Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-03-30
ROMANCE I'M REAL LIFE.

widow q, poor but honest woman,
died short time since at Alexandria, Dunn
bartonshire, where she kept small shop for
the sale of bread and sweetmeats, and bv
this means contrived to earn scanty sub
sistence. The incidents connected with her
history are truly romantic, and illustrate the
we'll known statement of the poet-"Truth
is strange, stranger far than fiction" About
40 years ago. while in the prime Of youth
and beauty, she set out one fine summer
morning along with another young woman,
intending to cross the water at Cardross to
Greenock, the ferry boat being then the only
moue Or vofIve ya..s~.zz-=--.-
Two handsome young sailors CHANGED in
the boat, bound for the same place. and as
the way was fully six miles, the four were
soon engaged in pleasing prattle-the hardy
sons of Neptune being no less attracted by
the uusophisticated manners and homely
beauty of the country maidens than were
the latter by the frankness, urbanity, and
gallant mien of their jolly companions. The
boatmen perceiving this feeling manifest it.
self, and being desirous of a joke, quantity
remarked, "He considered they could do nc
better than get themselves 5uckled imme
diately." The sailors conceded with the
suggestion, and the lasses imagining the
matter mere farce (and to reality it seem
ed nothing else, unthinkingly expressed
themselves of the same opinion. The boat
man accordingly, as minister, performed th'
ceremony, declaring them before Heaven
:, (Which coqld bear witness married persons
n On reaching the quay at Greenock, th
IS young women prepared to take leave of thei
n partners, and were about to move off in thei
J. own direction but the tars stuck fast Il
e them, determined to look seriously on wha
l. had been transacted, and henceforth to reeos
W nize their female acquaintances as the wive
"a of their blossoms. Rather than expose them
d selves the fair ones consented (perhaps nc
e. unwillingly,) and proper person, havin
,. been found, they were spliced second time
. and conducted in triumph homeward to tn
to lodgings of their happy husbands. .
~ The future fortune of Mrs. Campbell
companion is not known what remains rel;
,s- tive to herself is soon told.
n A few weeks after this marriage her hu
al. band went out on voyage, with the expect
of ton Of returning at the expiration ola twelv
tie month. Year on year rolled by, and y
~. no word from Jack but she had given birt
div t. a fine boy, and him she cherished with
IT. double ard0r 1Ssor sake of the absent fathc
,f, At the end of sixteen years he came hon
IN she was still in the house, he sought o
Ter for her-came home after a life of peril Wi
co- plenty of "shiners," and heart overfowi
,er, with love.
hat Helens felicity was unbounded-Ja
90. having vowed to go to sea no more Th
Of would give their son liberal education
hat would be something above the common
they would now be comfortable-all Wou
yet be we'll.
How short sighted are human creature
,yes How uncertain are the pleasuresof this lif
How often is the cup of bliss dashed FRI
the very lip.
Having some business to transact wit
was friend in Cardross, Jack set out, on the
PR cond day succeeding his arrival, in SIN
her boat, taking his son along with him.
uh- returning in the evening, being rather tip
pas and not paying sufficient attention to
I0n' oars, the boat was upset, BY which c'rcr
the stance Mrs. C--was in one and the sa
aim moment made childless and a widow.
cav feelings on learning the disastrous intellige
she NAV be more easily imagined than descrlt
her hopes were blighted, her heart
broken. She could no longer endure
'sp9' old abode-it was too desolate for her CT,
ed spirit. She came over to Dunbar
shire, and in the sweet valley of lie
IaiDs. breathed out the residue of her weary
North British Daily Nci