Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-03-22

Cnllu, CONSIDER me as thy father. Iell me
all thou hast done. If thou hast taken this
silk, let me know all about it, will do for
thee as would for daughter; and doubt
not that | can help thee out Of this difficult
| ty"
After long time spent in anectionate
entrei'y, she leaned her young head on his
friendly shoulder, and sobbed out,-"Oh,
wish was dead. What will my poor moth
or say, when she knows of my disgrace %
perhaps we can manage that she never
shall know it, replied he and alluriGg her
by this hope, he gradually obtained from
her the whole story of her acquaintance
with the nobleman. He babe her be COM
iorted, and take nourishment; for he would
see that the silk was paid for, and the pros
ecution withdrawn. He went Immediately
to her employer, and told him the story
"This is her first offence" said he ; "the
girl is young, aud the only child of poor
widow. Give her chance TO retrieve this
one false step, and she NAV be restored to
society, a useful and honored woman.
will see that thou art paid for the ilk."-
The man readily agreed to withdraw the
prosecution, aud said he would have dealt
otherwise by the girl, had he known all the
circumstances. "Thou shouldst have in
CURED into the merits ofthe case, my friend"
replied Isaac. BY this kind Of thought
lessness, many young creature is driven
into the downward path, who might easily
have been saved"
The good old man then went 10 the hotel,
and inquired for Henry Stuert. The SER
want said his lordship had not yet risen.-
"Tell him my business is of importance"
said Friend Hopper. The servant soon re-
turned and conducted him to the chamber
The nobleman appeared surprised that
plain old Quaker should thus inlrude upon
his luxurious privacy; but when he heard
his errand, he blushed deeply, and frankly
admitted the truth Of the girls statement
His benevolent visiter took the opportunity
TO "bear testimony" as the Friends say,
against the sin and sel6shness of profligacy
He did it in such kind and fatherIy man
ner, that the young mans heart was touch
ed. He excused himself, by saying that he
would not have tempered with the girl, if
he had known her to be virtuous. 81 have
done many wrong things" said he, "but,
thank God, no betrayal of confiding inno-
cence rests on my conscience. / have
always esteemed it the basest act of which
man is capable" The Imprisonment of
The poor girl, and the forlorn situation in
which she had been found, distressed him
greatly. And when Isaac represented that
the silk had been stolen for his sake, that
the girl had thereby lost profitable employ
ment, and was obliged 10 return to her dis
tant home, to avoid the danger of exposure,
he took out fifty dollar note, and offered it
to pay her expenses. may" said Isaac,
thou art very rich man; see in thy
hand large roll of such notes. She is the
daughter of poor widow, and thou hast
been the means of doing her a great injury
Give me another"
Lord Henry handed him another fifty dol
lar note, and smiled, as he said, "You I'M
derstand your bushes well. But you have
acted nobly. and reverence you for it. IL
YOU ever visit England, come and see me.
will give you a cordial welcome, and treat
you like nobleman."
Farewell, friend" replied Isaac, "tho'
much to blame in this affair, thou too hast
behaved nobly. Mayest thou be blessed in
domestic life, and trife no more with the
feelings Of poor girls; not even with those
whom others have betrayed and deserted"
Luckily, the girl had sufficient presence
of mind to assume false name when ar
rested; by which means her true name was
kept out of the newspapers. 81 did this"
said she, for my poor mothers sake" With
the money given by Lord Henry, the silk
was paid for, and she was sent home to her
mother, well provided with clothing. Her
name and place of residence remain to this
day secret in the breast of her benefac-
tor.
Several years after the incidents have
related, lady called at Friend Hopper's
house, and asked to see him. When he en-
tered the room, he found a handsomely
dressed young matron, with blooming boy
of five or six years old. She rose to meet
him, and her voice choked as she sad,-
''Friend Hopper, do you know me 7" He
replied that he did not She fixed her tear
ful eyes earnestly upon him, and said, 'You
once helped me, when in great distress. -
But the good missionary of humanity had
helped too many in distress to be able to re-
collect her without more precise informa-
ton. With a tremulous voice, she babe her
son 90 into the next room, for a few min
utes then dropping on her knees, she hid
her face in his lap, and sobbed out, 81 am
the girl that stole the silk, Oh where should
l now be, if it had not been for you p
When her emotion was somewhat Gained,
she told him that she had married highly
respectable man, Senator of his native
State. Having a call to visit the city, she
had again and again passed Friend Hopp-
er's house, looking wistfully at the windows
10 catch sight of him; but when she at
tempted to enter, her courage failed.
but GO away tomorrow" said she,-
"and could not leave the city, without
once more seeing and thanking him who