Democratic banner., 1846-02-07
TIL f LOST ON E.
A PORTRAIT FROM THE CROWD.

To be a lovely and a fearful thing;
For all Of theirs upon that die is thrown.
And Ii if It's lost, life hath no more to bring
To them but mocKeries of the past alone.
And their rcveuge is as the tigers spring,
Deadly, and quick, and crushing; yttas red
Torture is thcirs-what they infict they feel"
Chestnut street, in Philadelphia, and Broad
way. Ill New York. are the leading fashionable
promcnades OF the two cities. During fine
weather. how much OF youth, aud purity, and
taste. and elegance may be found moving along
the exciting envy on the one hand and
admiration on the other. The daughters of our
mlllIonarics. the mothers ard wives Of our most
distinguished citizens, may be singled out by one
well acquainted with Philadelphia and lis resi-
dents. while a stranger will be compelled to
pause occasionally and TO gaze even more ear
nestly than propricty would dictate. as somedark
eye flashes upon him. or rs some graceful and
majestic form kindlcs his admiration. We have.
indeed, much to boast of in the beauty of our te-
males. Lovclier beings never clittcred in the
ballroom. or adorned the domestic circle. The
difficulty OF the two susceptible is not 10 find an
object worthy of enthusiasm, but TO avoid becom-
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are SO many charmcrs. those who are troubled
with love at first sight, are apt to be distracted
by varied and conflicting attractions. Still. fl
deity, constancy; arc among the highest of viz
tues. and we cordially respond to the sentiment
81 a distinguished Amcrican- One country, one
wife. one home"
We were looking out of orr window idly a DAY
or two ago, il co pa. y with afriend, ard indulg-
ing in a rapid con, ers,ti n, somewhat in the spir-
it Of the fore, o,ng, when the attention Of our
companion was particularly arrcsted BY the figure
of a tall, graceful, and truly beautiful female,
who, in passing from one side Of the street TO the
other, was compelled 10 pause for moment, to
escape the danger of an approaching omnibus
During that pause, our friend had an opportunity
of contemplating not only her figure. but her face,
eyes. aud general dcmcanor. One or two rap
turous ordinations broke from his lips, and he
Immediately turned and asked if we knew the
name of the lady. We did not, but a second
friend happened Ia step in at that moment, and
shaking his head. he intimated that it would be as
well 10 make no farther inquiries. But the en-
believe that the lovely being who had just passed
was a fallen ange!-a victim. of the arts OF man
an outclst from society-a miserable, friendless,
ruined OUt. .NDi Nti HtT SlU1N ISL. Ao taI
rare. Her case is that Of thousands. Only 4
few years since, and she was the only daughter
of a widowed mother. who resided in a small
village within a few miles o: New York city,
She was beautiful, an orphan, aud unprotected.
Her mother. unable to provide for her with any
degree Of comfort, Sent Ltr 10 the Commercial
Emporium, with the object Of obtaining 4 knowl-
edge of some trade or calling as a means of liveli-
III ALI Co. ~, g,,1 no .,l
friendlcss girl III such a city. especially il bright
cncd by every charm OF innoccncc, and ,outh, and
beauty. soon becomes an object Of pursuit by the
poll shed and the 'proiligatc, the oilers about
town" who live, perhaps, upon the means ofsome
wealthy relative, and who glory in a crime which
entails upon It's victim not only loss of character,
respects and friendship, bnt converts her in too
many cases, from m angel 10 fcnd. The Sc
Queer, saws an eloquent writer. makes his adj
vances uudcr the traitorous mask Of honorable
love: and where woman once gives her heart,
her unlimited confidence goes with ii. She
would as soon distrust her Maker, as believe that
the Idol She cas- crthroucd 1T her affections would
deceive. betrav and abandon her. On the one
side. then. all is devotion and sincere attachment;
on the other. the most cold-bloo,led, dastardly SCI
fshness and treachery. The injured creature d.
wakcns TO her situation, and finds herself ruined,
heart broken forsaken. And She shrinks into the
conpanionship of the loathsomc and the vile
Such, at least, was the case with Mary l.. She
was innocent. ~artlcss, and uninitiatcd In the ways
of city life, the %follies, ~irailtics, and fashions Of
society. 4 voung man soon made himself ac-
qrainicd with her. and with elegant address,
plausible arguments, and earnest professions of
attachment, he won her affections, became master
of her heart. Fool that she was, she believed
all that he said, all that he promised. The story
is brief. She was deceived; betrayed and aban-
dorcd. When the scales first fell from her eyes
she was first rouscdto the horrors OF her
situation--whcn the recollection of her pure and
eiriish life came bccK To her, and when she
thought of the agony her position would inliict
upon her widowed mother, she became deiirlou',
utterly mad for the time, and prayed ''at a HE
darkened by shame, might be S2ce'ly Ter
But She WAS scOthcd and calioed by
some of her evil companions. The world OF
guilt was presented to her as aboundlng, with
temptations and pleasures. She felt that tle
ger Of scorn would be pointed at her, should she
return to her native village, and wild with eX-
c%itemeut, apprehension, and despair, she left
New York for Philadcldhir, eager thus to escape
the observations ofthose who anew her III her pusI
rer and better days. Five years have gone by.
She's still bcautifnl--every beautiful. But the
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