Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-06-28
Hugh miller and Mary Duff.

Hugh Miller, the seologist, Journalist, and
man OF genius, was sitting in his newspaper Of
fee late one dreary winter night. The clerks
had all left and he was preparing TO 60, when
a quick rap came to the door. He said "Come
in" and, looking toward the entrance, saw a
little ragged girl, all wet with sleet. care you
| Hugh Miller7" "Yes." "Mary Duff wants
tye." "What doessh want2" "She's deein."
Some misty recollection of the name made him
at once set out, and with his well known plaid
and stick, he was soon striding after the child,
who ltrotted through the now deserted High
street, into the Canongate. BY the time he
got to the Old Playhouse close, Hugh had re-
vived his memory Of Mary Duff, lively girl
who had been bred up beside him in Cromarty.
The last time he had seen her was at brother
mason's marriage, where Mary was "best
maid," and he "best man" He seemed still TO
see her bright, young, careless face, her tidy
shortgown, and her dark eyes, and to hear her
bsnteriDg, merry tongue. .l l.agr a7
Down the close went the ragged little wo-
man, and up an outside stair, Hugh keeping
near her with difficulty; in the passage she held
out her hand and touched him; taking il in
his great palm, he felt that she wanted a
thumb. Finding her way like q cat through the
darkness, she opened a door, and saying, That's
herw vanished. By the light of dying fire
he saw lying in the corner Of the large, empty
room something like o wornan's clothes, and
on drawing nearer, became aware of a thin, pale
face and two dark eyes looking keenly. but
helplessly up to him. The eyes were plainly
Mary Daff's, though he could recognize no other
feature She wept silently, gazing steadily al
him. care you Mary Duff ~ "It's a. that's
o. me, Hugh She then tried to speak to him
something plainly of great urgency, but she
lon nd ~ IN MO ad
was making herself worse, he put half crown
into her feverish hand, and said he would cal
I again in the morning. He could get no inform
\ alton from the neighbors-they were surly ol
asleep. "'
When he returned next morning, the little
girl met him at the stair-head, and said, "She'l
deid." He went in, and found that IL was true
there she lay, the fire out, her face placid, anC
, the likeness to her maiden self restored. Hugh
thought he would have known her now, ever
with those bright black eyes closed as they were
} IN eiernum. -..., ,-st.... ~. s..
, is Seeking out neighbor, he said be would lik,
to bury Mary Duff, and arranged with an under
taker in the close for the funeral. Little seem
ed 10 be known of the poor outcast, except tina
{ she was "lioht," or, as Solomon would hav,
: said, "strange woman" ibid she drink7 Y
| "Whiles."
On the day of the funeral, one or two resi-.
u dents in the close accompanied him 10 tn
! Canongate churchyard. He observed decen
/ looking little old woman watching them, AM
, following at distance, though the day wa
> wet and bitter. After, the grave was filled
and he had taken off his hat, as the men finish
. ed their business by putting on and slapping th
a sod, he saw this old woman remaining. Sh
/ came up, and courtesying, said, aye wad kel
a that lass, sir2" eyes; / knew her when sh
: was Young" The woman then burst into tears
: and told Hugh that she "keepit BIT shop 0
: the Closemooth, and Mary dealt VII me, an
' aye paid regular, and ! was feared she wa
: dead, tor she had been month awin' me half
a%crown;" and then with q look and voice .
awe, she told him how on the night be was sen
for, and immediately after he had left, she ha
y been awakened by some one inthe room; an
!. BY her bright fire-for she was bein. well-to
: do body--ehe had seen the wasted dying cres
= ture, who came forward, and said, "Wasn't
y hal "a. .crown2', !" Yes. ~ !" There it Isl Ian
y putting Il under tho bolster, vanished. soa.
. = Alas for Mary Daft, her career had been
y \, sad one since the day when she had stood cid
q BY side with Hugh at the wedding Of the
= friends. Her father died not long after, ar
y her mother supplanted her in the affections
!, the man 10 whom she had given her heart. I'll
I, shock was, overwhelming, and made home Il
tolerable. Mary fed from it blighted and en-
q bittered, and after life OF shame and sorro'
y crept into the corner Of her wretched garrett
: : die deserted and alone; giving evidence 10 b
= latest act that honesty bad survived amid y
i. wreck of nearly every other virtne.a yas ~