eve
~ attention in her power. Mrs Moore be-
came perfectly satisfied tina, the wretched OBJ
Ject OF her charitable kindness was on the
verge OF the grave, and took the liberty OF
asking her name. "Alasw replied the
trembling creature, " that Jane Blossom
| should have come 10 thisr'
Soon after night fall, Mr.. Grossart and a
Waterman called for her, TO assist her 10 the
watch house at the Upper Police office,
where she could have been provided with ev-
cry thing necessary TO render her comforta-
bic but they bad not proceeded two blocks
win her, before her limbs failed her entirely,
she dropped TO the pavement, and in an in
slant vas a liieless corpse. She was brought
down to the cead house, Park, where the
coroner Yesterday held view of her body .