The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-05-03
ROMANCE or REAL LIFE.


been on the north side of that city to see a
friend was recently prevented from reaching
his home, in consequence of steam tug hav-
ing passed up the river with a small feet Of
vessels in tow, one of which had been cast
off and hauled in just west of the bridge,
leaving the "draw" still open. While wait
ing, he witnessed the following scene:
The vessel We have mentioned was moor
ed or made fast outside OF several canal
boats; and, as We stood looking at the men
upon her. one Of them approaching female,
who had been crouched upon deck, and ad-
dressing her, pointed to the shore, then to
the bridge, and then down to the thronge,::
and busy streets of living, moving, headlonr
! Chicago. She arose. picked up small bun
die, from which she drew forth coin which
she rendered to the hardy sailor. liz refus-
ed it, whatever it was, and, lending her a
hand, helped her from the vessel to the dock.
a1d from the dock up to the bridge. Bv this
time large crowd of persons thronged the
north end of where the bridge would be If it
were a'waysa bridge and. in contemplating
! the new faces. and the representatives of the
various classes there assembled. we had al
most forgotten the incident we have related.
Our attention was called from tine vain en-
deavor to discover some cessation of tugs 90
IN" up and down, and brigS and schoonprs
pulling in and out, bv hearing a most audi
! be sob from some one near us. 1t was not
tie sob of childhood, caused NV some sudden
change from gayety to grirt; it was tn. SOY,
OF some maturcr breast, filled with a sense of
loneliness and despair. 1t reached other ears
tnan ours.
a lady, dressed in a manner which bespoke
aweaIth that could arati;v taste ard elegance
and who, like ourselves, was detained at tha,
place. stood near. accompanied hv three cl,il-
drcn wlo>r desire To get at the extreme edge
otthe platform she with difficulty reprcssed
With wolnsns tenderness her heart rc.or
nlzed the stuffed cbu.lItion of sorrow. and an
preaching the person from whom it came
who was none other than the woman We ha
Just see land from the vessel, she quierlv. and
IN that soft, sweet voice OF woman. which
none can resist, InGuir. t she stood in npr,:
or was she Ill. or was h. sorrow such thai
she could no, be relieved \ portion of tn,
utbt US "d> Ndthil', anu tOWdTu IUat
and almost at our !r, these two wone.
came to converse. The stranger was lar
hand-omc girl. of about seventeen wears
reatlv. bit coarsviv dressed, with shoes not
oniv well worn. but heavy. and un>ui,rd =.
muct for her sex a, Tor the season. Tn.
poor girl. in honest simplicity, and with ar
earne>,ne>s which despair alone can im;,art
related her history. uninterrupted by sin
gle Observation from her companion. but OF
zen accompanied hv the tears ct both. W,
have not space for 1t at length, but we will
give it. chan yin- its orl~r inst enough to en-
able us to state il briefly
She Sail that She was horn in Boston: shs
remembered that >h" had sister, the oldest
whose namr was Lizzie that sister, wears A.
90, against her fathers vii had married. and
with her husband. having been punished from
her faith RS sight. had gone off and not been
heard Of >inrc-no '!Nnn. was dead. At the
time OF her sister marriage her parents were
wealthy; the pride which drove awav LIZ
zr had brought silent regrets. and AFTER a
while came melancholy comrlanlncs bv the
mother sighinc tor the embrace of her first
born These soon led to anger and crimina-
tion at home and dissipation bv the father
! abroad. Losses came upon them, and al last
gathering the few remaining goods thrv pos.
>e>>cd. they LEFT the proud city of their birth
and settled five years ago upon land purcla>-
ed of the government in Wisconsin Hey
brothers, some older and some Younger than
herself. one hv one dropped and died: and
soon the mother. calling in agonv upon her
long cxIled daughter. Joined her bows in a
happier CLINE. None w-r" now left but the
father and his poor Girl. lie. too. was hum
bled and stricken bv the SLOW but certain
disease which Lights up the cheek. and fire.
the eve with the brilliancy cf health. ever
when its victim is on the confines of eterni
~.
lie would sit and tell to his surviving chl!t
the acts Of winning love and sacritcin. dcvo
ton which had made his LINE the very Oh
l"ct of his life. lie would talk of her swee
smiles and happy disposition. until memor,
! would lead him to the hour when he bid he,
: depart. and not let him see her face again
His decline was rapid. and this Ion" child saw
the flowers which the warmth of Spring ha,
called from the soil of her mothers grave dis
turhrd. uprootcd and throne aside. that hi
!; ashes might minge with those of tue mothe
\ of his children.
: At his death, he charged her to paw of. a
= far as she might be able. the debts incurre
], to procure the neccssaries of life The land
e which, from want of culture. had not increa.
It ed in value. was sold, and left her but fe,
n dollars. These she expended in rearing som
: boards to mark the spot where she had see
u buried, one after another, her beloved kir
It dred. She had heard Of Chicago She ha
e heard that in this city there we're oflice
where strangers wishing employment coul
Y find work. She had on foot travelled man
n miles, until she reached Milwaukee, an
J. thence, by the kindness of poor sailor, VIII
= had seen her day after day on the docl
Is watching the steamers depart, had inquire
n and ascertained that she wished to come hitf
$ er, but had not the money. lie brought he
J. to Chicago on his own vessel, and had toI
S, her that by crossing the bridge she could fin
one of those places where situations wer
given to worthy applicants.
Such was her story. She had mentione
no name except that Of father, and the er
dearing expectations of brother George, Wi
lie, &c. Both of the women were erwin
bitterly. The fshion,bly dressed lady turn
ed her face toward the river, that her tear,
at such acrowded and unusual place. migt
not be observed She requested us TO tax
her two bovs-George and Willie, she cal
cd them-by the hand, to keep them fro,
danger. and then putting her arms aroun
the neck Of the poor, frierdless, wanderin,
8 orphan stranger, said:
d p" lou are my O,cn sistsr lam Lizzie"
d These two beings, children of the sam
Is parents, how different had been their path
l. and how deep their sufFs-ings! We hav
Is seen them together in " "Lizzies" carriage
)r driving along Lake street They are donb