Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-12

ROMANCE AND CREDULIrI The folio vinp
strange story appears in the Semaphore Of Mar
seiies. Whelher eonndered as a hoax, or as a
PROOF OF the extent to which the burning i'm, gina
ZION OF tue south has carried the writer i, not
worthy of being reproduced. No susnicion of ,bs
sfTs being an mpos;or seems to have occurred TO
tue writer or the authorities: awe have touehin,
history 10 relate 10 our re1ders. There Is at PEE
sent N this city, young girl sixteen years of ase
and OF remarkable beauty, scarcely able TO spea
dozen words Of French. who has been afflicted with
extraordinary mlsortunes at more IN in 1000 leagues
from her native sountry. man, to whom she wa.
ln'tused oy Charitable lady at Valence TO conduct
to Mafseilies. presented her within these few DAYS
10 the commssary Of police. All he could relate Of
the young glri's history was, that the lady found
hef weeping bitterly IN the midst Of a field and
uhaois' ether by gestures or language, 10 make
herself understood. AZ Mrrseilles possess consuls
oil all the powers in Europe, speaking, of cour E.
the language OF the nations they represent she has
oeen spoken 10 IN IS different tongues, without any
one OF them being her own As the words Russo
ana slchoaS were frequenty uttered by her IL w ss
| thought she might speak Russian, but when taken
to the Russian consul he could not comprehend a
word she uttered.
She Is at present placed under the care ofthe Sis
/ ters Of Charity Of the Hotel Dieu until something
shaI De discovered with certainty fher sad history
lier AR IS melancholy, and her ewes ara freou.nlv
hleu WIN tears. She wrote in our presence her
name and country in close charctcrs which no per-
500 could deeiPher, and which would have puzz ed
$50 'sS'HhS"Co ol q ChampOilon. IBIs young girl
was born IN the Ukraine, the kingdom Of the Hei-
man 'nazePpa. She must have been born there
Tor her gestures intimate 1t clearly She also gave
US TO uudefsahd that she was accustomed 10 riding:
.aat we priests Of her country wore long Boards and
'hat theie - much msrshy ground in which persons
sunk up to their knees Our readers will desire
proo'oiy TO know how this fair maid Of the Tx
rine has come to MAseies Her father is an
bng Ishnan named Joseph Portman; he married q
woman named Vitrhtochliff, a native ofthe Ukfane
] un1 lfOm IN hnrn he gir -,
present here whose name IS Juiah.
| Inc words 'CCnsiontins" and "Phil poeyilen
which she pronounced, would seem 70 indicate tho,
her father, merchant or mecbancian which by
inc way are not exactly tho same thing, resided va
years 10 one Of these two towns, and that he had
gone from that part OF America 10 seek his family
on The banks Of the Don. This father Of hers mus,
nave mother Of great age residing in some town
10 England. lie Travelled in a carriage drawn by
two horses with his wife, his daughter and a mali
servant, and he entered France through Switz Rand
IL IS by the aid ofthe words-Papa .7nglats; gran
dsmamaH en- .7ngIstsrT,j papa q DOnJidnine al Phi
HPpspiHGp papa en- UkTSinej SioiSs'; Frane,j vaituT
piandn; dsur ehsrauT; uHs euisinisSs-ihat we ~,
! constructed the account just eives. IL appear
further, that within two days journey Of Valenee
quarrel arose between her father and some oihe
persons az the inn, that the day rainy, and ha
/. the maid OF the Ukraine being lied with fear
$ Ned across the feds. She afterwards tiled 10 hn
7 her parents, but lost her way. She walked on mex
7 day, and was robbed Of H. r watch by some wome
VINO were working at the vintage. For two day
sho wandend about, md at last met the charita6l
? lady who sent her 10 Marseilles.
/, This maid Of the Ukraine wears under he
clothes pair OF long trousers, after tbs fashion
her eounITyi and, ss Is natural, amongst the ten
twelve words Of French which she retains, fgur
those OF mort and mourn, which she pronounees oil
c ten 10 intimse that she will not long survive he
Q irighiiul misiOrlunes. She wears round her neck
{ medal, on one side Of which is a cross, end on III
= other an image Of the VRgrn. When in,enogatc
c about the Car Nicholas, she gave us 10 under
: stand that she had seen him, that he was Of loft
/. stature, and had severe air She, however pre-
fesses great veneration for him. The motives
our collecting together the slightts, details Of III
c melancholy story will be appreciated. We hay
acted thus In the hope OF restoring this unfortuns
girl TO her parents, whose cruel anguish it is cas-
TO imagine.