The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1869-03-18
A Sensation in Actual Life.

|
burn News furnishes that paper the fol-
lowing story:
A startling instance of the freaks in
which courageous fortune" sometimes
revels has recently taken place in the
family of quondam magnate of Wall
street, now retired and living in quiet ell
egance in the lower vicinity of Central
Park. The gentleman, whose name
"mought be" Jones, but isn't, returned
some years since, with his family, from
Europe, bringing young French girls
Susette, as nurse to the young babe. AT
ter few months she left the service of the
family on some trivial pretext, aud anOth-
CIR nurse being substituted, Susette was
quite forgotten. Mrs. Jones had moved
in fashionable circles while rearing fami-
ly of three sous and four daughters, the
Youngest of whom was the nursing OF
Susette. AS years rolled ON, the young
est grew to be blooming girl of twelve
years, attending boarding school on the
Hudson. The eldest daughter and two OF
the sons had married happily, and moth
ing in the serene prosperity of the house
hold threatened to rufle the even tenor of
their life. Among other kindly prompt
iugS of their generous natures, the family
had taken deep interest in an humble
widow woman supporting family of five
children. She had for many years been
iutrusted with the family washing, which
was usually returned by one of the girls
! of the faithful laundress, and many little
uiceties were sent home by this girl,
whose gentle demeanor had so won upon
Mrs. Jones that she arranged for her par
tial education, and already regarded her
as sort of protege, for all Of which the
poor widow was profusely grateful, and
declared she would yet "make lady of
herr a few weeks since the family re-
ceived a letter bearing the postmark OF
an obscure town in the south Of France.
1t contained voluminous enclosures, bear
ing official seals, all in French. A family
council was convened to deci pher the
contents, and many jest was banded in
the merry circle about the center table,
as each contributed their knowledge Of
written French in loose chirograph, to
get at the meaning of so formidable mis-
sive. The youngest daughter, quite fresh
in her studies, seemed to make more pro-
gress, and the mysterious documents, first
passing from hand to hand, were finally
allowed to rest before her, the rest of the
group laughingly criticising her broken
accents as she read slowly on. She hest
tated-was met by another volley of badi
mage, which was strangely checked as the
young girl strained her eyes more closely
to the paper, pressed her jewelod hand
upon her temples-turned ashy pale-ut-
tered one scream, and fell back into her
fathers arms in a swoon
1t was fearful night with that strick-
en- household as they lowered over that
senseless form. A physician hastily call
ed in, seeking for cause of the strange
attack, was shown the scattered misSives
left upon the parlor floor. Being fluent
scholar, he could read them readily, and
there, in the dead hours of night, the
moaning winds without and the decaying
fire in the CRATE forming a weird scene,
the blow fell upon the already affrghted
household No wonder the poor girl had
been stricken down in reading her own
doom-that she was no child of theirs,
but of poor washerwoman! The sub
stance of the death-bed statements Of Su-
settle, which the letter contained, daily au-
thenticated, was, that in taking her infant
charge for an airing, she called in as usual
at the poor home of the family laundress,
whose babe was of the same age with that
of Mrs. Jones. That the woman begged
her to stay and mind the children while
she took home some work. While alone
in the house with the two infants, one of
them pulled hot iron upon it, burning it
badly; she applied such remedies as she
could seize upon, but in her fright fanci-
ed the injury must be fatal. 1t was the
infant in her charge! This she had not
thought of at the first moment, as their
was remarkable resemblance between
them. Overcome with fear, the devil told
her Ito use her own language) "that the
other baby would do Mrs. Jones just as
we'll" The clothing was quickly chang
ed. The poor woman was encountered
with sick and suffering infant until its
recovery, which fact probably aided the
deception. Mrs. Jones was quite i'll at
the time, and wet nurse was engag-
ed for that very day; so Susette success
fully screened her diabolical act, but still
fearing denoument, sought the first vaca-
ton to get away to her own land. Unable,
after lapse of years, to die in peace, she
made a full confession.
The family seek to keep the affair very
quiet. A lady to who'll the physician
was quite devoted mentioned the facts ere
secrecy had been enjoined. The foster
child of the poor widow will be. reinstat-
ed in her full rights, and be made ga
lady" sure enough; the widows entire
family are amply provided for, and the
poignant sorrow of the girl reared in lux.
ury will be assuaged in great degree by
> retaining her position of daughter
Truth, indeed is oftentimes stranger thar
fiction.