The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-06-07
From the X mic K er5o Ok er.
MY FIRST NIGHT IN LONDON.

In the latter part of July, 1852, | Ian
bed at Liverpool, after a run of nine days
from New York. | took the eleven o.
block train for London, and arrived at the
Euston station abont seven in the even
ling. Having obtained cab, | drove to
! Morley's Hotel at Charing Cross, a house
then, as now, very generally patrouizcd
; by Americans.
1 had risen early, aud had travelled
nearly the whole day; l felt therefore,
somewhat fa,igued, and by the time l
had diDed, the evening was also pretty
] we'll advanced, and l resolved to spend
the remainder of it a. home. Having
Y changed my boots for pair of SLIPPERS |
seated myself in large easy chair with
the intention of reading an hour or two.
and then going to bed, In pursuance Of
this resolution,I retired about ten clock
& to my room. then found :aysclf, how
ever, by no means as sleepy as had an
ticipated should be by tina. time, and |
knew too well how useless, un le- such
!. circumstances, it would be to seek my
couch Immediately; for if once you de-
bate the question with yourself whether
YOU be sleepy or not, the doubt alone suf
fees to keep you awake at least an addt-
ional hour. therefore, notwithstanding .
my previous determination of passing my
evening at home, resolved to 20 out for 4
short time.
l strolled into the Strand, and had
walked about quarter of mile towards
Temple Bar, when curious piece of clock
work ia a jewelers. window attracted my
attention, and stopped to look at it for
few moments While thus occupied a
child, miserably clad, accosted inc, and |
took out Of my pocket handful of god
and silver, and selecting a small piece Of
the latter, gave it to her. Having done
so, was about to resume MY position at
the window, when woman, dressed ia
black, who stood near, and who lad hitn-
erto appeared to be engaged in contcm-
plating the same obi ect which had inter
ested me, suddenly turned round, and
without preface. addressed me:
''If,' she said, "you are disposed to
relieve the necessities Of the unfortunate
know case which should appeal to your
sympathies even more powerfully than
the one you have just administered to. -
While she was speaking, looked at
her atten,ively, aud perceived before me
ayoung woman, apparently about two or
three and twenty years of age, whose face
might have been considered beautiful
had it not been for its extreme pallor.-
She was clothed. as | have said, in black,
and her dress, by no means rich either
in material or form, was not exactly what
could be termed shabby. Indeed her
whole appearance was that of person
very much above the condition Of me n
dicant. Her language, too, struck re
at once as being that of an educated wo-
man. Yet | could not look upon what
she had said in any other light than as a
direct appeal to my purse in her own be
half. Still, as it was just possible that |
might be mistaken, I replied by asking
her for whose distress she sought relief.
"My mother" she said simply but
with a pathos of tone which at once ex-
cited my sympathy, "she now lies on a
sick bed, from which she may never rise
and am without the means of admins
tering to her comfort, or even to her ne
ccssities. This day found us almost with
out bread l waited until nishttai, and
then came forth into the streets with the
purpose of soliciting charity. made
one or two Intellectual attempts to speak
to some of the passers-by but my courage
failed me, and was about to return home
as penniless as l left it, when seeing you
bestow your charity upon the child "a sud.
den impulse prompted me to address you
IT, she continued, "you fear to be tie
dupe Of an impostor, you have but t: ac
company me a short distance to be your
self the witness Of the truth of my state
ment."
l had intended, when she first spoke
to give her few shillings, but as she
proceeded | perceived that hers was .
case in which assistance, to be efiectual
must very much exceed in amount the
sum l had proposed offering her, and ]
was not unwilling to verify the truth Of
her story before drawing more seriously
upon my purse. | signifed, therefore
my readiness to accompany her as she had
suggested.
Without another word she at once tur
ned down a narrow street which led to-
ward the Thames, and followed her
As We walked along, noticed large
building which appeared to be some pub
lie edifce, and cnquired of my conduc
tress the name of it. She informed me
and added:
"You are not, presume, familiar with
this part of the city,
"No." l replied, "neither with this OIL
any other part, for | but landed in Liv
erpool this morning, and this evening Sc
foot in London for the first time"
"But you have, doubtless, friends here
BY whom your arrival is anticipated ?
she said, in a tone which manifested de
gree of interest in the matter whicf
struck me, even at the time, as bein!
somewhat singular. However, answer
Cd that no one, SO far as | knew, expect
ed me-
"lndced,' was her only observation
and We again walked on in silence. W.
turned first up one street aud then dowl