Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-19

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something might turn up so a. TO bridge over
the gulf between her fortune and his own,
and enable him to set down his cause with
every prospect Of obtaining . favorable YER
dict when it came on for hearing.
Fearing, perhaps, that IL he remained until
the Jersey boat started he might be tempted
to forego his mertOrious resolution, he settled
his bill at the hotel, and started OF for the
purpose Of returning to town a. carly as pos
sible. On entering the waitiDg-rOOm ut the
raiway.station, his attention was arrested by
. very young and innocent looking little wid-
Ow, who was sitting amongst . heap Of boxes,
with two little round-faced, fair-hsired boys,
who were so like each other that no one
could doubt that they were twins. Ridley,
who, as an honest lawyer, regarded every un-
protected woman as his client, and sYmpa-
thizcd with her accordingly, felt strongly
moved at this interesting picture Of bereave-
ment and helplessness; and entering into
conversation with the young widow, elected
from her by subtle examination (auspicious
presagc Of his Nisi Prius fame y the full par
ticulars Of her sad and singular history. It
seemed that, at the tender but nnreAecting
age Of fifteen, she eloped from aSwiss pension
with an artist Of great but unrecognized talent,
and who, six months after their union, died
Of lingering decline. Owing to her impru.
dcncc, all her relations disOwned her except
one brother, wild and careless fellow, who
had gone TO sea, being fit for nothing else,
and had now settled down in . log.hut in the
State Of Texas, and was proSpeHnG with his
wife and Olive-branches around him. The
regular remittances, for which she Was in
dcbtcd to the spontaneous kindness Of this
brother, coupled with her slender earnings
from modelling wax-fowers, proved our little
widows sole means Of subsistence. By the
urgent advice Of this good brother, she was
going out to Texas with her two little boys,
and had just arrived at Southampton, where
she had arranged to meet Captain Weatherby,
who had received from her brother the amount
of her passage money, and who had kindly
promised to take her under his fatherly pro-
lection.
Such was the little widows story, to which
our embryo Lord Chicf:Justice listened with
profound gravity and attention. She had
scarcely done speaking, when two travellers
entered the waiting-rOOm, one scafaring man
IN pilot coat and fur gloves; the other ap-
pnrenty courier, with dispatch-bOx and q
valisc.
"What ship was that which struck on the
Needles last nightT" demanded the latter Of
his companion.
1.-THE Inca, bound for Halifax, and every
soul lost, rcioincd the courier captain and
all. knew him intimately; poor Wealth
erby 4"
During this brief conversation the little
widow had risen, and with an expression Of
breathleSs interest advancing TO the speakers,
as soon rs she heard the name OF Captain
Weatherby she uttered faint shrek and fell
senseless into Ridley's arms.
lll-lated BcHjaminl What was to be donef
Here was very young and innocent little
widow, with two round-faced little. blue-eycd
boys, and no one in the wide, wide world to
cheer, comfort and protect them. Is II TO be
wondered at, even though the age Of chivalry
is past, that our little plcader was penetrated
with compasSionI Ilc thought Of Laura !;
and the more he thought Of her, the more
hopeless and unwarTantable appeared his pas
sion and his advanced He had short but
stubborn struggle with himself II Was SYM
pathy contending against love; contest
where kisses went for blows, and in which
the latter fell vanquished by the tears of his
gentle adversary.
Not to detail the Introductory stages, the
final issue Of this process waS that Ridley
HuuS tuC HttIC WIuUW SJb OueT VI IlIB U8tlu,
and, marvellous to relate, was accepted with
out moments hesitation.
As Ridley, with solemn countenancc that
left no doubt Of his sincerity, made this ex-
traOrdinary statement, he raised his I,andkcr.
chief to his eyes, and-clSe l am very much
nStaken--wept.
long and painful pause, " confess that you
Lnv huAp ns, v1.,r,Asc- -, 4. ~.
depth of our gullibiity."
"It's not feigned issue, eh, Ben ?" said
Duval, our great legal luminary, winking at
his learned brother.
Ridley shook his head and heaved an audi
bic sigh.
"And where is that tricky-I beg pardon, "
said the doctor, stammering," that innocent
little widow"
In cab at the top of the Inner Temple
Lane, replied the special plcadcr.
And those two rOund-faced little bOys?"
"Thcy are all together, said Ridley, ri
shall see you again.
and shaking his hand with emphatic cordiali-
ty, "you are an honor to our common hu-
manity."
Duval and echoed the sentiment. We had
often rcnd Of young and gentle women seek.
ing union with tile maimcd and the blind,
but we have never before heard or dreamed
of one Of our own sex exhibiting similar
spirit Of elf.Sacritice.
stop one minute!" cried Duval, who had
just taken the morning paper from Rufus,
who, as he handed it over the table, remained
tranSfixed, his arm stretched out in catalep-
tic state. Bother the boy; he's off again.
Sydenham, look sharp and de,nesmcrize him
for it's your doings I've no doubt"
While the doctor was engaged in the pro-
cess Of characterization, Duval glanced over
the shipping intelligence"
"What was the name Of the vessel that your
little widow was going out in-the lncag"
"Thats her." said Ridley, adjusting his
plaid with an air Of melancholy resignation to
the will Of fate.
"Six hundred tons burden, A !, copper
bOttOmed, and 80 on !: warranted twelve years I;
Captain Weathcrby commander"
"YOur description" replied the pleader,
"is, believe, strictly correct.
"Why, then, she Is not losti" exclaimed
Duval; "she hasn't LEFT the London Docks
yet: those gentlemen at Southampton must
have been mistaken in their parcels"
"You don't mean thatt" cried Ridley, in
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