The Washingtonian., 1845-09-06
POPULAR SELEoTIo MS.
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
A TRUE HEROINE.

insincerity; and it must be confessed that
judged by the standard of our duller tempera-
ment, their very vehement professions Of attach
ment, do often appear uncalled for and exagge-
rated. Yet where in truth do we ever meet
with more touching instances of real, unsetsh
devotion, than are sometimes exhibited by the
poor uneducated sons and daughters Of Hiber.
MIA! J@i
A case in point occurred, not many weeks
ago, in this city. A young physician, greatly
beloved by his friends and associates, was taken
suddenly i'll; after remaining day or two at
his own Office, deprived, unavodably, of all
those soothing attentions which none but woman
can offer in the hour of sickness, the young
man grew rapidly worse, and the kind lady at
whose table he took his meals generously in
sisted upon his instant removal to her own
house, that he might be within reach of that
careful tendence which the alarming peculari-
ties of his case demanded. The disease was
scarlet fever Of the most malignant and dam
gerous type.
On the day of his arrival, among other inqui-
rers there came tidy, respectfully dressed
girl-an Irish girl-with many, very many and
most anxious questions as to the patients con-
dition; and when they had all been answered.
when everything had been told her of good or
bad, connected with his disorder--she fingered
still, still hesitated, as though there was yet d
something in her heart that could not find its
proper utterance.
"Are you acquainted with D my good
girl :" asked the lady. "Do know him, is
it!" Oh yes she knew him we'll, quite we'll
knew him long before he came from the old
country. He had once attended her through a
long and dangerous illness; and--now burst
forth the pent.up secret--he had surely saved
her life by his skill and care, and she had come
to ask the kind lady-could she, might she, on
Iy be permitted just to stay in the house until
his recovery, and in her turn watch over and
wait upon him
She had been living out, it appeared, in the
neighborhood, as nursery maid; but her EN-.
ployers, in their dread Of scarlet fever, objected
to her daily visits Of inquiry at the Doctors Of
fee, SO the affectionate creature had unhesita-
tingy given up good place and fastened away,
delighted at the thought of being useful to her
benefactor, and showing her gratitude for his
former kindness by rendering her services to
him as nurse. ..sa ---
A look of scrutiny, turned upon her as she
told her simple story, was met by one so tho
roughly pure and honest in its expression, that
after few moments pause, a willing consent
was given to the arrangement, and with noise
less tread, but with an expression of relief as
if the weight of world had been lifted from
her bosom, the warm. hearted girl bounded up
stairs and took her station at the bed side of the
patient. @#@
1t was melancholy case altogether. The
mother and three sisters Of the young man,
though written to, were as yet far away, and
his weary hours were still farther embttered
by the knowledge that if he died they would
be left utterly destitute-the property upon
which they all lived being entaiIed upon him,
the only son, and reverting, at his death, to the
next male heir of the family.
But to return to the more immediate subject
of this sketch. From the hour of her first as
suming the duties Of nurse, she never left him,
day or night, for single moment, unless to
bring for his comfort and relief such things as
the other girls of the house, in their fear Of in
fection, were too much terrified to carry up to
his room The symptoms soon became too
marked to leave any more than faint hope of
ultimate recovery, but the courageous girl
never suffered her feelings to overcome her
her manner is described as calm and self.pos-
sessed to singular degree, the features gener.
ally motionless, and the voice without trace
of agitation in its Tone
Once, indeed. and once only, toward the last,
she was seen outside of his room door, her
hands pressed convulsively against her eyes,
and her bosom heaving with emotion. But the
tears were resolutely forced back-the feelings
bravely gulped down, and in one moment more
the devoted girl had turned the handle with a
quick touch, and resumed her duties by the
bed of DEATH .,.
The poor sufferer was attended by host of
medical friends, but the fiat had gone forth; a
"stll small voice" had whispered to him, and
he knew he must die. And he did die, calling
upon his mother, and wondering how she would