Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-09-07
MISC ELL A N Y.
From Miss Denisoa'S Home Pictures.
Poor Detty's Troubles.

Betty has just left my room. She declared she
must stay, even if / give her no wages. was
quite affected at her manner, and allusion to my
kindness, and could not help weeping
Only give me your cast-otf clothes, ma'am
and the vctu&lS eat, and let me stay. Please
God, will never leave you. An how could go
from the babbies2 IL would bo tearing soul from
body, suure."
| told her could not take her on such terms,
that she was able to get high wages, and she had
better go to some guod place.
''An' where could find one like this? OH
mistress, don't let me leave you, and indeed |
will work for you till de-indeed will and if
the gentleman gets rich again, ye may give me
wages. But indeed can't leave you"
Her maaner was 50 wild, and her grief so
strange, that suspected something more than
common lufked tnder her apparent meaning so
questioned her closely, aud with many tears
and lamentations she told me her simple story.
Poor Betty while she poured out her sorrows,
felt torcibly that we are all Of one kindred, the
lowly and the proud, the rich and the poor
With many a sob and a tear, the poor creature, in
her own simple aud unaffected manner. narrated
the most narrowing events Of her young life-for
Betty is not yet twenty-four-auj in that man
ner. as nearly as can record it.
II come to Ameriky four years agone, an |
was not so poor neither. There was many sailed
over in that great ship that was distracted. DECO
lete creatures enough, God help 'em but | had a
good friend and rich lady who took me to her
work when was little, and kept my wages for
me-a real Cork lady, who treated her servants
more like some folks do their own children, so
when got the notion in my head that would
come to Ameriky, she took me by myself an her,
and she talked to me like a Christian as she was,
and told me had thirty pound. am that were a
great sum fol lone girl, and so she would fix for
my passage and make me something | could
hide my money in, ana carry it tied about my
self.
Il thanked her for that and all the kind advice
she give lie, and when the time come, if hadn't
gone so far, I'd stayed with her still. Oh! why
didn't tt Sure I'd been better off now.
Though was steerage passenger, had
things fixed more comfortable than many of the
poor creatures but yet it was so clos't and un-
pleasant-like down there that always was most
of the time on the deck.
''Well, there was a nice, tall. comely y-lookin
man. in decent clothes, that had eyes as blue as
the heavens over US, (truly was they, ma'am,,
that took good deai Of notice Of me the first few
days; an we'd sit On the deck and watch the darl
water turn white as the vessel went on 50 smooti
an swift an he'd tell me such sweet stories a
bout his home. and 4 nice little black-eyed siste
he'd left behind in Ireland. who looked the very
image. he would say to me- of myselt-an' that:
why he said he liked me- Yes, he told me, a
the very first, it was for her sake he liked me-"
Poor Betty wiped few tears from her face, a:
she murmured few words, but continued, 81 ne
yer talked 81 much with any man before, special
| ly with any that had the soft tongue like his; ant
when the other passengers laughed, and caleC
him my man, Pm sure felt distressed for though
| did like to listen to the very sound of his foot
steps as they came nigh me, never thought 10
a mOment that one who knew so much, and wa
long years older than myself. would think of nj
any different frOm what he did of that sweet sis
ter in ould Ireland.
''But my good mistress had made me promis
not to say single letter ofthe money I'd about me
an hardly can think how came to tell him Off
now but somehow he had the way with him t
make me say every thing knew. and felt S
safe. like by his side never dreamed Of harm
indeed never did |.
''It may ha' been perhaps week when tn
storm came on-a terrible storm, ma am. tina
made the vessel shake like crumb in the water
testing it like as ifit went over an over a, tn
passengers was all sick, an Obliged to keep thel
beds, 50 that for a long time they wouldn't eve
hold their heads up.
sit was distressing time; for little childe
! were taken and cried day an night, and many {
the women swore 50 boldly that was afraid Go