The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-07-10
Iolf,to think calmly on the subject

mJBclI. OuTs Clc''
LIZZIE LEONARD"
Scarcely bad she dispatched it before
she regretted the step, but comforted her.
self by saying: ''lf the change IN my
fortune will cause him TO wish to be re
leased from his engagement, this will give
him chance TO do so but ] am sure he
will allow this change to make no differ
ence in his feelings toward me"
By singular coincideuce, though leav.
ing the city by the same mail, this letter
did not reach him until he had read his
mothers, and It's effect upon him can
well be imagined.
Now Robert Hadiey did not "tear his
hair aud pace the floor all night wrestling
with his great agony" as rejected lovers
in novcls-are supposed TO do; nor did
he commit suicide, or kill himself with q
butcher-knife, or do any other of the ter
rible things only heard Of in dime novels
Still it must be confessed that the sup
posed fcklcness Of the girl he had sc
tendcrly loved was severe blow to him
After fully considering the matter in
his own mind, he concluded the wisesi
course would be 10 follow the advice his
mother had given, and, couutermanding
the orders which he had already given
for u return home. he made preparations
for visit to the East; aud Two days af
terwards he left Bremen on his way t.
Asia Minor, without deemiDg it necessary
10 make any reply TO Mis- Leonard's note
The sad catastrophe ihnt had hefalIeu
Mr. Leonard 80 weighed upon his previ.
ously delicate health that he sank rapid.
Iy into decline and three months after
tue failure Of the house. in which he was
the senior partner. he died, leaving his
wife aud daughter dependent upon the
hard mercies Of an unsympathizlng pub
| lie.
Lizzie Leonard was girl Of much en-
ergy; and, as soon rs the sad event de-
priying them Of protector brought the
unwelcome truth Of their poverty home to
them, she aud her mother held, as they
termed it, "a council Of war"
Unlike most heroincs, Lizzie vas not an
adcp, 10 the art of music, neither did she
consider herself a. quite fitted for gov.
crucss besides which, she knew that the
| .alury OF gpycrucss oi muslc-ieacher
would not suffice TO support herself and
mu'hcr; and as final alternative the
needle was rcsurtcd 10, Lizzie took upon
hcrsclf the humiiating task Of going
among her old aequaintanees soliciting
ncedlework Bnt-alas for suBny day
| irieuds-shc mst with very poor success
and day after day glided by and brought
he wolf nearer the door.
At last. one day. late in December. she
came home FROM taking out some finished
wnrk aud surprised her mother b. saying
abrapt y:
Nj ther, | am going into the fOctory
to w rk -
"What do you mean, child ?" cxclaim.
ed the mother.
"Simply, mother" she replied, .'that
VIC can not live 10 this way. The winte,
is upon US. and this is the only alternative
left"
In vain the mother expostulatcd her
daughters resolve was taken, and at las!
she obtained her parents reluctant con
sent
:" But where do you intend to go p
asked the latter, when it was finally dc.
cided that go she should
Il have thought of several places" re-
piled Lizzie '.and as the one where |
shall be MIST likely to obtain employment,
as we'll as be spared the pain of meeting
those who once were called my friends,
| have chosen Woonsockci, in the State
of Rhode Island. There are quite nun.
Der of mills there. and | have little doubt
of ofobtaining a situation in some of them. y
"But the expense Of going there and
| if you should only fail 7" still urged the
mother.
Il have thought of that" answered
the courageous girl ''there arc tho brace.
lets papa gave-I meant to have kept
them but. | am snre could he look down
from heaven and speak to us, be would
say | was doing right to dispose of them
to assist me in obtaining means ofsupport
for yourself and me, dear mother aud as
for falling shall not fail, | am sure OF
that" 8
And so it was settled and so it was
that the young girl, all unused to work.
found her way to the great brick mill, at
the "Social," /" one morning, aud applied
for work at the Office. t'"'.i
"Have you ever worked in mill ?" in.
quired the Superintendent, when sl.e had
made known her wishes.
mo, sir" she relied, 'sbat | think I
can soon be 1.ole to perform my duties
satisfactorily"
Her tone was so confident that the su.
err,ntendcnt was at once prepoSsessed In
her favor and being at that time short
of hands, he engaged her. A fortnight
after found her busy ut her looms, dis
playing much skill aud Judgment in her
management Of them.
She had obtained board in boarding.
house belonging to the corporation, and
though not like the .qnlet she had been
accustonrd to at home, she had set her
heart upon being contented; and to a
certain extent she was so. But still il
was great trial to her to minglo with the
promiscuous company that congregate in
factories and listen to the sometimes coarse
language she was compelled to hear.
She found, however, the impression
that mill operatives are always devoid of
culture was very erroneous one, for she
found ladcs-yes, reader. do not smile
genuine ladies, of cultivation and educa-
ton, that would put to shame m ny an
elegantly dressed miss that queens it in
the drawing.room, working at the loom.
And there were gentlemen there, in every
sense of the, word, who, intellectually and