The Portland daily press., 1870-11-23
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Wednesday Morning, November %, 1870.
PORTLAND


In one of the early months of tho nresort
year the suspension of an extensive factory
not far slrom Lowell, Massachusetts. threw .
large number of female workers out of en-
ployment. A majority of the girls, however.
after week or two of delay, obtained places
in Lowell but their principal forewoman was
not so fortunate, and hers is the story to be
chiefly recounted here. A woman rather
more than thirty years old, native OF Cana
d. and without a relative OF near friend in
the world upon whom she could call for ref
uge, this particular victim oil the Suspension
took the latter so bitterly to heart as to fall
dangerously sick from it, and go remained
during nearly two months. The physician
called to attend her by the people of her
boarding house had learned much of her en-
barrassing circumstances during his period of
professional ministrations, and, at the begin
| ming of her convalescence betrayed such
friendly sympathy that she freely told him all
her troubles. The expenses of ber long sick
ness had exhausted the small reserve fund
which she had been enabled to accumulate
before it. She knew not how she was to OBJ
tain renewed employment, penniless and com.
paratively foreign stranger as she was; and
the future looked so dark that, but for ap-
pearing ungrateful to her medical friend, she
might well wish she had died of the disease
now so nearly cured. Giving heed to this
CouuucuCc, tue SOOu uOclOr also remarked the
lady-like appearance and speech Of his pa
tient, and bluntly asked her if she would
"like 10 get married" Before the astonished
woman could collect her senses for an answer
he rapidly explained that the inquiry was not
in his own behalf-he being too old-but in
the interest Of a younger brother of his, who
having long had direction of certain mining
operations in remote part of Oregon, where
the society was almost exclusively masculine,
was desirous that he, the speaker, should per-
suade some poor but right-minded young
woman to enter into correspondence with
him, "with view 10 joining him in Oregon
and there becoming his wife," Observing
that his hearer seemed surprised at the unu
sual proposition, the doctor counseled her to
take common-sense view of her own help
less situation and prospects, remember that
the proposition came to her from an honora-
bic man in an honorable mans behalf, and at
least consent to receive letter from gentle
man in Oregon. In short, the invalid was
persuaded to allow her adviser to write to
to his adviser about her, and receive a
consequent epistle from that brother, written
In frank spirit Of manly appeal. She re-
sponded very shyly at first; and, by the time
when she was strong enough to leave her
room "for good" had consented to join her
unseen wooer in San Francisco, be married to
him there, and 60 with him from thence by
steamer to Oregon. The remainder of her
story is told by the Sacramento (Cal) Bee:
"When the conductor of one of the Central
Pacific trains took charge of his passengers
for the route from Truckee to Sacramento, he
noticed amongst them a lady-like person
seemingly travelling without escort, who,
after much hesitation, asked him if be would
not assist her in finding upon the arrival of
the train at its destination, gentleman
whose photograph she should show him.
Noting the officials look of ofssurprise at the
request, she became still more discOmposed,
and felt obliged to add that she had never
seen the pictured gentleman, nor had he ever
seen her; but that, nevertheless, they were
to be married Immediately, and hence the ne
cessity that some one should assist her in
identifying him st the depot, where he would
be waiting for her. 1t was the lady in fact,
for whose hand the Massachusetts doctor had
negotiated on his brothers behalf and she
had come overland from the East to marry
him. The conductor Chivalrously acceded to
the request of thespaibfully- pas
se1Ger, and was on the watch upon the front
platform when the train finally entered the
crowded depot. Scanning the many people
thronging about the cars to welcome friends,
he presently recognized the original of the
photograp ph in a well-dressed, sun Drowned
gentleman, who had the curious, anxious look
of one upon some intensely important quest
Him the conductor tapped upon the shoulder
as quickly as possible, interchanged terse
sentence with, and thenyobligingly ushered to
the seat occupied by the possessOr of the pic
ture. The meeting was as that OF brother
and sister; ard the two, after thanks to the
conductor, entered hack in waiting, drove
to the house of thenearest clergyman, and
were married.