Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-05-21
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.
An Evcntful and Remarkable Personal
History.
The following marvellous and interesting nar-

The venerable AbDcss Of the Ursulnc Con
vent Of Nevers whose life was. pefl.a.-, one OF
the most cventiul on record. died last week al
the advanced a~n ui nincty-cight. For liiiy
years she has been an inmate Of the Convent
winning the love and respect Of all who ap-
pro cached her.
IN the summer of 1852. there broke out at
Paris disease very similar to what is now cal
led cholera, and which was quite as fatal in its
consequences. Although not contagious, the
immense number OF persons attacked By it led
the people to think IT was 50, and terror tool;
mold Of the minds OF all. Mothers abandoned
their children, wives their husbands, sisters
their brothers, and almost as many perished by
tight as 10y the disea.2 Itself. In two months,
/ tmrty-one thousand persons ware buried in the
different burial-grouuds around the city. The
hospitals were crowdeG-so crowded thqt the
lp.vsicilns and nurses passed with difficulty
among the beds, and the dem nd for admission
was so great that every day long file of sick
might be seen at the door, some supported by
relations. but the most part lying on the ground
awaiting until their turn should come to be ad-
mittted, but often before night the ha'f of them
were carried to the cemetery instead Of the in
} iimtv. As may well io SUPPRESSED, lie tas.; q.
the phys!clans was no hight one, and finally,
! they were obliged to organize their labor, and
/ fee" themselve to repose Il certain time every
day, and take the service in turns. in order TO
be able TO bear up under the oXtrlorln nary ei-
forts they were cllicl upon to make.
One day. as young laysnen, lie Who ,wen-
~ wears later was known q. the celebrated Dr.
Souhe, was leaving the hospital TO 20 and take
his turn oI repose, servant man, breathees
ana plle, met him at the gate, and asked if he
o., II
Affirmative and the man beggul him, 70. Gods
sake, to 70 to i house IN the ueighborhood and
see II sick person. Although against the rule
they had established the Doctor consented.
and was conducted to the house by the servant
who showed him into the large, handsomeI,
furnished room. in this room the Doctor re-
marked first tall. handsome woman, with her
hair all III disorder. and her face pale us
| corpse standing near and screening Il child,
! who lay upon sol,i. Around her was colcc-
ted group OF twelve young girls, who looked
to the Doctor to be Of nearly the same age. and
trade him suppose 1t was Il boarding school!
particularly a. t'esc Young glis all wore da..
uraan six dresses, and had thelr blond hair
br4Idld and tied E!tl uluc ribbons ! !.e Dos
tor cou'd see 10 difference between anv O.
them; they all had LIN SKINS, small blue ewes,
igAt hair, long nose, and lur1e mouths but
before he could ask an, questions about them
the woman udyancad hurriedIy, and SEEING
him b. the arm. lei him II the sofa, and in
hoarse voice SAID Look at that child The
Doctor looked before him lay u beautiful it, |
tie oirl Of about ten years OF ape, but utterly |
different from the oti(ers. Her hair was black |
as midnight, and hung in ringiets over her
shoulders; her eyes were closed, and her livld |
complexion and contracted features showed
thu; the dreadful disease had seized upon ner.
Open tnat vi udow,' said the Doctor, and |
bring some vinegar Immediately to rub the
chiId's body
What cried the woman, 'she has not got
the pIagueF
why, certainly; did you not know it p an
swered the Doctor.
'No, no; take her away. She shant stay
here to kill us all. Come, my daughters, come
away quick Oh the wretchcd child she
will be the death of you = and she pushed the
twelve girls out OF the room, and went after
them.
But the Doctor sprang after her.
Are you the mother OF that child p he ask
'Yes; but take her away-she shant stay
here
She must be put to bed and taken care of,
said the Doctor.
'She snal! not have bed in this house-take :
her away
'But where am to take her; besides, she
viii die if removed
i don't care take her 10 the hospital any
where, only take her away from this house, !
Though horriied by the feeling expressed
9y this unnatural mother, the Doctor tried ;
uoment TO persuade her to do something for
,bj bItG fin IL
hat il he lett the little girl n the house, she /
would die from neglect, he took her in his ~
arms, wrapped her IN a blanket, and carried =
Ter 10 the hospital, where he was fortunate en- r
,ugh to find u vacant bed for the little sufferer. i
The Doctor then made some enquiries concern -
ng her parents and learned that Monsieur Do +
nergue was manufacturer Of large means -
and his vile really the mother Of thirteen chill n
iren, all daughters, and duly registered at the Il
Mayors oihce as l.avlng been born in seven |;
years. Six times Madame Domergue brought 4
A pair into the world all wonderfully resem- h
bling each other light hair, blue eyes, fair skin h
and sharp features. The mother adOred them. 81
and ber pride and joy was at its climax when she T
ound her family again about TO be increased. Il
But alas this time she was disappointed, for :,
1 little girl arrived, but without any COMPANION. -
This alone would have been enough to have -
urned her mothers heart from her, but besides Il
his she was entirely different from the twelve ~
'thers. The mother could see no beauty in T.,
Ter clear brunette complexion, her black curl .,
ng hair, dark eyes and exquisite features, and f.
rom the moment Of her birth, little Esther was :,
N isolated being, unoved and uncared for n
While her sisters we're dressed in silk, she h.
yore cotton, and while they were fed upon :
anty food, she eat with the servants in tho -,
ltchen. As she grew she gave her mother h,
reoh cause for dislike, for whereas her sisters III
we're endowed with inteiiects ofthe most me Of
iocre order, and learned the simplest things ii,
With the greatest difficulty, Es'hers talents and n.
uckneas Of perception made her the wonder
ven o! her sisters. Seeing this, and that her
we've pels were likely to be thrown in the ot
hade, Madame Domergue stopped Esther's les h,
ons entirely, and the most the poor child could =,
btaln was permission to remain in the room =
While her sisters were with their teachers. BY IN
his means she was enabled to learn great IN
cal, and as she afterwards often said, these
we're her Eappiest hours. The father of this II
irge family, though kind hearted man, was Nh
yceedingy weak. and the slave of his wife
'esides, lie was much from home, and when in de
ne house never dared to interfere in the regu- in
=. l.. L.