Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-02-11
Mistrllanrous.
Z H L r ECOG NITION
A STORY OF REAL LIFE.

ing been on the north side of that city to
see friend, was recently prevented from
directly reaching his home, in conse-
quence of steam tug having passed up
the river with small fleet Of vessels in
tow, one of which had been cast off and
hauled in just west Of the bridge, leav-
ing the " draw" still open. While wal
ing there he witnessed the following af.
fecting scene:
The vessel was moored outside of sew
eral canal boats ; and as we stood looking
at the men upon her, one of them ap-
preached female, who had been crouch
ed upon the deck, and addressing her,
pointed to the shore, and then To the
bridge, and then down towards The tn o ~
ed and busy streets, of moving, headlong
Chicago. She arose, picked up small
bundle, from which she drew folth a
coin, which she rendered to the hardy
sailor. He refused it, whatever it WIS,
and lending her a hand, helped her up TO
tie bridge.
By this time a large crowd of pers, MS
thronged the north end Of where the
bridge would be if it were always a
bridge and amid the representatives of
the various classes there assembled, we
had almost forgotten the incident we have
related. Our attention was called from
the vain endeavor to discover cessation Of
the tugs going up and down. 1t was not
the sob of childhood, caused by some
sudden change of grief; it was the sob
Of some mature breast, filled with sense
of loneliness and despair. 1t reached
other ears than ours.
A lady, dressed in manner which be-
spoke wealth that could crafty taste
and elegance, and who, like ourselves,
was detained at that place, stood near,
and accompanied by three children, who: Q
desire to get at the extreme edge of the
platform she with difficulty represscd.-
With woman's tenderness, her heart
recognized the stifled ebulitions of sor-
row. and approaching the person from
whom It came, who was none other tl.an
the woman We had just seen land from the
vessel, she quietly, and in the soft, sweet
voice of woman, which none can resist,
inquired if she was in need, or was she
i'll, or was her sorsow such that size could
not be relieved. A portion of the rail
ing near us was vacant, and towards that
and almost at our side those two women
came to converse.
The stranger was a fair, handsome girl
OF about seventeen years, neatly but
coarsely dressed, with shoes not only
well worn but heavy, and as unsuited for
her sex as for the season. The poor girl,
in honest simplicity, and with AN earnest
ness which despair alone can impart, re-
lated her story, uninterrupted by sin
! gle observation from her companion, but
often accompanied by the tears of both.
We have not space for it at length, but
We will give it, changing its order just
enongh TO state it briefly.
! She said she was born in Boston she
had no brother or sister now ; she re-
membered that she had sister, the old
est, whose name was Lizzie that sister,
years ago, against her fathers will, had
married, and with her husband, having
been banished from her fathers sight, had
gone off and had not been heard Of since
no doubt dead. AT the time of her
sisters marriage, her parents were veal
thy. The pride which drove away Liz
zie, had brought silence and regret, and
after while came melancholy complain
ings by the mothers signing for the en-
brace of her first born. These soon led
to anger and ordinations at home. and
dissipation by the father abroad. Losses
came upon them, and at last, gathering
up the few remaining goods, they left the
proud city of their birth, and settled five
years ago upon land purchased of the
government in Wisconsin. Her broth
ers, some older and some younger than
herself, one by one dropped and died J;
and soon the mother, calling in agony up
on her long exiled daughter. joined her
boys in a happier cline. None were now
left but the father and this poor girl He
too was humbled and stricken by the
slow but certain disease which lights up
the cheek and fires the eye with the brill
liancy of health, even when its victim is
on the confines of eternity.
4 He would sit and tell to his surviving
child the acts of winning love and sacri-
ficing devotion which had made his Liz
zie the very object of his life. lie would
talk Of her sweet smiles and happy dis
position, until memory would lead him
to the hour when he bid her depart, and
not let him see her face again His de-
cline was rapid, and his lone child saw
the flowers which the warmth of Spring
had called from the soil of her mother 5
grave. disturbed. uprooted and thrown
aside, that his ashes might ming,e win
those of the mother OF his children.
AT his death he charged her to pay off,
as far as she might be able. the debts in
CURED to procure the necessaries of life
The land, which from want of culture.
had not increased in value, was sold aud
left her but few dollars. These she ex-
pended in rearing some boards to mark
the spot where she had seen buried, one
after another, her beloved kindred.
She had heard of Chicago. She had
heard that in this city there were Offices
where persons wishing employment could