The Portland daily press., 1865-09-30
Saturday Morning, Sept. 80, 1866.


was making my way through a crowd in a
by-street, which | supposed had collected for
the contemplation and enjoyment of some
tritling and contemplate disturbance but into
which at the time was not IN the mood to in
quire, when my course was arrested by pair
OF beautiful, large black eyes under a lady's
veil, which met mine with mute appeal that
] could not for a moment resist. l
What IS the matter?7 i demanded of the
posse5sor Of the bright black eyes.
A remarkably sweet voice replied, 81 have
.syeRtnTed 70 interfere In behalf OF child
people abasing, but l am afraid that
wthoutSoMe asslstaPce my Efforts win be un-
availing."
"We wasn't abusing it, cried several rough
voices together. ~She was only fighting with
little Nike, and she'd got the best Of him, too
II ye'd let her alonen
"lt is quite enough" said the lady with spir-
il, her splendid eyes flashing as she spoke,
that yo1r sex should disgrace itself in this
way. shall not allow mine, especially such
little creature as this, to make a savage
brute of itself, il can help it,
The lady in the meantime had not let 90
her hold on halfclad, sturdy little girl, whose
face was flushed with passion and discolored
with blood, dirt and tears. She stopped down
to her. raising her veil, and said "Little one, if
yon viii go with me, | win find you good
home. You shall have nice clothes, enough
" SSsD, Au0 W W AC1u duU Wlttcs w Qdb
do you say?"
The sweetness and beauty Of the lady's face
surprised me; the child seemed quite over
powered bv her gentle influence, and replied:
eyes, ma'am, l WIN go with you anywhere"
had, however, at that time, too many
troubles OF my own to afford time to look after
those OF others. A very long and expensive
lawsuit had exhausted the once handsome for
tune that had long kept my family in so enyi-
able position, and left me nothing but falla-
ci0us hopes and lluziVe expectations. NV
father died during the slow progress of the
litigation; the lawyer who had commenced
and so log conducted it, also died before its
Conclusion; ard it appeared too probable that
my mother, too, would lie without the salts
faction of knowing that go much money,
thought, anxiety and suspense had not been
entirely thrown away. She was very i'll, and /
toreSaY with certainty that the slender thread
which held her to this life would snap, if final
decision in our cause, which it was believed
would soon be rendered, should be against US;
for it would necessitate the sale Of all that re-
maine1 to us, and leave US little better than
beggars.
/ had a long hunt after an important female
witness, whom I found at last in garret, dy-
ing Of consumption. And whom should I
find sitting ike ministering angel at her bed
side, but tue beautilui black-eyed lady whom
had lately met, the companion OF the little Or
phan grill
sit Is in such places as this, where good
angel is most needed, and not in the circles of
gaiety ana fashion, that l must seek you, /
see /" exclaimed |, gazing upon her with ire
pressibie admiration.
The lady blushed deeply; and as she had
recovered from her momentary confusion, OBJ
served quietly that she was simply performing
q duty towhich an old friend OF her mothers
was fully entitled.
While obtaining deposition of her patient
had several opportunities Of conversing with
this excellent beauty, and her modest elo-
quence and graceful ease captivated my SOUL
one evening was permitted to accompany
her in search of a conveyance; and as had
resolved to express my sentiments freely to
her on the first available occasion, was as
in most cases, much embarrassed when it pre-
sented itself. g
your patient is dying, fear"
NShe is conscious Of the approach of her de-
iverance; and as such she regards it."
"It is an angels Office you ill, in smoothing
her path to the grave.',
'Do not fatter me, sir. It is but little that
can do, and flattery seems to me to make
that little less than nothing"
II assure you that express my admiration
in most stinted terms; and were | to tell you
all think and feel, 1 might indeed surprise
you"
"Then let me entreat your forbearance"
sit is unkind, not to say harsh, in you to
forbid the utterance of heart so sincere
and full as mine."
at is my kindness, my consideration for
you, that induces me to check this excessive
language, because know you will repent
it,.
"Impossiblel 1 not only admire you more
than any being ever saw, but feel that you
are worthy ofmy worship, and that I love
you"
"Say no more, / entreat. Hyou knew who
and what am, you would confess the folly of
which you are guilty. You tell me you are
unfortunate and unhappy; | pity you-but
there is gulf between us, and you would only
render yourself more wretched by attempting
bhndly and rashly to cross it."
sAre you married~
"Do not ask. Here let our acquaintance
cease. Yon have no more occasion to visit my
patient; and you surely would not deprive her
of the presence Of her last remaining friend, as
you will do so if you persist in intruding upon
her. Here let us part forever.
She stopped cab, allowed me to help her
into it, and LETT me in my mystery and gloom.
She had crossed my dark path like a heavenly
inspiration; and her disappearance rendered
everything about me hopeless and dreary as
dispair
The tFeacherous law, after having lured us
on TO ruin; decided against our claims. and
extorted the last remnant Of our pronerfv to
nav its costs To communicate this fact tn
nv mother would have been like inflictinc her
death blow; and after meditating lone IInon
the subject / found myself UNEQUAL fo tho
painful task, and | went once more to our old
LAWYER. to ascertain whether there was no nos
sibiiity of compromising the matter, SO as To
POSTPONE the evil day, and leave my mother
awhile in the possession OF her home and
comforts.
III met a lady descending the stairs, who had
just come out of the o1ice, whose physlogno-
my was oil that unusually repuisiVe character
which imprints itself indeibiy upon the mem
ory, and ever after in dreams and reyerles, In
sleep and wakefulness, rises from time 70 tlme
to our mental vision with horrible oiStlnct-
ness, shocking US with the fullest sense OF the
dread ugilness of human maitormauon. L
thought OF the wonderful contrast bet cen
this creature and the delicate beauty loved
in vain.
ihe old lawyer was in, and grasped my hand
with sympathetic eordiaiity. | state the OBJ
iect of my visit.
"Weil, my young fiend,s said he, "I have
anticipated your wishes, and have inst been
talking with the successful party. She Is nv
nomeans inexorabie; but to tell Won the trpfh
there is no ground for compromise left. You
have lost all Il she aeeords you ANYTHING n
viii be simply a donation-nothing more or
less"
9Is there no resource left by which I can. for
a time, ward of this final, and to my mother
/ fear, fatal blow"
"None ia law.n
sIn what then ~
"In yourseifD