The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-06-27
A Romantic Narrative.
The Story OF Linn Mason.


| (From Chdmbcrs Jouyndi)
There arc some persons who seem born 70
misfortune; from the cradle to the grave their life
| u one continued struggle. Of this class of un.
tortunates was my mother. Left destitute in
infancy by the death Of her father, a curatc in .
small village, sho was brought up at an "Assy-
lum for the Orphans Of the Clergy, where she
remained until she was fifteen wears of age.
| Sue was then aprrcnticci to Mis- Within.
''the principal, as slie csllcd hcrsel oi school
| somewhere about Hsmmersmitl, with whom
| she remained about three years. She then OH
taincd n situation ~ teacher in another school,
| 1t mail salary. While In that situation, she
became acquainted with my father, who was as
astant 20 II surgeon in good practice, and rccciv-
| 81 salary If one hundred year. On this rilic-
uipusly small pittancc, these young people, |
sr!eve to say II, We're impfudcut enough to mar
| ~. They were not allowed time however, to
discover II their income suilced to keep them. for
| my father offended hs principal, - 10y marrying
without consulting him and as Mr.. Phillips.
thc Aforesaid principal, hal the misfortune 10
| notice, atou, three months after my fathers
| marriage, wonderful falling off in the number
| OF bis NounE-hdy nervous patcnts--.my m,her
being remarkably handsomc--he minated I 0
| MIN the necessity Of his seeking another situa-
| ton This was terrible blow 30 tho young
| couple, and as unexpected rs terrible MY ia
| ther, however, looked about him, mud at last oh
| tanned another situation, though at a smaller
| salary. lie only Ia! seventy pounds a year
this time. Fancy that, We grumLlcrs on three
hundred My mother and he settled down
| quietly at Woodfcll, village about ten miles
westward Of London and Mr.. Bainbridgc the
| gentleman who had engaged my father, soon
| had reason to he satisfied with his assistant.
year after tho marriage Of my father and
mother, was born, and never was child more
fondly welcomed. Neither my father nor mother
had any relations, and all their love ccntcred in
| me. was named hnse'ina-why,l cannot I'M
| asine to this day, as my mothers name W
Caroline, and my fathers Edward, two comm 20.
| place names enough. In addition to his private
| practice, Mr.. Baubriige was parish doctor, aud
all the hard work OF the latter department tel
on my father, who, however, never murmurcd
| at his lot, but struggled on manfully.
| Twe!veyears passed, during which time affairs
| began to assume better aspect. My parents
had saved enough to purchase furniture, and re-
| move TO pretty cottage, where we lived happi-
| ~ enough. ] went 90 school Mr.. Bainbriige
| had thrown out hints II taking my father into
partnership, ii he would qualify himself proper
ly for the office, and fortune appeared to smile
on US, when my father, being called up one
rainy night, caught cold ; tho cold turned to in
ilamation Of the lungs, and terminated his life
| in fortnight.
/ will not attempt to describe my mother g
| grief that, alas she was not permitted to in
dulge in for necessity compelled her to consider
| what were her means Of subsistence. She was
| not accomplished therefore u goyerness' situation
WAS not TO Ue thought Of but she had great
skill in igncy.wofk, and she imagined that by
! ihis-,--,isht gain livelihood. A there was
|NFORMAitor such wares at Wooafcld, che re-
JOEL IhE, showing to London, and in this emcr.
~ mo. Former servant. who came to see her,
, ;.nIir OF the greatest service. She told my
u, .rier that her sister, who had been Kitchen
all at some nobeman. had married tho
E.ly" there, Swiss named Perrin and that
c "a aud Mr., Perrin lived in Compton street,
p .Aat COX dodgers and that no doubt they would
~ very glad to take my mother On very rotson-
3D., 'e terms. She further demonstrates satisl.,c-
lily that Compton street being IN n central po-
an, near the h1Eaars and lhr Pantheon, was,
ni Sii 'Ssa4, 80.
cit as ii ,oiher was conv incrl that shc could NJ
k, haltStr than take up hU abode at Mrs lirfin'a,
AZ FAM 'or'ug'y so.d oil her furniture as quickly
IN 3ssiblc. With the money IL fetched and
II Z fonlv pounds with which Mr.. B.inbrilgc gem
ie l,ior pre- entCd her, she a.d took our places
nd..iccond-cllss carriage on the Great Western
~ s, miserable wet day IN February. Arrived at
tho : terminus, VIC engaged a cab 10 convey us
c,si.d our modest luggage 10 Compton street.
cd, . Perrin received US very kindly, and We
>tsore soon installed in orr new abode.
n cannot say tlat the change pleased mr--no
green iie Is, 40 blJs ky,tnl nothing out houses.
houses everywhere. Then my poor mother Was
| obliged to work so hard for a more crust, that
! was almost tempted 10 entreat her 10 let me
90 ont as nursery girl rather than that she
| should live as she did. Sh' pcrsevcrrd in heI
work. however, and Mrs. Perrin was able TO pro-
cure her some good orders, which enabled her 10
bear up little longer. But as winter approach.
cd, | saw that unless a change in our cirCgm
stances took place, my poor mother mu7'
certainly sink from the effects OF over ", .
and insufficient nourishment. Christmas c''u,
AMI our situation had not improved. About thu
time, Mrs Perrin lost her first floor lo1ger wh'
was replaced by violincelo player name,
Roussel, "A belgian. Never shall | forget thC
delight with which listened as he prnctced TN
pieces he was to play at concerts. Mrs. Perrin
told us that lie was engaged at the Italian Oper'
as second violincelo.
About fortnight after this genteman's al
vent in Mrs PERKINS, house, my mother, re-
turning home from an unsuccessful attempt u
dispose of some work. tottercd into our room
and tainted away. | was drcadtully irlghten
ell, never having seen any one illnt until then
and uttered piercing screams, which brought Il
nv assistance not only Mrs. Perrin but her first
floor lolger The latter appeared very muc
concerned on seeing my mothers death-like al
, pearance. lie ran down stairs and speedily r.
turned with a large bottle Of Eau De Cologne
! which Mrs. Perrin incontincntly snatched lrol
him, and with its contents bathcd my mother
temples. Mr. Roussel took my hand, sayin
( klnllN, loui llAll' olo hhd rs hl
/, been In some degree alayed by Mrs. Peri
, having said that my mother had only tainted,
looked up at him as he spoke, aud saw that I
was tall, thin, pale man, with dirty-lookin
light hair, and dull gray eyes. fancied hi
= face looked as if he never washed it but I
Y make up for that, his hands were beautiful
Q clean and white, while on one Of his finger
gttered large diamond. lie had on greasy
dirty dressing gown, and appeared to me a mo'
=, remarkable figure. While was thus CAREFUL
examining Mr. Roussel, | was undergoing
rigid scrutiny on his side, and at last he patti,
n my head mutterng some words in French, TIN
/, l could not, however, understand, though ha
learned French four years at school, but lear
n ing French at school, and understanding it, a.
10 two distinct things. BY this time my MOTH
had recovered her senses, and was able to thar
both Mrs. Perrin aud Mr.. Roussel for their kin
: ness. The latter looked fixedly at her as 81
- spoke, and fanced that his dull gray eye emf
is ted flash or two of strange light My moth
tie was extremely pretty, though very pale, al
y there was something so quiet and ladyliko in h
Z, 3, manner that she inspired respect at the fir
:" t,llnpp.