Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-12-10
SUFFERING, TEMPTATION, VIRTUE.

Some two years ago young English
girl, of perhaps fifteen years, with refined
manners and pretty though pale face,
presented herself at our Office, and nerv-
ously asked for some place in family in
the country. She told the usual story of
poverty, and we only observed that her
hands were very thin and bony and her
cheeks hollow, and that on being assign
ed to an excellent home by Mr.. Marcy
her eyes filled with sudden tears Of thank
fulness. Something was given her to eat,
which she received quietly, and on the
next day went to the place Lately, on
a visit to this city, we learned the particu-
lars of her history. She had been in En- |
gland in good circumstances, as her man
ners and language showed, had come over
after the death of her father and the vast
ing of his property, to seek her fortune, as
do so many others, in America. She
sought at once to enter some trade, and to
earn living for herself; but without
friends, and with the crowded competition
of the city, she could find no opening. In
the same way at the intelligence Office,
after many days, she discovered no chance
for herself. Each day her means were
I being exhausted, and she was at length
, forced to pawn all the ornaments and rel
les of better times. She was reduced fin
ally to living in a small attic room of a
\ tenement house, sleeping on some straw
4 in one corner. Hour after hour through
t the weary day her little feet were trav-
a ersing the streets, as she followed adver-
tisements and looked for a chance to
work.
At last she reached the point in which
every available means had been sacrifc-
o ed, every penny spent and hunger stared
o her in the face. She describes her feel
d ings most touchingly. One day she
= could get through quite comfortably with
e out anything to eat, the second, she says
she crouched herself in her bed and
n do you know, sir, what l found the best
e to stop hunger? Why, l drank qOater
r and then L prayed, and somehow I al
r ways felt better and stronger after it !!
ia The third day, when it seemed as though
she could not hold out much longer, she
.s would go family down stairs to a woman
"a she knew in one of the lower rooms, anC
q this woman would offer her something
: to eat, which she would take carelessly
rs no one ever suspecting that the poo
ir creature was being saved from starvation
,;s In this mode of life she grew so veal
10 she could scarcely walk, and as thin, sh
- says, as any skeleton. She was attacked
80 too, with terrible headaches, and som
=. days, she is sure, she was delirious, 70
/. she now remembers how she SCENE
-. sometimes to see eangels and spirits in th
.or little room bringing her food !!
- Once or twice she determined TO be.
though she felt as ifshe would rather di
-, and she went into store, and said gasE
,ot ingly, she was hungry The peopl
were very kind, and sat her in chai
!, and gave her food, and once, she reco
u Iects, cup Of tea. Then, as she lay q
her heap of straw, thinking of the dea
o old English home and the days tn
.. were gone, she would sometimes sa
=. What have l done to deserve thi:
o Why should God pick me out to NAL
~ me suffer so? Why should be so d
serted?
), One day she had gone down into Il
lower room, and sat there weak and de
pairing, when gentleman entered who
49,, she describes as very grand and wealtI
in his appearance. He spoke to b
kindly said he had watched her go
,bit and out, and said she must be in m
fortune; that he had so much admir-
her-yes, and loved her She answers
gasping with weakness, Why do y
come here to insult me because {
poor? Then as she describes it, he
|? piled that he did not mean TO insult b
BUR- that he truly loved her-and in vario
phrases he offered TO her TO live in
big splendid house with him, but not as
wife. The poor girl, crouched do
with her head in her hands, comics
that for moment the thought eros
ms? her mind-What if she should do th
bout No one win know it. Here is conf
and home--an escape at length; !
on the other side, long, weary str
seen Gle and starvation. But in the mids
te at this--she almost believes il was rea
ntry there seemed to come up before b.
ball figure Of her mother-she saw the
and the warning gesture almost as
o'"0 tinctly as she ever saw any one.
seemed to call her away-and then