Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-05-01
>9EMEe
A TOUCHING STORY.

! A TOUCHING STORY.
We find the following very affecting
and romantic sketch published under
! the head Of Police Reports, in the Bal
timore Republican:
| A few days since, poor, yet de-
Gently clad female, presented herself at
one of our police officers, and reques-
ted the magistrate to send her to the
almshouse. Her manner and language
denoted that she had seen better days;
and while she begged the officer to
grant her last request, the tears in rap
id course trickled down her furrowed
cheeks, and her sobs choked her ut
terance as she tried to tell her mournful
story. The officer, as in duty bound,
asked her name, when she replied in
a manner that broght tears from the eyes
of those sturdy minions of the law,
whose hearts are necessarily steeled
to pity and the finer feelings of the
man.
ask me not my name, she cried;
'let me bear in silence and unknown,
the fate an inscrutable Providence has
melted out to one; but let not my aged
parents, fond brothers, and loving SIS
tiers, hear that THAT | have died the
inmate of an almshouse, and the recip-
lent public charity. A
| Il will grant your DESIRE" the mag
istrate replied, 'but if knew more of
your history and circumstances, /
might probably do something better for
you esl
Il will tell what l dare tell, if you
will believe that | speak the truth, and
use your influence TO obtain me some
situation, in which l can but earn an
honest living WIS her imprisoned
answer.
The magistrate promised to do an
he could for her, and alleviate her sit
uation as much as possible.
May Heaven bless you SIR she
said, and told the following mournful
and thrilling concentration Of suffering
perversity, comningled with the actual
feelings of the woman.
Two years ago, sir, was happy
and knew not what it was to want; my
parents were rich, and owned one Of
the first plantations in southern state;
| was bat young-not twenty, but |
had my suitors, the sons of wealthy
men, yet | loved them not-no one Of
the gaudy thong had yet made an i'm
preston on my heart. There was in
the neighborhood a poor but manly
youth, the teacher ofour district school;
he visited our house, and was treated
with all the respect and attention that
the other visitors received; and Ii,
sir, fell in love with that man, and it
was reciprocated. My father soon dis
/ covered our secret, and forbade him
ever to cross his Threshold again.
Need | say, sir, we met clandestlnely
and were married; we fled and took up
our residence in this city. My hus-
band-my William-taughfin an acade-
my for a livelihood, and for eighteen
months we We're happy, but then my
husband was taken sick, and he died!
Yes, oh God he died! and was left
alone among strangers. wrote to my
parents, asking their forgiveness, but
my letter was returned unopened
My little means are exhausted, and |
must starve, or go to that refuge pow
erty, the almshouse, but it will not last
long, the sands Of my life are nearly
run out, and look for a refugefrom this
worlds miseries in my grave.
She ended, and every eye present
was wet with sympathy for her unhap-
ply situation. One gentleman who was
present with that noble, generous and
manly feeling, so characteristic of ma
lures noblemen,' came forward and Of
feredi her house and asylum beneath
his roof, which we need not add, was
cheerfully and thankfully accepted, and
she left the office with the prospect
of better, if not happier days before
her. tsc2
a Thus it is in this world, misfortune
dare place her ruthless hands upon VIC
Tins of every grade; and the sons and
daughters Of luxury sometimes drink
of the bitter dregs of the cap Of penu
gy and misery 9a
/ Three Hundred ss.Aprl Fools. IA /,
Boston penny paper, published on thei
morning Of April /, contained a para
graph noticing rumor that Bull
Fight was to come of, at the sArche-