Polynesian., 1852-10-30
Qbe polpnesian.
From the New York Observer.l
CURIOUS NARRATIVE.
A visit to Jenny Lind.
BIZ GRANT THORBURN.

. York, she was removing to the pleasant Heights
In Brooklyn, obtained from Mr.. Barnum 4 letter
> as follows:
!, New York, May 2lst 1851
The bearer, Mr. Thorburn, is man of the
$ highest respectabilty, funny old Scotchman, and
an author, &c. Miss Lind will be pleased to talk
, with him. He Is very celebrated MAXWELL
known to all the Literati he is wealthy and don't
i '''''S begging. 'S'snsoi! PEI. BARNUM.
!, Armed with this missive, stood by the door of
, mansion next morning at 9 A. NJ. rang, the
Servant appeared.
Says I, " This note is for Miss Lind, from Mr.
, Barnum."
> SAYS he, She aint up.'
''No NATTER" says |, ''the 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? II know she would not say So
it was only figure of Speech to denote the sill
cerity of my wish The looked in my face
without moving; [ dare say he thought | was
crazy. $50 ahead" says /, sand deliver your
message"
i In two minutes he returned sniling--'. 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.
l advanced, she met with quick step, both hands
extended; held her right hand In my left, her
left hand in my right. Approximating as
common sense would permit, and looking in her
face. "And this is Jenny Lind" said |, returning
the look and advancing foot. "And this is
Laurie Todd" said she. She placed chair in
front of the sofa, she sat 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 baptism
of Rebbecca, was the most interesting scene she
ever read in the English books. She continued
Z" Can you repeat that scene from memory? Says
|, Death only can blot it out.' "Will YOU
oblge 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 already |
been dead better than three hundred DAYS, the /!
dress therefore was in half mourning Her hat
was a small black beaver, all the fashion at that
time, the rim turned up on each side to have
the visible; the hair IN broad fold, !
resting between the shoulders, having the extreme
ends fastened with a pin on the crown. Hers was
very long and very tiaxen; she was clothed in Il
white garment fine, neat and clean, her neck en-
circled with a black bracelet and around her waist
/ was black ribbon. The train of her garment
was hanging OH her left arm. The thought, that
before another hour the eyes of the whole congre-
cation would be fastned on her alone brought n !
faint blush the 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 to the altar tall slim figure straight as
an Indian arrow, with measured step, like /.
sentry on duty before the tent of his general !
While the minister was binding the of God
upon her heart before the whole congregation, she
made the responses with the same thong ghtful
composure as if none but the eve of Cmnpotencc |
was there. While the minister slowly de-
scending the fifteen steps which led from the pull
pit, she was untying the strings which held on her
hat. There she stood, her black hat in one hand, /
white muslin 'kerchief in the other, her beauti- |
full and neatly arranged fiaxen locks all exposed,
under blaze of light. When the minister drop
ped the water on her white transparent brow, she
shut her eyes and turned her face to heaven. AS
the crytal drops rolled down her blushing cheeks
| thought her face shone like angel, and |
swore in my heart if it so willed heaven, that
nothing but death should part us.
Here Miss Lind stood up with excitemcnt.-l
Stop, Grant," she exclaimed, You ought to
have been painter, you place Rebecca before
me-" :" And why not" said ]. "Perhaps her
ransomed spirit is lowering over that splendid
bibte," pointing to the centre table, and smiling
to see two kindred spirits enjoying foretaste of
pleasures so divine" '' / doubt it not" she OBJ
served that Friends departed, are angels sent
from heaven on errands full of love-" 'And with
Paul, }" | added, "They are mnistering angels
sent to minister to the heirs of salvation"
Here entered invisible space and scared to
worlds on high. She repeated 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 motherless babes, covering
their little hands and smoothing their pillow. 1t is
beautiful illusion.
We spoke of the especial care which God takes
of little children, how many instances are recorded
in weekly journals of children being lost in the
woods, for days, sometimes for weeks the weather
nclement, the feet naked, the clothes scant, yet
found unhurt. They were fed mama from
heaven, and the angel of the covenant muzzled the
mouths of the ravenous beasts of prey.
Having read Laurie Todd, she put several ex-
planatory qustions about the yellow fever, and
other scenes recorded, &c. On these and similar
subjects we conyersed for more than an hour,
without being interrupted, but the time of my de-
parture was at hand. We rose simultaneously.
We held each others hands. We promised to re-
member one another at our morning and evening |
sacrifice, that God would prepare our hearts that
we might meet where the assembly never breaks
up, where friendship never ends.
Here the fountain of the great deep was broken
up, big tear o'erfowed its banks. ] caught
the infection. Now, never saw tear on
woman's cheek, but / longed to kiss it from Its
resting place. that is to say provided the thing was
practicable, and whether or not l reduced this
principle into practice on the present occasion,
can't conceive the sovereign people have any right
to inquire. Be this as it may, at the time her bps
were her own she had no lord Goldschmdt to
dispute an old mans privilege.
~ Look not mournfully into the past I'll