The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-02-28
A FACTORY GIRL at sCRocI.
THE sroRT OF nELEN CONWAY.

~ unu Atr Mrfr eainrifl more tll1n
hundred young girls. many Of Them Or nj
own age. fnr ! had brsn placed there &.
lolhrr purposes Than listening: tie happ,
lrrrainrrs were therefore nv ronpan
inns; some of them dear friends whom
love 10 this dly.-Ihongh many year
have elapsed siirr ! parted from Them
and some Il The best and dearest 81 then
are separated from me hy palhlrss seas
l was very young Hhen plsced in lhri
midsi. and was hundreds Of miles from
The home u my childhoad; and il VA,
not strange, Then, ihsi was lonely and
sick-hrarled. for tasks were set me whirh
frightened and discouraged me. thought
lhal IN sllih assembly. "a no kindly beam.
Ing eye" fell ON The little stranger 10 cheer
and in.pire her with hope 81 happiness
IN The future. All around me were bu,i.
" intent on arrangements for themselves
i"r The opening term, or greetings were
being exchanged between old scholars.
separated during The long vacation. and
merry voices gave uileranre 10 merry
hearls-lhe very teachers seemed 10
speak 10 others more willingly Than 10
me.
Al length my tasks were appnrioned TO
me. and Was permitted 10 Withdraw.
The upper piazza 81 The seminary over.
looked lively lille stream. whirh gleam-
ed before us a moment IN the sunshine.
md tirn- went singing lis sweet song
through The shady woods which skiried
the villages. LIS beauty arrested m, gaze.
but not my thoughts; they were lno sad
10 be won by an appeal 10 the eve only,
and soon the tears came uickling down
my cheek. aud sob Told my wreiched-
ness. Al this moment a gentle step
aroused me, aud IN arm passed over my
shoulder, while soii voice said 10 me.
.Iillle friend. Why do you weep
There is an old Arabic proVerb which
says: Running waters make the heart
glad and can YOU look upon thai merry
brookleI, and give way 10 sadness!"-and
then, drawing me towards her. while she
passed her hand over my forehead, she
continued:
What grief should thy years know.
Thy brow and cheek are smooth as waters be,
When no breath troubles them"
A beautiful face. as well as sweet voice,
had this fair speaker. Oh! how | after.
wards loved that face, with IFS bright
complexion, white forehead, dim with The
shadow of rich brown tresses, with us
full ruby lips, and more than all, the large,
dark, earnest eye, from which Il drank
in SOUL" Helen Conway was then Just
sevenleen;" she was above the usual
height-some called her TOO tall--bui her
head vas so superhly moulded, her bear.
ing so queenly, every movement so grace
ful, and her dignity was tempered with so
rare a spiri, Of delicate mlrih, that few.
save the envious. found her height at all
deiracting from her perfection.
She was The only daughter Of an Eng
lish gentleman of great wealth, and she
had hut one brother, every way worthy
Of Helen. They had been moiherless
for many years, but their father had added
the tenderness Of the lost parent, 10 The
pride they were calculated to inspire in
his boson, and certainly they were sim
gularly happy family.
Thesummer term passed quickly away,
and we we're busy in our preparations for
the annual examination, when Helen was
summoned to the dea,h-bed Of her father.
We heard from her through her letters 10
one OF the teachers. Her fariher's illness
had been partly the result OF anxiety on
learning the loss Of all his landed proper
", and on his ,lecease. his whole estate
was ascerlained to be insalvenl. Helen
was therefore unable to return 10 school;
she was resolved henceforlh 10 sustain
herself, and for that purpose must go oul
among strangers!
When another term brought us ,ogeih-
er again, learned that Helen Conway.
though much against her hrolher's wishes,
had entered Lowell factory, as an opera
tive, to supply herself with The means Of
finishing her education. TO her broth
er's cxpossnlaiion she replied:
"h is no ,lisgraceiul thing which |
would do, Philip. but one most honorable.
| would not make such employment
matter of choice. nor would | perhaps
seek such companions as may surround
me. but al the wors, the employment, will
not degrade me, nor the associates conta-
nitrate, and | shall the soonest gain what
| require, and shall have the satisfaction
of knowing that have not feitered you,
my dear Philip. in the course you have
adopted, for impeded you would he by
the maintenance Of an indolent. helpless
girl"
With what establishment was this in
telligence received by Helen's former
schoolmales. Her mild dignity had gain
ed for her the respect Of all--her rare in.
tellectual requirements had commanded
il, aud her amiable disposition had won
even the most though,less; but when all
these had failed, the aIistocratic name she
bore, and the knowledge of her fathers
wealth, had been sufficient 10 gain an &C.
acknowledgement Of her superiority. Wha'