The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-11-10

she would die some Time as did her mother, as must
l. must all of US, but should that moment be while
Irelnained on EARTH! Oh, how prayed to God 10
arrest death S dart till was ia the skies Yes will
you believe il, the clown-mark me, the cl0Ign
prayed! The one, who, in fancifnl attire, leaped
and rode, Joking and making merry in the Fing-he,
the one who wept beside the grave Of his dear wife,
prayed beside the cot of his sweet cbild-he prayed
for her
sAnd then again another and moro dreadful
vision came to me- TO which the thought Of death
was nothing: should she, growing more beautiful
and more lovely every hour-should she still con-
tinue the object of my entire thought and fall to
sin oh, God the thought was sickening then
how bent me down and prayed-then how trem-
bled for the fate Of my dear child.
London s no place for young motherless, and
beautiful girl; for temptation and every allurement
TO sin and vice existed on each turn: and should
she fall Would that ere that moment, could see
her corpse before me!
Well, as I'd sit, and gaze and muse on a this,
and my tbick-coming fances pessed before me,
sometimes she would wake at first she was sur
prised to find there IN tears and sought to know
the cause and she would say, Dear father, do go
to rest for you pale, yes, very pale yes, do 60
father, for your own little Mary asks you; then I'd
kiss, and bid her good night wishing her pleasant
dreams, and leave her till thought she asleep
again, and then so softly creeping back to watch
till morning.
Each day, each moment, found me growing
weaker and weaker. And, as she grew more and
more fair and beautiful, the more and more failed
in strength and everything everything but love
for her-no abatement could there be in that while
the life-blood coursed through my veins.
Sometimes / took her to her mothers grave,
where she was always sure TO bring some simple
flower, and | would tell her of the one who lay
beneath so good so gentle and so kind, telling her
that she must try and be like her; and then she d
ask me many artless questions-if she was IN hea-
ven then, and if she loved me as tenderly as did
she, and when she spelled the only word upon the
maidstone simply 'MARY'-she said, Why, that
is my name, too
NV salary became inadequate to nv wants-I
pinched myself sadly to allow my daughter educa-
tion, and to enable her to dress prettY and that
she might not suffer for any thing. So applied for
more, and told them that could not live with what
had. But, alas they answered that my request
could not be complied with; they said they would
retain me, paying me what was receiving, or that
might go; for although ] was favorite, was
growing weak and old, and many younger one
was waiting for the chance and station then had.
demurred, but it was of no avail pleaded
poverty, but that was no help-and was turning TO
Ieave, when once again the manager spoke to me
you are poor, and wanting, as yousay, can
name way in which you can gain money.
$ Name it eagerly cried l.
"'Your daughteT-she is young, and handsome
she -
IS What mean YOU by these words shouted /,
6 Why not train her for the arena
@ Horrible idea! Train my little Mary for the
arena! No, no, could not think Of such thing.
could not find it in my heart to bring that dear
one, pure as she -untOuched-unsulied yet
by sin--into the midst Of the many low and vile
creatures hanging around such place. No, no;
the thought was agony.
90 So | toiled on harder and harder, still, than
ever. Little did those who laughed so loudly, long
and heartily, think the heart Of him who caused
them so to do was sadly beating, while he sang the
merry song or danced and capered, telling his
curious jokes, and laughing out so loudly himself
ah, no! At length, nature could support it no
longer. ] grew sick, and was scarcely able to go
through with my srformance, and the words of
the manager required TO me again-there was no
alternative, and was forced to bring her to the
house.
'And that hour when she stepped therein, l
curse-ay, curse it from my heart
And here the poor maniac, after talking so
tonallY, and for such length of time, covered his
face with his hands, and, swaying his body to and
fro, uttered loud curses and cries. Upon tbs l
feared that the rems nder Of his story was lost and
waited long for his paroxysm to cease. By degrees
his voice subsided, and he commenced again
g She murnured not-qhe said that she was glad
she could be earning something to assist me in our
poverty, and she would try her best to Learn and
please. Poor child, poor Mary.
"Weeks, weeks-and many, too-we practiced-
every day for hours and she would not say that
she was tired-no complaint, not one-and she
learned, too, rapidly.
&" How watched her then by her all day, all
night not a moment could my eyes be from her
Alter hours and hours Of training and toll, she
prepared for the d6but. The day preceding the
night was sad enough for me- We went together
TO her mothers grave, and sat an hour or two.
told her that she soon to come before the world
that she would be surrounded by sin misery and
ever to treasure the memory of
vs1I,o iixr5Ve fraesf r1ra
faint and peerless as driven snow. She was so
Young that she could not understand me fully, but
Said-sweet child that she would go to Heaven,
to meet her there, and if she would, she must be
good to do so.
''The night arrived - portentous night and
with a sadly beating heart | put on my customary
habilmenis. Mary was 70 appear in two perform
ances-the first alone, the second 10 conjunction
with the best performer Of the arena-and sweetly
did she look when all attred for her first appear
ance. Never had she looked so beautiful, with her
little spangled frock and tights, like sylph, so
pure, so innocent Again and again | kissed her,
and babe her fear not.
''The house. long before the advertised time for
the raising of the curtain, was densey packed for
the announcement of the first appearance IN public
of the daughter of - - had been long I'M
derlined and had been heTalded forth in glowing
words for several days Yes, men came TO look
upon the one whom poverty had compelled to ap-
pear whom tDdnt had driven from her peaceful
home and to laugh at the jests of her sad-hearted
father
g And thew would not look in vain for at re-
hearsal the manager, struck with her beauty and
daring courage, with her skill on horseback, made
me liberal offers for her services, which poverty, of
course, made me accept. 1t is not often that man
ayers applaud their hirelings.
g Tier above tier they rose-and when, with
shrek and merry Here | am jumped into the
ring, deafening paudits made all echo again.
q know not how ! acted, what sad-but from
time to time | heard them shout My thoughts
were upon my child and when the moment came
for her to appear, and led her by her little hand
to make her bow, feelings Of pride mingled with my
sadness, for it was Mary, my child, for whom they
shouted unto whom they rose, to whom every eye
was turned.
g But, oh what moment for me With the
liphtness of air she vaulted to the saddle A crack
from the masters whip, and round went the noble
steed like lightning-round the arena so swiftly, II
seemed 10 me as if it were not half so long Then
foI l4r