Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-12-30
THE LIFE OF AN OUTCAST.


the books of the Sexton as Rose Delmonde.
This Of itselfis nothing stfange, but there
is something behind the name, related to
US by one who was present at the death.bcd
scene, SO mysterious, sad and sorrowful,
that VIC publish it, as an incident, not often
occurring any where, much less in such an
cven.tenorci place as the capital Of Ala.
bama.
Rumor has it, and in this case rumor
seems to be true, that just after the war,
there came to Montgomery beautiful,
sprightly and accomplished women Of some
20 years of ago. She stopped at one ofthc
principal hotels, and being alone attracted
marked attention. She had tall command
ing, splendidly developed figure, fine dark
eyes ard jetty, waving hair-and as she
swept into the brilliantly lighted parlOrs
and dining saloon, with all the grace and
seeming dignity Of queen, every one paid
to her, that which true manhood always
pays to bcauty-thc homage Of sigh. She
remained in luxurious quarters for some ten
days, during which time never ccasing gos-
sip was busy with her name. At length
she suddenly disappeared, it is supposed with
cotton agent of the U. s. Treasury Dc.
partment, we'll known in business circles
here, and was not heard Of for a long time,
by and by she returned, but instead Of oc-
cupying sumptuous quarters as before, she
became an intimate of leading Jagnio in
the city. Here her true character was re-
vcaled. She became queen Of the demi
monde, and was courted, Aattcred and car.
essed as a favo,ite by all who visit those pc
culiar haunts. 1t was not oftc n that she
appeared upon the streets and promenade;
but when she did, she was knowp, noted
and remarked upon, for her stately beauty
and handsome personal appearance. Who
she was or what she was other than wo-
man uncommonly preposscssing, and outcast
IA "poor unfortunate" no one knew or
seemed to care She still went by the name
of Rose Del,nonie, and although to the un-
tutored eye she might have appeared as
other woman did, still the seeds Of vice had
been sown, and that fate, which God has
surely marked out, for all who transgress
his moral law had cast its shadow before
and could not be averted. 1t was not long
ere she commenced hard drink-sunk into
the midst Of midnight revelries and dissipa-
tion and thus step by step decended the vor-
tex Of shame, until the elastic step Of youth
had passed away-hcr beauty was gone for.
ever, the bright sparkle Of budding woman.
hood had melted from her eye-and the
tint OF the rosebud had faded from her
cheek. and when our informant called to see
her, she poor, wan, emaciatcd woman,
stunned as pestilence and inhumanly dc.
serted by her summer friends other former
infamous days.
Here our story properly begins
Some weeks since call was made upon
a professional gentleman of this city to visit
a woman. lie went and found the subject
of this notice, lying in dingy little room in
house of an old ncgress. When he enter.
ed the room, he soon saw tho patient was
not long for this world, as she was then in
the last stages Of consumption, brought, on
doubtless by exposure and excessive dissi-
patton. AS he entered the door, the patient
as yet unknown, called him to her bedside
and asked, doctor, can livo?''
She seemed TO put this usual intcrroga-
tory with go much Of tender feeling, that
our friend, possessing as he does the benev-
olent soul OF learned minister to bodily and
mentally suffering evasiycly replied, II hope
so."
This reply was not satisfactory, however
as she said; Sir only tell me, how long l
can live VIII ! have time to send for my
mother?" With this she burst into tears,
and there in that hut Of squalid poverty,
the poor dying oucast wept as if her heart
would break, as calling memory reverted to
the happy scenes of her childhood, where
in bright and joyful home she had listen
ed TO the soft and gentle lullaby ofa moth
er's song The physician seeing her condi-
ton, administered soothing opiatc and
when she slept he retired, promising her
only attendant, the old negress, to return on
the morrow. lie kept his promise, and on
returning found her cool, self possessed and
perfectly rational. She again called him to
her bedside and related to him in substance
the iollwing intelligent, but sad and mystc.
rious story: II know that l must die. n
The world calls me Rosa Dslmonde. My
true name is Charlotte-My father is
dead. My mother and only brotherlivo in
Utica, New York, No.-street. l am
twcnty.three years Of age. During the war
I formed the acquaintance Of Lieutenant
George, Of the I'd New York cavalry. |
He was well educate d, man of pleasing |
address and fascinating manners. l loved
him. With me that love was beautiful in
sanity. l thought of him by day and
dreamed Of him by night. He proposed to
INC and accepted. My brother opposed
the match, and importuncd my mother to
mako the Lieutenant cease his attentions. -
She yielded and ordered him to visit mo
no more. Iagrecd never to see him again
but oh I love him still. He was absent
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