Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-07-16

creatures have geinTned the sea with islands OF.
coral viii venture to despse 8 small beginnings
If we look closely into tic, we shall find, that.
in it as in nature, scarcely any event is of itself
unimportant, OF incapable of being turncdto use
full account. Tho.poet tells us that
There is tide in the affairs Of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads to fortune.
And this is true but there are also unnotced
currents and shifting winds playing over the great
ocean-of time, and these, if skilfuy and boldly
seized, may prove as important to our progress
the mighty flood-tide itself Our readers have,
doubtless, long since remarked, out of what slen-
der threads the web Of great fortunes have been
woven by skiIlful and energetic hands, using
means aud sezing opportunities which the feeble
or indolent either overlook or despise. few re-
n1arkable Instances of thus compelling fortune, "
weare now about to offer them-the successful
result ofsone of which came under our own per-
sona observation, while the heroine Of another Is
at this present time living in France. Giving her
Ahistoryfhc precedence due to her sex, shall be-
ginswith it, and thus show our readers the inn
portance Of handful of wool! Eugene was the
daughter of a merchant living at Marseilles, and
in her early youth married Catalan officer, in the
service of Don Carlos. She followed his fortunes
through all the disastrous chances of civil war
suffering, during this period, prlvations and dam
gers, which were douotless needful to nerve her
frame and mind for the trying lot which awaited
he fell, and lay unbured on the mountain height; ;
but the heroic love of his wife would not suffer
his remains to be left for the carrioa-crow, or
the wolf to batten DER him." In the silence and
b darkness of night, she dug a grave for him with
her own hands, task fraught with as much
peril as that which threatened the Antigone Of
Grecian fable, or even greater; for no Creon ever
equaed in barbarity the ferocious sodicry of both
sides in that hateful war. Neither her sex nor
her foreign birth would have saved her, had
Christine found her engaged in her holy task.
Dramatic fiction surely never imagined a more
terrible situation than this, with all its aduncts Of
wild mountain scenery, the gloom of darkening
night, and threatening dangers-not to speak of
the heart-suffering of the actor in 1.-THE woman
whose delicate hands labored to form grave for
her beloved The task was, however, achieved in
safety, and then the young widow fed, with her
two infant children, into the deepest soitudes of
the hills taking refuge finally, in old ruined
convent, situated a steep ACTIVITY, and visited
only by shepherds, who brought their locks from
the valleys below to the mountain pastures One
can scarcely fancy wretched or hopeless
position She was utterly penniless; and the on
ly comfort nature afforded her, the abundant
wood to be found near the spot. Of this, the
dauntess mother laid in good supply ere winter
She also offered to assist the shepherds in tend
ing their sheep, and to stable them during the
night in her ruined dwelling; while, in return for
these pastoral services, she received from them
scanty crust and milk for her infants. The peas
ants, touched by her patience and industry, bore
the tidings Of the strange lady's doings to their
own homes in the valley; and moved by curiosi
ty, the women, when they next came up with food
for their husbands, visited the recluse. She
~ tered frankly into conversation with her guests
at is a long and weary journey for you the
days you are obliged to ascend the mountain and
great hinderance to your work."
!" Yes, sonora"
sand it must be dull in your lonely homes,
when your husbands away!"
Again an affirmative reply.
WELL if you Ike, will clear out the great
refectory of the convent and you may bring your
wheels and spin here together"
The offer was thankfully accepted, and the
whole female population Of the village soon as
sembed daily in the large airy hail. bringing their
children with them. They came at the peep of
dawn and returned late at night to the dull novels
below The contrast must have been delight
full one, from thSs4nonotony and gloom of the val
ley beneath. Here they had light, fresh air,
warmth-wood being abundant the fellow
ship of others. At the end of each week the
grateful peasants presented to their benefactress-
for such in truth, she was-a handful of spun
wool each and out of this small Offering SHE wove
her fortune Descending occasionally to the near
est town, she sold those little wooI-gatherngs and
in few months had accumulated enough to pur-
chase the shepherds raw WOOL and to beg for an
hours labor, instead of the handful of material
from her guests. Before tho summer was over
she collected by management and industry
enough of money to pay them for their work !;
and, at the next strengthening, she became the
purchaser of more than half the wool.
Her energy and talent inspired her poor neigh
bors with similar zeal and activity. Theyspun
merrily and briskly under her eye, sure of pur-
chasef for the produce of their labor without hav-
ing to lgend their steps down the mountains 1t
is surprising what the impetus of master mind
can achieve Labor gained new life from the
example Of the spirited Frenchwoman; every
thing prospered with the mountain Arachnes /:
and during the second spring following her first
appearance among them, Madame L was able
to leave her children to their care, and Journey.
under the escort of some of her shepherd friends
to the frontier, where she contracted with one of
the greatest wool-buyers of France for the pro-
duee of the next winters spinning.
In three years the old convent was converted in
to spinning factory; became renowned through
out the north of Spain for the 1neness of its pro
duce; and proved source of domestic comfort
and prosperity to the poor peasants who had once,
out of their humble means, exercised charity to-
ward its desoate inmate
Madame LIS web of good fortune waxed
every year. She is now wealthy capitalist. She
has four factories in Spain, and seven in France,
besides cotton and flax mills in Belgium She has
by her energy, prudence, and kindness, compelled
fortune; and out Of handful of wool, has ex-