White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-29

1atherarln qf'aiarssG3 szr'.ci -ial
"whO are you. womsp7" cried Eugene, sci.
zing her armi ~speak, VINO are yours
: The old woman fsisa her head-their eyes
mess "a Good keayen, my notker.s fDls -He
, A young romantic girl married your father.
He was very handsoms-I fancied loved him.
He was rich and OF a high family. Twai ambi-
tious; and that browning bOtk my love and my
ambition, ct the age Of seventeen became mis-
tress of one Of the finest establishments in the
city. Time few on raptsrous wings for season,
and then, too late, found had sacrificed my
happiness to man who had neither sensibilty
TO appreciate my love, nor even kindness to re-
pay the sacrifice. l was not a happy wife. He
was gay and dissipated. Ireproached;; this ten
ded to ALLEVIATE even the slight regard he might
have felt for me, and it ended in total rupture.
Under our own roof we became as strangers!
You were born, my dear son, and the dormant
affections Of my young heart sprang into action.
felt had not lived before. pressed you
again and again to my bosom. bathed your
little face with tears Of joy. This dear boy, my
child, my sweet Eugene, was to be henceforth
the world to me. felt myself no longera neg
lected wife. / no longer regretted the love of
my husband. devoted myself entirely to you,
ard weeks would pass without beholding your
father; for strange as it may seem, be appeared
equally Indifferent to the feelings Of parent as
he had proved 10 those Of husband. You were
about six years old when he died sudden and
dreadful death, leaving his affairs in state Of
much embarrassment. Still doubted not his
fortune would be very considerable; but, alas,
when all was settled, mere pittapee only was
my residue! This news was like thunderbolt
to me, l have said was ambitious, but not un-
I'll that fatal moment did know how much so.
What could do to avoid descending the ladder
upon whose topmost round my footing had hith-
erto besn7 And you, my fine, my noble boy,
were you henceforth to grovel through life
poor widows son-toiling for your education, or
your hard earnings yielded up to support help
less mother. No, my pride, and, let me add, my
affection, would not permit it! could not use
my needle for maintenance-neither would
become teacher, for the instant condescended
to either, my standing in society would be lost,
and from this my proud heart rebelled.
At length a bold and hazardous plan sugges-
ted ITSELF / remembered to have read and heard
Of many instances where people had become
rich-nay, even excessively wealthy, by CLEAN
ing the rags and rubbish cast into the streets by
careless housekeepers and servants. The more
I thought of this, the more,I was impressed with
the certainty OF success should adopt this same
odious means Of subsistence. For time /
acknowledge strove 10 waive an idea so incon-
sistent with my manner Of life; but it became
as it were a m0nomGniG--and at length deter
mined upon the undertaking. Me-thought my
greatest trial would be in parting from my boy,
for it was necessary to place you in some safe
hands, as, of course, must now yield up that
undivided care which had been both my solacs
and delight. placed you, therefore, at a small
select school few miles from the city, where
at any time one hour would carry me to you
This done, I set about my arrangements. l en-
gagged rooms in highly fashionable boarding
house, to keep up the appearance of wealth,
and as my widows weeds of course preeluded
my mixing in society, my time was consequent
ly my own. With the half nearly Of my little
fortune then purchased this miserable, isolated
dwelling. go F5t
I found could disguise my person without
danger Of detection; not even my dearest friend
would have been able to recognize me. A dark
paint impaired q sallowness to my complexion,
and by using little art in putting it on, made
myself look like woman of seventy! From the
hair dresser, procured gray wig, few hairs
Of which allowed to ESCAPE from under my old
torn bonnet; indeed, so shocked was at my
appearance the first time saw myself in the
glass, that nearly tainted, and was even then
upon the point of throwing off my wretched rags,
and renouncing forever life so disgusting.
I commenced my hazardous career. In this
city there are many houses Of elegant and gen
teel appearance, where one can 60 with perfect
freedom, and do what, and as they pleass-whers
for a bride no questions are ever asked. nor need
you fear betrayal. hired small room in one
Of these, kept by an old Jew. 1t was my custom
to leave my boarding house As If for a walk, and
repair to this dwelling; neither had i any scru-
pies at being seen by any chance Acquaintance
entering house of % respectable an appear
ance. was always admitted by the old Jew;
here pat on my rags, and was let out again
through dark alley opening into the adjoining
street. Suffice il to say that at my first initia-
ton vas SO successful as to confirm me more
strongly in my purpose. Articles of value fire.
quently rewarded my gleanings Of the sewers
and drains-sometimes jewels, triiing amounts
ct money, laces. ribbons, besides the common
filthy rags. of no value excepting to the paper
makers After FIRE, especially, my profits
we're not unfrequently over fifty dollars; my
wretehed appearance too, awoke the charity of
the passer-by, so that week sometimes would
bring me several dollars. would not have
begged, but what shall 1 say, l refused not that
which was thrust upon me. each day brought
my pack of unseemly gains TO This my castle.-
Here would separate and arrange them accor-
ding to their value prior to dispOsing Of them to
those who always stand ready to receive such
merchandise. ri q fdt 'rr 'a1i'
Strange as il may appear, in few years
found myself rapidly growing rich. and in my
orn name was able to invest the earnings Of
Poor NeRy" in Bank Stocks, &c. But I new
er felt secure. had too the modification 70 End
that my frequent absence, 90 naccOuntable and
50 periodical, had awakened much suspicion,
and therefore determined to renounce my Sc
I