The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1859-03-03

ulSdppcalcu; anu INC lleldncHOly lIutH
was realized that " the poor make no
new friends" Reared in ease and indie
pendence they had not learned the arts
or resources of the habitual poor, but
misfortune at Il sudden blow had reduced
them to the necessity of labor, to keep
the wolf of famine from the door. But
sudden and terrible as was the calamity,
they met it with calmness and resigna-
ton. They adopted almost the sole re-
resource of woman in poverty-the nee
die. For few years they contrived to
live in some degree of comfort but
both We're delicate, and the unhealthful
labor of the needle was telling plainly its
rayages upon their health. 1t was at
this time that ! became acquainted with
their history. Sometimes as | passed the
window, ! saw the subject of this sketch.
She was indeed beautiful, despite the ira
ces of care, and of disease, impressed
upon her face. Her hair still preserved
its glossy blackness her dark eye was
still lustrous, and her features yet had
their graceful outline In figure size was
rather tall, but fragile and delicate. In
expression she looked like statue of
"patience on q monument smiling at
grief" need not say that such an OBJ
.ect awakened in me a sentimental inter
est. In others she excited a different
feeling. Her beauty fired the passion Of
the libertine, and in her poverty he saw
a promise of success. She was conse
quently annoyed BY bold and rude intru
sions, and by clandestine billets offering
large sums of money as the price of in
fanny. She was even sought in marriage
b. coarse and vulgar man, who had
much money. This was temptation
which She could accept without sin or
dishonor; and secure for herself, and
those dependant upon her, an exemption
from future hardships. 1t required only
sacrifice of delicacy--of cling,
which tens of thousands Of her sex
had made before her, and yet in the he
roism and purity Of her heart she trl-
umphed over the temptation. But SLAM
der took its usual license with the poor
and fricndless. Ballled lust sought re-
venge in falsely boasting its triumph
But in the meek and angelic face of the
heroic Girl | read evidence of her inno-
cence, which cloud Of witnesses could
not overthrow. Soon after, the family
disappeared, and | lost all trace of them.
Whether they had left the city or gone
to a more obscure quarter, and what mo-
tive or cause had induced the removal
were all left to conjecture. Perhaps
their reduced circumstances required an
and cheaper house; and per-
haps the girl had sought by removal an
escape from the rudeness and perseyer-
ance of her prosecutors.
Several months afterwards saw her
enter a wretched tenement in another
part of the city. 1t was a small house,
of one room. found upon
enquiry, at a neighboring shop, that it
was her residence. She looked much |
wasted, and paler than when | had last
seen her. | passed the place almost dai- |
", and examined it closely. The door
was always closed, and Ineyer could see
the interior of the house, but it was evil
IDENTIFY the refuge Of extreme poverty
During the day the window on the street
was open, but a curtain, always down,
the interior from the eye OF GU
riosity. At this window the pale, sad
face of little girl, five or six years old,
looked out upon the street. That face
was a page upon which was written
domestic history. The happy and mirth-
full joy, common to childhood, had no ex-
pressiou there. Impressed by the scenes
around her, gloom and sadness, and des-
pair, had settled like pail upon the face
Of this little unfortunate. With this lit
tle creature / soon established an ailec-
tionate acquaintance, never passing with
out word and smile for her. | made
her frequent presents of cake and fruits,
and small sums of money; thus contrib
uting to the meagre comforts of the fam
ilv without offending their pride or deli
eacy. very rarely saw the beautiful
sufferer within. She seldom went abroad !