Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-04-18

ment of manner that surprised me- LII
was next to impossible to believe That
she could be doing the work OF COM
mon washerwoman. Alas, | had not
then the experience | have acquired
since, of what well-reared women may
be reduced to by distress, when exiles
| in foreign country. The porch door
opened into the parlor, and we went IN.
1t was tidily, nay, lastly furnished, with
such articles as sojournefs IN San Fran
cisco would most readily procure. A
| fresh mating covered the floor. Some
cane-seated chairs, and d round table,
stood about the room. Beside, there
was a set of hanging shelves, trimmed |
| with fringe. and plenty Of little orna-
ments and souvenirs, bespeaking home
friendship and loving parting gifts from
| the other side Of the continent All
| this, and the woman's gentle manner,
and really pretty face, seemed more and
more at variance with her hard calling,
but one sees these anomalies in new
country. as California was then. | came
to the conclusion that, whatever circum-
stances had rendered it necessary for
Mrs. Adds to work in the way she did,
thew had no power to destroy her natu-
raj refinement of mind with its old as
sociations.
| "You must excuse my little people,
if YOU please she went on to say.
"Thev are like frightened hares, and
iv for shelter at the sight of a strange
face; indeed, we are none of US strong
just now, though we are gaining health
daily. All, except Nancy, my eldest,
have had a long, weakening fever"
" Panama. | suggested.
"No," shesaid, and shuddered little,
speaking slowly; ait was nervous
fever. [ am Just recovering from it my
self, having had the most heightened
attack Of the three"
And then l remembered that Mr..
Evans had mentioned ia nervous
fever.
"What caused it ?" I asked.
But to this question Mrs. Adds made
no answer. An unmistakable shiver
passed over her frame, and for the mo-
ment l thought she was going to faint.
g ~ beg your pardon she said. 81
have been much shaken in the nerves
Jared and worried. do hope-I dc
trust that we shall all get we'll in time
now we are in this pleasant and peace
full house."
perhaps the house you lived in be
fore was damp"
"No, don't think it was damp;
was not that she said; at was OF
Russian Hill
"Unhealthy, perhaps, in other ways.
eyes. Unhealthy-for us,n-an'
there ensued the shiver again. "Abou
the work, ma'am, what is it you wis
- me TO do?'
sat and told her. Ipartook of som
refreshment that they offered me
mouthful of lunch and some tea. An
[ came away strangely interested i
Mrs. Adds and her gentle childrer
and quite determined that that frs
visit should not be the last.
"What is the mystery connected wit
her illness ?' l asked Mr.. Evans when
next saw him. "There seems to /
one"
at certainly does seem to be a my
terry; one, I believe, that nobody ca
lie! explain, or account for" was the repl
of Mr.. Evans. ~ dare say she wi
give you the history if you request it,
And in due time l detained that hi
mt tory, and transcrioe it as it was told I
~. me, neither adding to it nor takir
il. from it.
ra- across the continent were so very dal
DIV gerous and confortless that, like tt
nv man who had choice of two road
els travellers were sure to wish they ha
en- taken the contrary one. The lengt
lat ened horrors of Cape Horn, the India
las perils on the plains, and the fearf
w: fever on the Isthmus, gave amp
ess themes for sympathy, curiosity, ar
IL. Al ho1
at by the Isthmus, and her voyage w
nd marked by an all-absorbing sorrow, tn
aid swallowed up every smaller consider
by ton of discomfort and annoyance-t
asst death of her husband.
a Mr.. Adds had been teacher all /
sed life. Breaking down in health al
spirits, as those who have much to {
l;v. with the Young sometimes do, he b;
led undertaken the journey to California
mo recruit his strength, and also in t.
the hope that he might find there sor
ian more profitable and less mentally labo
was Gus occupation. He died just as tn
adj came in view Of Acapulco, and
su- buried there, far from nome a,
,sd kindred. Poor Mrs. Adds came ashc
ern with an aching heart, but strong spin
bar resolved to labor for the living of
had | cnlIureu, bH0 YOUNGEST Vi luclA hSd
Gus an infant, rather than. undertake t
for voyage home again. Her father b
she been poor clergyman; she had
no friends in her native land capable of
ater sisting her, and would not go back
be burthen On them. When one
su- to lose caste and work for a living, ii
ICED less hard to the mind to do It il
strange place. She did not know
INK work would be quite so mental, hat
had put her shoulder to the wheel 6
for took what came.
ter At first nothing offered; perhaps
ST. visions were too high. She could o
alIv- clasp her three children to her he
not and pray to be helped to provide
are them, not to die of starvation.
nil. Evans, who had been one of her fell
he'd passengers on board the Sierra Neva
lied that had brought them up from
had Pacific, and who had seen her husb
With laid to rest in Mexican soil, was v
s,,r. kind to her in her desolation.
n Or Washing was paid for well in
reen place, for washer-women were sea