Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-07-31
A Curious Narrative.
A VISIT TO JENNY LIND.
BY GRANT rHoRBuRN.
From the New York Observer ]

good, the great and noble ofthe land, thatas nan
mortal like myself, could not so much as see the
hem of her garment. Hearing that, to escape
from the heat noise and fashionable crowd OF NJ
York she was removing to the pleasant helghtslh
Brooklyn, obtained from Mr. Barnum letter.
as follows ,oso
The bearer Mr. Thorburn. is man OF the high-
est Responsibility, a funny old Scotchman, and an
author, &C. Miss Lind will be pleased to tax
with him. He is very celebrated MAXWELL
known to all the Literati he is wealthy and don't
come begging. (Signed) P. I. BARNuM'"
Armed with this missve, stood by the door OF
her mansion next morning at A. NJ rang
and the servant appeared.
Saws I, "This note is for Miss Lind, from Mr.
Barnum.
SAYS he, 'She amt up"
ssNo matter" saws /; ethe suns up, she can
read that note in bed. Tell her if she is willing
to see me, will wait in the parlor till Christmas,
if she says so? Il knew she would not say So
it was only figure of speech, to denote the SIN
cerity of my wish.l The man looked IN my face
without moving; l dare say he thought was
crazy. go ahead, " 'says |, "and deliver your
message"
In two minutes he returned smiling-"Miss
Lind says she won't make you wait till Christmas;
please sit in the parlor, she will be with you IN
ten minutes
I had never seen Miss Lind The door opened,
I advanced she met me with a quick step, both
hands extended held her right hand in my LETT,
her left hand in my right. Approximating as near
as common sense would permit, and looking in
her face, ''and this is Jenny Lind, said return
ing the look and advancing foot. "And this is
Laurie Todd" said she. She placed chair IN
front of the sofa; she sat on the sofa, sat on
the chair thus we looked on one another, face
to face, and thus the language of her speaking
eyes confirmed the words which dropped from her
lips.
She remarked she read my history, laurie
Todd) about three years ago in Europe, that she
thought the description there given OF the bap-
tism of Rebecca, the most interesting scene
she ever read in the English books. She contin-
ued, "Can you repeat that scene from memory I"
Says l, death only can blot it out" "Willyou
oblige me- she continued. Says l, "You have
seen the painting of the Goddess of Liberty that
is the costume which adorned the person of the
ladies at that period. Her father had been al
ready dead better than three hundred days, the
dress therefore was in half mourning. Her hat
was small black beaver, all the fashion at that
time, the rim turned up on each side, so as to
have the ears visible the hair was in broad fold
resting between the shoulders, having the extreme
ends fastened with pin on the crown. Hers was
very long, and very haxen; she was clothed IN
white garment, fine, neat and clean, her neck en-
circled with a black bracelet, and around her
waist black ribbon. The train of her gar
ment was hanging on her left arm. The thought
that before another hour the eyes OF the whole
congregation would be fastened on heralone, bro't
faint blush to her cheek. When she walked up
the middle aisle and sat down, third pew from the
pulpit, | thought | never beheld anything half so
lovely.
Lecture being ended, the preacher proclaimed,
'Let the person present herself for baptism She
walked 10 the altar, tall slim figure, straight
Indian arrow, with measured step, like sentry
duty before the tent Of his general While the
minister binding the voH Of God upon her heart
before the whole congregation, she made the re-
sponses with the same thoughtful compnsure, as if
none but the eve OF Omnputence there. While
the minister was slowly descending the fifteen steps
which Id from the pulpit, she was un'Sing The
st ings which held on her bat. There she stood,
her blat hal ia one hand, white mu lin kerehIrf
en- locks all exposed under blaze Of light. When
the minister dropped the water on her white trans
parent brow she shut her eyes and turned her face
to heaven. As The crystal drops rolled down her
hlushiag cheeks, thought her face shnne like an
ang'l, and swnre in my heart if it SO wed
Heaven, that nothing hut death should part us
Here Miss Lind stood up with excitement; Stop,
Grant she exclaimed; you ought To have been
painter; you place Rebecca before me- And why
not said |; perhaps her ransomed spirit is how
erng over that splendid Billie, (ponting 10 tire celi-
ire tahie,) 'and smiling to two kindred spits
enjoying ioretaste of pleasures So divine.' Il
doubt II not, she observed; 'fpr, with Young your
English poet, believe that Friends departed are
angels sent from heaven, errands full OF love -
'A"U WIN Idhs dlueu, lney are mintSteTtng
angels, sent to minister 10 the heirs of savation.'
Here we entered invisible space, and scared 10
worlds on high. She epeated With fine pathos, the
beautiful legend current among the peasantry on her
native mountains. 1t concerned mother, who at
the dead watches in every night, visited the beds of
her SICK mntherless babes, covering their little hands
and smoothing their pillow. IL is beautiful u-
sion.
We spoke ofthe especial care which God takes
OF ttle children; how MANY instances are recorded
IN our weekly jpurnals Of children being lost in the
woods, for days, sometimes for weeks, the weather
Indictment, the feet naked, the clothes scant vet
iouAd unhnrt They fed on mamma from
fi"aven, and the angel Of the covenant muzzled the
mouths OF the ravenous beasts Of prey.
Having read Laurie Todd, she put several ex.
panatory questions about the yellow fever and 9th
er scenes recorded, &c. On these and similar sub
Jecfs, we conversed Tor than an hour, without
being Interrupted; butihe lime Of my departure was
at baud We rose simultaneously We held each
others hands. We promised to remember one an.
other al our morning. aud evening ifce, that God
would 50 prepare our hearts that we might meet
where the assembly never breaks up where friend
ship never ends.
Here the fountain of the g,eat deep was broken
up, big tear o'erfnwed AT its banks. / caught the
infection Now, never saw tear On a woman's
cheek, but longed To kiss il from it's resting place.
thai is Ia say, provided the thing was practicable;
and whether moi reduced this principle INTO
practice ON the present occasion, | can't conceive
thai the sovereign people have any right to inquire
Be this as it NAV, at that tine her lips were her
own; she had lord Goldschmdt TO dispute an
old mans privilege.
The Neo York Tribune is complimentary to its
city, as thus -