Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-10-07
ISL 9.
gabiss' asgartmtnt,
Romancs Of Real Life; A Touching story.

&.S 1ANt - ~ AAC-A o
been on the North side of that city to see
a friend, was recently prevented from reach
ing his home, in consequence OF a steam
tug having passed up the river with a small
feet OF vessels in tow, one Of which had
been cast off aud hauled in Just West of
the bridge, leaving the draw still open.
While waiting he witnessed the following
scene +:
Thevessefwe have mentioned was moored
or made fast outside Of several canal boats;
and as we stood looking at the men upon
her, one of them approached a female, who
had been crouched upon deck, aud address
sing her, pointed to the shore, then to the
bridge, aud then down toward the thronged
and busy streets Of living, moving, head
hong Chicago. She arose, picked up a
small bundle, from which she drew forth a
coin which she rendered to the hardy sail
or. He refused it, whatever it was, and
lending her a hand, helped her from the
dock, and from the dock UP to the bridge.
BY this time a large crowd of persons
thronged the North end ofwhere the bridge
would be if it were always a bridge and
In contemplating the new faces, and the
representatives of the various classes there
assembled, We had almost forgotten the in
cident wehave related. Our attention was
called from the vain endeayor to discover
some cessation of tugs going up and down,
and briggs and sehooners pulling.in and out,
by hearing a most audible sob from some
one near Us. 1t was not the sob of child
hood, caused by some sudden change of
rayety to grief; it was the sob of some
maturer breast, filed with a sense of lone
illness and despair. II reached other ears
than ours.
A LADY dressed in q manner which be-
spoke a wealth that could crafty taste and
elegance, and who like ourselves, was de-
tanned at that place, stood near, accompa-
MED by three children, whose desire to get
at the extreme edge Of the platform, she
with difficulty repressed. With q woman's
tenderness the recognized the stihed ebul-
ition Of sorrow, and approaching the per-
son from whom it came, who was none other
than the other woman we had Just seen
land from the vessel, she quietly, and in
chat soft sweet voice of woman which none
can resist, inquiredifshe stoodin need or wa.
her sorrow such that she could not be re.
Iievcd. "A portion of the railing near US
was vacant, and toward that and almost al
eur side these two women came to converse
The stranger was a fair, handsome girl, o
about seventeen years ; neatly but ~coarsel,
dressed, with shoes not only well worn bu
heavy, and unsuited as much for her sex a
for the season. The poor girl, in homes
simplicity, and with in earnestness whicl
despair alone can impart, related her his
tory, uninterrupted by a single Observation
from her companion, but often accompani
ed by the the tears of both. We have nc
space for it at length, but we viii give i
changing it's order just enough to enable y
to state it briefly.
She said that she was born in Boston
she had no brother or sister now she II
membercd.that she had a sister, the Of,
est, whose name was Lizzie; that siste
years ago, against her fathers will he
married, and with her husband having bee
banished from her fathers sight, had gor
of and bad not been heard of since
doubt dead. At the time Of her sister
marriage her parents we're wealthy. II
pride which drove away Lizzie had broug
silent regrets, and after a while came Nd,
ancholy. complainings BY the mother sig
ing for embrace Of her frst-born, The
soon led to anger and elimination at hon
aud dissipation by the father abroad. L
ses came upon them, and at last, gatheri
the few remaining goods they possesse
they left the proud city Of their birth, a
settled FIVE years ago upon land purchas
of,the Government in Wisconsin. Z
brothers, some older and some Younger til
herself, one by one dropped and died j
soon the mother, calling in agony upon
long exiled daughter, joined her boys il
happier cline. None were now left
the father and this poor girl. He too
humbled and stricken by the slow but
tain disease, which lights up the cheek
fires the eye with the brilliancy of heaI
even when its vietim is on the ~confne
eternity.
He would sit and tell to his surviy
child the acts Of winning love and sac
eng devotion which had made his Lii
the object Of his life. He would tall
her sweet smiles and happy disposit
until memory would lead him to the /
when he bid her to depart, and not let
see her face again. His decline was ra
and this lone child saw the flowers wi
the warmth of Spring had called from
sod of her nother's grave disturbed,
rooted aud thrown aside, that his a
might miugle with those Of the moth,
his children.
Al bis death he charged her to pay
as far as she might be able, the debt
cuyred to procure the necessaries Of lii
The land, which from want Of culture,
not increased in yalHe, was sold, and
her but afew dollars. These she expe
in rearing some boards to mark the
where she had seen buried, one after al
er, her believed kindred. She had hea
Chicago. She mad heard that in this
there were Offices where strangers wis
employment could find work. She ha
foot travelled many miles, until she r,
ed Milwaukee, an3 thence by the kint
of a poor sailor, who had seer her day
day, on the dock, watching the stea
depart, hadinquired aud ascertaincd tn;
wished to come hither but had not
money. He brought her to Chicago Q
owa vessel, and had told her that by
siDg the bridge she could find one of
places where situations were given tc