Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-10-30
A Bit of Pathos in Real Life.

There are queer histories in the worlc
Walking homeward few nights ago, i
a drenching rain, up South street, W
overlook two females, composedly NOV
ing upward under the shelter of a wild
spread umbrella. The parties were
mother and daughter. The latter
about twenty one years Of age; the for
mer cannot be very much short of sixty
In the Rogue's Gallery is the pictur
of man named Burke. The origina
is still in the Eastern Penitentiary. III
was sentenced three years ago for th'
murder, in a house of i'll repute in Lo-
Gust street, above Ninth, of a constable
in the office Of Alderman McMullen
The victim was named Johnson. John
son was engaged to be married at The
time Of the murder to young girl wh'
then lived in Court near Fifth anC
Christian streets, and who lives there
still. The young man was not worthy
of such love as that entertained for him
by the girl in question.
A quarrel arose in the house, and a
stab with knife in the hands of Burke
took effect upon his breast and he was
killed. The females whom we met in
the pouring shower, as above narrated,
was the girl TO whom the murdered man
was afiianced, and her mother. The
death of her lover caused the girl to be-
come demented. She remains in that
condition to this day. Her form OF
madness is melancholia. She believes
however, that at some lime, not definite
Nv fixed, between The hours of one and
two o'clock in the morning, by visiting
the scene of the murder her betrothed
will appear to her. Oh her mind this
one idea has taken sole possession.
Every night, for three years past, in
company with her afflicted mother, the
girl has visited the locality of the trsg'
edy neither rain, snow nor sleet, has
ever yet Interrupted her nightly visit.
They take one regular route-up Fifth
to South, up South to Ninth, and thence
to Locust street, in an alley running
from which street the murder was com
mitted. During the whole walk the girl
talks necessarily TO her mother, with
bursting heart, listens patiently but hope
lessly. Sine knows the frutlessness OF
the nightly walk, but takes it that her
unfortunate child may to that extent be
comlorted.
They walk to the alley where the sad
event occurred, needing no one, and
steadily moving TO the house where the
murderous deed was done. They wait
there for some minutes, sometimes as
much as an hour.
The girl says, "Neyer mind, mother
dear he won't come tonight. He will
be here tomorrow" And the poor
creature returns hopefully, sometimes
even cheerfully and nearly a thousand
to-morrows have since transpired, yet
each night the girls, with her devoted
mother, comes to the spot only to retire
in the hope that the disappointment of
the night may be consumated by better
results in the next.
So we'll is the history known in town,
hat even the vilest ruflian in Moyamen-
ling passes the women by without an in
iuIt. The girl is comely, with fresh
and fair shape, but no man
ays aught to her, as With her sorrow
tricken mother she makes her nightly |
Quincy. The mothers steps are grow ,
ng feeble. They are poor, and not t
many days hence the girl must do her
Quincy alone. God help her !--Phila-
ielphia North american.