Eastern times., 1855-11-08

Scenes in Real Life.

We do not often indulge in the sentimental.
But, occasionally in our walks, our attention
is called 10 events happening before us, which
leave an impression upon our minds, and lead
us to thoughts and reflections, which it is well
we, as all other men, should indulge in at
times.
We had been on the north side, TO see an
acquaintance at his hotel, and returning by
Clark street, found, as is generally the case
when man is in hurry, the bridge open.
A few minutes previous, one of those little
busy inventions, steam tug, passed up the
river with a small fleet of vessels in tow, one
OF which had been cast off, and had hauled in
just west of the bridge. Seeing no hope of
getting to our Office for some time, and know
ing that our compositors could not be in any
worse temper an hour later than they were
then, we resolved to bear it meekly, and find
mental occupation by observing what was 60
ing on about u.s. We little expected what did
I. occur.
The vessel we have mentioned had been
moored, or made fast outside several canal
boats, and as we stood looking at the men up
on her, one of them approached female, who
had been crouched upon the deck, and address,
ing her, pointed to the shore, then to the bridge
and then down towards the thronged and busy
streets of living, moving, headlong Chicago.
She rose, picked up small bundle, from
Il Il e..
dered to the hardy sailor. He refused it.
whatever it was, and lending her hand,
helped her from the vessel to the dock, apd
from the dock up to the bridge. By this time
a large crowd of persons thronged the north
end of where the bridge would be if it was al
ways bridge, and in contemplating the new
faces, and the representatives of the various
classes there assembled, we had almost for
gotten the incident we have related Our at
tention was called from vain endeayor to
discover some hope of cessation of tugs go
ing up and down, and briggs and schooners
pulling in and out, by hearing an audible sob
from some one near US. It was not the sob of
childhood, caused by some sudden change from
gaIety TO grief; it was the sob of some ma
turer breast, filled with sense Of loneliness
and despair. 1t reached other ears than ours
A lady, dressed in manner that bespoke a
wealth that could crafty taste and elegance,
who like ourselves. was detained in that place,
stood near, accompanied by three children,
whose desire 10 get at the extreme edge of the
platform, she with difficulty repressed.
With woman's tenderness, her heart rec
ognized the stifed ebullition of sorrow, and ap-
preaching the person from whom it came, who
was none other than the woman we had just
seen land from the vessel, she quietly, and in
that soft, sweet voice of woman, which none
can resist, inquired if she stood in need. or was
4 i'll, or was her sorrow such that it could be
relieved7 A portion of the railing near US
was vacant, and towards that, and almost at
our side, these two women came to converse
The stranger was fair, handsome girl, of
about seventeen years, neatly, but coarsely
dressed, with shoes, not only well worn but
heavy, and unsuited as much for her sex as for
the season. The poor girl in honest simplici-
ty, and with an earnestness which despair
alone could impart, related her history, unin-
terrupted by single observation from her