Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-11-30
Poverty and Temptation.


girl, of perhaps fifteen years, with refined
manners, and a pretty, though pale face.
presented herself at our office and ner-
yously asked for some place in q family
in the country. She told The usual story
of poverty, and we only observed that her
hands were Thin and bony, and her cheeks
hollow, and that on being assigned to an
/ excellent home by Mr. Macy. her ev,s
/ filed with sudden tears of ,hankfulness
! Something was given her to eat, which
/ she received que.!y, and on the next day
went 10 the place.
| Lately, on a revisit to the city, we
/ learned the particulars Of her history
/ She had been in England in good circum-
stances, as her manners sad language
showed. and had come over after the
death OF her father and the wasting OF
his properly, 10 seek her fortune, as do so
many others, In America. She sought at
once 10 learn some trade, and TO earn a
living for herself, but without friends and
with the crowded competition Of the city,
she could find 10 opening. Ia the same
way, at the intelligence Offices, after wait
ing for many days, she discovered 10
chance for herself. Each day her means
were being exhausted, and She was, at
/ length forced TO pawn all the ornaments
and relcts of better times. She was re-
duced finally to living in small attic
room OF a tenement house, sleeping on
some straw in one corner. Hour after
hour through the weary day her little feet
were UaverSing the streets, as she fol-
lowed advertisements and looked for
work
AT last she reached the point in which
every available means had been sacri-
feed every penny spent, and hunger
stared her in the face. She describ
her feelings then most touchingly. One
day she could get through quite comforta-
bly, without anything TO eat, the second,
she says, she crouched herself in her bed
= " and do you know. sir, what | found
the best to stop hunger why, drank
water, and then | prayed, and somehow |
always felt better ard stronger after it,
The third day, when II seemed as if she
could not hold out much longer, she would
90 family down stairs to woman she
knew in one OF the lower rooms, end this
woman would offer her something to eat,
which she would take caressly, 40 one
ever suspeeting that the poor woman was
beIng saved from starvation. In this
mode Of life she grew so weak she could
scarcely walk, and as thin, she says,
ANY skeleton. She was attacked, too, with
terrible headaches, and some DAYS, she
is sure. she was deIirious, fer she now
remembers how she seemed sometimes 10
see angels aud spirits IN the little room,
bringing her food
Once or twice she determined to beg
though She felt as if she would rather die,
and she went into store. and said gasp.
ingly, "she was hungry" The people
We're very kind, and sat her in a chair
and gave her food, and once, she recol-
lecls, cup Of tea.
Then, as she lay on her heap Of straw
thinking Of the dear old English home
and tie comfort there, the mother and
the days that we're gene, she would some
times saw, q" What have | done 10 deserve
this? Why should God pick me out to
make me suffer so &? Why should | be
deserted 3
One day she had gone down into the
lower room, and sat there weak and des-
pairing, when a gentleman entered, who
she describes as very grand and wealthy
in his appearance. He spoke TO her
kindly; SAID he bad watched her 20 In
and out, and said she must be in misfor-
tune; that tie had so much admired her
yes, and loved her. She answered,
casping with weakness, " Why DO YOU
come here TO Insult me because | am
poor g.
Then, as she described it, he replied
that he did not mean 70 insult her, that he
truly loved her IT. and ID various phrases
he offered TO her to live in a splendid
home, tut not as his wife. The poor girl
crouehed down with her head in her
hands, confesses that for a moment the
thought crossed her mind - what if she
should do this No one would know it. /
Here is comfort and a home-an escape +
at last and on the other side long, /
weary Struggle and starvation.
But in the midst Of this - she almost /
believed IL was real - there seemed to
come up before her figure of her moth /
er she saw the face and the warning
gesture almost as distinctly as she saw
anv one. She seemed 10 call her away I
and then she thought Of ali that she had /.
ever told her Of Heaven aud God. and she +.
started up and SAID. with sobs and casrs /
one may be sure eloqueEtiy. for she tells /
the story now with eyes flowing with /
tears and with tones that thrill the hear: I
Il know l am poor; l have nothing; /
no home and no friends; | am starving /
but if YOU should give me all the money
Of New York heaped ten times over, l /
would rot do his thing Why do you
come here to tempt me and insult me be- /
cause I am poorz 2" and she almost fell /
down gaspug. but she says she saw the (
man start hack with face ghastlv pale, T.
saying, F." Ny Cod What sin you have
saved me from"
That day she heard accidentally of the
Society to help children. and she resolved
TO go there and try for last chance. Il
she failed there. the only thing left for
her seemed to be self-deslruction or death.
We know the happy result.
The simple trulhfulness and paihos Of