North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-05-06


noae to hear" When they were alone to-
gether, he put back the hair from her temples
Iad his hand kindly on her beautiful head
and said in soothing tones, " Ny Child, con
slider ME as thy father. Tell NE all thou hast
taken this silk, let the know all about it.
will do for thee as | would d, for daughter.
aud doubt not that | can help you out of
this difficulty"
After long time spent in a!fectionate en-
treaty, she leaned her young head on his
friendly shoulder, and sobbed out, "0h, |
wish was deaa-what will my 'or mother
say when she knows OF my disgrace 2"
"Perpaps that we can manage that she
dever shall know IT," replied he aud aIlnrlng
her by this hope, he gradually obtained from
her the whole story Of her acquaintance with
he noblemln. Ii. bld4 her To be c:mfor'ed,
and take nourishrnent for lie would see that
the silk was paid for and the prosecution
withdrawn. He went Immediately 10 her
employer, and tcid him tie story.
This is her fist off.nce," said he, 4" the
| girl IS young, aud the only ch!ld of poor
wdow. Give her a chance to retrieve lhrs
one false step, and she may be restored to
society useful and honored woman-I will
see that thou art paid for the silk" The
man readily agreed to withdraw the prosecu-
| ton, and said he would hav. dealt otherwise
with the girl had he known all the circum-
stances, "Thou shouldst have inquired into
the merits of the cause, my FRIEND" replied
Isaac. "By this kind of thoughtlessnes, ma
ny young creature is driven into the down
ward path, who might easily have been
saved.n
The good old man went to the hotel and
inquired for Henry Stuart, The servant soon
returned and cDnlucted him IL the chamber.
The nobleman appeared surprised that plain
old Quaker should intrude upon his luxurious
! privacy but when he heard his errand, he
bushed deeply, and frankly admitted the
truth of The girls statement. HIS benevolent
visitor took the opportunity to ''bear testimo-
n.y." as the friends say, against the Sin and
selliShnesS Of proHl yacy. He did it in such
djnd and fatherly manner, that the young
mans heart was touched lie cxclsed Kim.
self by saying that he would not have tam
pered with the girl If, if he had known her
TO be vrtuous. g have done many wrong
things" said, he''But, thank God, 10 betrayal
ot cOn!iiing Innocence rests on my conscience.
[ have always esteemed the ba~est act Of
which man is capable" The Imprisonment
OF the poor glrl, and the forIorn situation in
which she had been founl. distressed him
greatly. And when Isaac represented that
thc silk hrd hccn stolen Gr his sake, that the
g'r had hereby lost pr i'able employment
TO avoid HE danger of exposure, he took out
a tify dollar not and offered to pay her *
penscs. Nay" said Isaac, < thou art very
rich man; [ seen in thy hand large roll of
-ucb notes She is the daughter Of a poor
widow, and thou hast been the means Of do
ing her great injury. Give me another"
Lord Henry haudeG him another iif. y dol
lar note, and smiled as he said: You under
stand your business well. Out you have act
ed molly and revere you COR j.. Ifyou ev-
er visit England, come to see me. | Will
give a cordial welcome, and treat you like
nublcman."
Farewell, my friend" replied Isaac thou
art much to blame in this affair, thou too
tast behaved nobly. Mayest thou be bless
ed in domestic life; and trjfe ne more with the
feelings of poor girls; not even with thoss;
whom others have betrayed and deserted
Luckily, the girl had suGicient presence
of mind to assume a false name when abroad
| by which means her name was kept out OF
the newspapers, 4 did this, said she, for
my poor mother's sake, with the money
given by Lord Henry, the silk was paid for,
| and she was sent home to her mother well
provided with clothing Her name and place
of residence remain to this day secret in
the breast of her ben cfactur.
Several years after the incident | have
related, a lady called at friend Hoppcr's
house and asked to see him. When we en-
tered {, c room, he found handsomely dress
ed young matrpn, with blooming boy of
| five or SIX years old. She rose to meet him
and her voice choked as she said, friend
6 Hopper, do you know me ?" lie replied
that he did not. She fixed her fearful eyes earn
estly upon him, and said. " You once help
ed me in great distress. But good missionary
of humanity had helped too many IN distress
to be able to recolect her wi thout more pre-
c,se information. With a tremulous voice,
, she bale her son go into the next room for a
few minutes then dropping on Ler knees she
hid her face in his lap, and soLbed, IT am
the girl that stole the silk. Oh where
would now be, fit had not been for you ?'
When her emotion had somewhat calmed
she told him that she had married highly
respectable man, a Senator Of his native