The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-01-10
The Umbrella Girl.

misery, degradation and ruin by his kind as
sistance, support and counsel, and now live
to bless their benefactor. The following in
teresting tale Of truth shows how tenderly
he wooed wanderer back to virtues path,
and how tenderly he rebuked those who
meditated the destruction of tho poor and
lowly.
Young girl, the only daughter Of poor
widow, removed from the country to Phila-
hrelas. She was very handsome, with
CLASSY black hair. large heaming eyes, and
'.lips wet with coral" She was Just at that
acceptable age VIXEN youth Is ripenins into
womanhood; when the soul begins to be
pervaded by that restless principle, which
impe's poor humanity to ''seek perfection
in union"
At a hotel near the store for which she
worked, an English traveller. called Lord
Henry Stuart, had taken lodgings He was
a strikingly handsome man, and of princely
carriage As this distinguished stranger
passed to and from his hotel he encountered
the umbrella girl. and was attracted by her
uncommon beauty. He easily traced her to
the store, where he soon afterwards rnt TO
purchase an umbrella This was followed
M nv presents of flowers, chats nv the way
side. and invitations To walk or ride: AL of
which were gratefully accepted bv the un-
susprcting rustic, for she was ignorant nf
the danger of the city aS were .hp squirrels
of her native f.'dS H. was merely play
ing gam for temporary eXcitem mt She
with a II al full OF romance and h art
mc'tnr under the influence of love, unron.
sci"uS'v endangeIing the happiness Of her
who'll If,
Lord II nrv invited her,o visit the public
p';citv of h"r heart she bel. we'd AL his fat
tering prof sSinnS and considered hrrS..If his
bride elect: she the efore accented the invi-
ta'inn with innocent franknc<S Blu, she
had no dress fir to apncar in on such public
occasions WITH a gentleman Of high rank
whom >',- hr'icvr'l to he her fu'r- husband
While these Il oughts revolveh in her mind,
her ewes were unfortunately attracted hy a
.e,u'iful piece "f silk hc'nnging to her en-
rloyer Couli She not take il withoat be-
ing seen, and lav for it secretly. wh"n she
had earned enough money: The termination
c rqurrcd her in moment Of weakness.
She concealed the silk and carried il to her
lodgings.
II was the first thing she had ever stolen.
and her r morse was painful She would
have carried It back hut she drea led discov-
cry he was not sure that repentance
would ne mt hv a Snirit Of f,rciv ness.
On the eventful Fourth Of July. she came
out in her dress Lord Henry compliment
ID her on her elegaut appearance, hut she
was not happy. On their way he talked to
her in manner that she did not compre-
h"ni Perr.iving this he spoke more ex-
p'ic'ilv The cuieless young creature stop
ped and locked into his face with mournful
reproach. and hurst into tears. The noble
man took her hand. kindly, and said:
'.My dear. are YOU an innocent girl
Il am I am" she replied with convu sive
snhs "Oh. what have | ever said nr done,
that yon should ask such On St'on.
The evident Sincery of her words stirred
the deep fountain Of his better nature
IF Won are innocent" said he. "God for
bid that should make Won o'herwiSe--but
You accented mv invitations and presents so
readily that supposed you understood me-"
What could | understand" said she,
Except that you intended to make me your
wife
Though reased amid the proudest dis'inc-
tinns Of rank he felt no inc ination To smile
He blushed and Was siI mt The heartless
conventionaities OF the world stood rsbuked
( in the presence OF atfectionate simplicity.
/ He conveyed her TO her humble home, and
. bade her farewell, with thankful conscious
r
/ to her future prospects. The remembrance
/ Of her to him would be as the recollection
! Of the past years butterflies
With her the wound was deep In the
/ zoitud. Of her chamber she wept in bitter
/ ness OF heart over ruined air castles. And
the dress she had stolen 10 make appearance
b fitting h,s bridei On. would not the
I heart of the poor widowed mother breab if
.he should ever know that her child was i
thief:
Alas, her wretched forebodingS proved too
true. The six was traced to her, and she
was arrested while on h5r way to the store
and dragged TO prison. There she wept in
cessantly. On the fourth day the keeper
called upon Isaac I. Hopper and Inform d
him that there was girl in prison vino ap
pcarcd to be utt,ry friendless and deter
mined to die by starvation. The kind heart
ed Immediately went to her assistance. He
found her lying on the eel, with her face
buriei in her hands, Sobbing aS II her he ri
would break. II tried to comfort her, but
could "b'a!H no answer.
IL ave u> ii "ne," said he to the keeper,
''Eerha ps shc wI speak to me il there is no
onc near. When they were alone to-etr-
,r, he Ut back the hair from her temples.
LAID his hand kindiy on her beautiful head,
!
''My child, conS Ter me as thy father
Tel ING ali'thou h st done. II thou hast
taAe, a .as.siiiGsr'l me all about it, l will
i fo~thsS i woul :or my own dsug ,tcr.
,;l ,"sx : 81 Pr" ca" help thee out Of
E~A ylklsns .gws-in alfectiooate en,reaty.
abe .ssssc. ner foung head on his friend y
! si,o ii Ter an s',bvd out
oh, | wish | was dead. What will my
iovr mother say when she knows my dis
gra,e!"
"Perhaps you can manage that she never
shall know il, replied he. Alinring her i,y
tails hope, ic gradually obtained from her
the story ot her acquaintance with the no,
b cInan. He badc her he comiortcd AID
take n"uri>hnent, for he would see that the
silk vas paid Tor, and the prosecution with
drawn.
IL went immediately to her employer and
l. Id h,m the story. "rais is her first Of
fence" said h,; ''the girl is young, and she
il the chi.d Of poor widow. Give her q
chsnsc to retrieve this one false step, and
she niay bs restored to society, useful and
i,Onssed woman. ! will see that thou art
paid Ior the six. The man readily agreed
to Withdraw the prosecution, aud said he
would have dealt otherwise by the gi,l il
| lie had know all the circumstances. "rhou
shoulds. have inquired into the merits Of the
casr, replied friend Hopper. 'By this kind
OF thougntcssness many a young creature
is drnel INTO :he downward path who might
| easily have been saved"
This kind d-heartcd man next proceeded to
the hotel, aud with Quaker simplicity OF
speech inquired for Henry Stuart. The ser
want sad his lordsnip mad not yet risen +
s.Teil him NV business Is Oi importance"
sail iri,.,l Hopper. The servant soon re-
/ iurur., and conducted him to ;ze chamber.
! TIE nonlelnan appeared surprised that n
stranger in the Quaker costume should in
trudc upon his luxu,iant privacy. When he
heard of his errsnd, he bIushed deeply, and
frankly admitted the truth OF the girls state