Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-06-05
The Actor and The Magdalen.

On one of the very foggy nights Of No
vember. as Charles Young was stepping out
of the stage door of Coyent Garden theatre,
on his way home lin such weather he pre-
ferred braying the perils Of the trottoir on
foot to those of the pave in hackney
eoach). he heard the link-boy, whose aid ON
such nights was Indispensable. apply abu-
sive epithets to one of the many Circes who
used to hang on the skirts of the great
theatres. and saw him push her rudely
aside into the gutter. Young angrily re-
monstrated with him on his unmaniy vlo-
lence. and turned to look at the object ot hI>
iil-usage. She bore herself 50 meekly, and
cast 50 50 sad and deprecating look at
him. that he called her TO his side, snatehed
the link from the boy, and bade him follow,
while he spoke to her. The direct and art
less way in which she replied TO his queS-
tions. the difiidence of her manners, and the
plaiutive accents of her voice, encouraged
him to hope that she was not yet so hard
ened in vice as to be irreclalmable; that, IN
short. she had been the reluctant victim OF
circumstances rather than volunteer in the
way of sin. He gave her Il half-erown and
his card at the same time with his address, J.,
and in vited her to come to him, the mex
morning. at 10 o'clock. She cOurtesied her
acknowledgements. and forthwith vanished
in the fog. The link-bov resumed his torch
and his office, and, casting a familiar grim be-
hind him, preceded his employer, and plo-
neered him safely home.
At the hour appointed on the following
morning the young woman made her ap-
pearance. The particulars OF the interview
never heard pass from my fathers lips' IN
fact, the poor Magdalen's errors were never
once alluded to by him to any one From
what know of her story, rs told me forty
wears ago by friend of her own, she was IN
the first instance blameless FOR she was no
consenting party to her own un doing Out
RACED by villain, whose state ment 1t was
her father interest to prefer to .lers he was
the squire of the village in wh ich she had
been born, and was her fathers landlord)
she was disowned, thrust from the door, and
flung penniless upon the streets.
As soon as Young, after rigid inquiry, hcd
verified her statements, he offered to insure
her against penury, if she would promise to
retire to some secluded spot and try to EN-
ploy her remaining days usefully and virtu-
ously. For rwo-and-thirty years-in short,
until the day of her death-her annuity was
paid to her quarterly, without fail She
settled in a neat little cot in Bakewell, in
Derbyshire, where she led not only n most
respectable but most useful life for, out
of Ter own slender pittance, she always
found something to spare for those still poor
er than herself; and wherever sickness or
sorrow entered, in that house was she a
willing and welcome visitant. So pru-
IDENTIFY did she administer the funds at her
disposal, that she not only died owing no
man anything, but left upward of twenty
pounds behind her to defray her funeral ex-
penses. The last act of this poor Magda-
lens life was to raise her emaciated hands
and invoke blessing on her benefactor's s
head.-Julian Young's Recoliections.