Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-30
Wasbingtan gentinel
From the New York Day Book.
gChristmas Incident.

and hilarity to some, and to some a season of
sadness and sorrow, Just as the Trinity chime
spoke the hour of ten, we found ourselves in the
vicinity Of the City Hall, eagerly catching every
note Of harmony that proceeded from the bag
pipes of an old gray-haired musician, who was
playing thereabouts. The host of heels dedi-
Gated to the eight fantastic toe,' were alive
with the youth and beauty of this pleasure
seeking metropolis-the theatres and operas
each appreciated the benefits Of an exces-
sive audience-the merry bells" of riding
parties chimed in every direction-and really
the entire world of New York seemed anxious
to enjoy the few remaining hours of that Christ
mas Eve. The old bagpipes, seemingly con.
tent with the small pittanee that he now and
then received played on for the amusement Of
those who chanced to peep that way, and
greatly to the entertainment of molly crowd
Of newsboys who, too, were eager for " holi-
day frolic !" for, indeed, we might as well ex-
pect the equestrian statue of Jackson to bal
ance the Bunker Hill monument turned upside
down upon lis nose, as even to imagine for the
concentrated shadow of sixty seconds, that this
portion of our citizens" could pass holiday
without their usual iolity, devilry and caper-
cutting. But while the old piper is amusing
his audience, let us go back a little to the COM
mencement of our story.
Sixteen years previous to the time above
mentioned, there sailed from one of the great
est cities of Europe an emigrant ship Among
its hundred of passengers was an unknown
female. And hers was q mysterious mission
to strange country. She had left good, but
humble home to seek for one whose voice
alone had power to charm her; she had turned
a deaf ear to fathers and mothers tears and
PRAYERS to follow one who had deserted her,
leaving her alone with poverty and despair
staring her in the face. Within her child
hoods home there was once Joy and compe-
tence; and she was the centre OF that JOY, and
the object on which that competence, humble
as it was, was lavished with an unsparing hand.
But the energies Of her parents were OF no
avail She heard that her cold-hearted hus-
band had emgrated to America, and she re-
solved to hasten after him.
The crowded emigrant ship sped on to it's
destination, while within its confined, foul, and
hot cabin this destitute and deserted female
passed many an unhappy day. And now had
come cloud and darkness over her life-a
curse from her fathers roof rung in her ears.
She was flying from home and friends, in hopes,
if possible, Of rejoining one who had rejected
and spurned her-her husband-one whom
she loved, aye dearly But ere she reached
the land Of her search another blight beset her
path. Within the stifed confines Of this emf
grant ship, into which neither the light nor air
Of Heaven penetrated, insulted by the brnta,
captain and his savage crew, knocked and
driven about, in suffering and privation, this
moor woman became the mother Of a living
female child.
After a long and tedious passage, the ship
arrived at one of our wharfs, and this wretched
mother and her child were landed on the 10th
of March, 1s3, in the great metropolis Of
New York. For weeks and months she pro-
longed her fruitless endeavors to gain some
trace Of her unfaithful husband But alas !
poor woman better had it been hadst thou
never loyed-never married. All her efforts
proved of no avail No word of consolation,
no harbinger of Joy, came to cheer her in her
miserable, halfcrazed moments. Life was fast
drawing to its ebb. For while she endeav.
ored to maintain herself and infant child by the
labor of her hands but despair had seized on
her life strings: she fingered for time, but at
last she died in the agonies OF sorrow, suffer
ing and deserted wife and mother.
The child, in the meantime, as conse-
ouence, was left to the training of the aims
house, and the tender mercies OF its keepers.
Time rolled on, and the infant became pale,
thin, sickly-looking child. But the large black
ewes Of her mother, full of slumbering intelll-
pence and fire, CLEANED out from wild mass
Of raven hair, which fell, wavy and silken, but
tangled and uncombed down over her neck
and shoulders, and the pale-faced girl, even in
her aims house garb, and with her wan fea-
features, seemed beautiful. Many rich and
hiph-born mother would have rejoiced to have
seen the same beauty in the face OF her own
offspring.
Years passed away, and the little girl be-
came a fnlLgrown woman, with the flush Of
health and beauty upon her cheek. Her black
and luxuriant hair no longer strayed in wild
and unconbed negligence over her neck and
shoulders, but, neatly arranged, it fell in q
graceful knot of tresses behind, and parted
over n commanding brow, beneath which the
long silken eyelashes dropped with an exquisite
nencilling over the dark depths Of her large
dreamy black eyes, which gave forth no shade
Of sorrow. Meanwhile, she had been received
into worthy family of moderate means, re-
siding in the upper part of the city, where,
until the time of her marriage, which soon
follows, she had been content to enjoy COM
Portable home.
AS we said in the beginning it was an
intensely cold Christmas Eve; festivities and
feats were in great abundance-and the apart
ments desSaed for the purpose we're filled with
lmDatent anu cApSStuhp SuSosSf ''''o ''S.S :.
nartake Of the "many good things" prepared
for the marriage-feast Of Walter yelling and
Kate Germaine. And now, while this festive
hall resounds with peels of the merry laughter
of the gay, ighthearted guests, let us look a
little after the old piper, whom we left dis
coursing melody to an audience in the vicinity
ofthe Park. The evening wore away, and the
piper, now and then changing his location, still
continued to receive occasionally q mite from
some benevolent passer-by. BY the sweetness
Of his music, we were drawn into his train foI
some time, and became somewhat anxious fol
his success.
He at least, we, presume, became eager tc
reap a larger reward, and crossing the Park, he
proceeded short distance up Broadway, where
he soon drew together an immense throng o.
listeners, and that too, Immediately opposite
the mansion Of the festive party. He in the
meantime awakened the attention Of the jovial
guests, and it was soon arranged that he toe
should partaks Of the delicacies Of the marriage
- Il r. l.