Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-03-28
The Passengers OF Ferry-boat Moved
to Tears---A Young Mothers Blight
ed Life. s4-sf.
From the New York Graphic.

From the New York Graphic.
| A little Italian woman, with a ehilG
in her arms, hurried through the gate
of the Roosevelt street terry-house
last evening, and moment later was
scarcely discernible in the dark shad
0w of the corner in which she. sought
shelter. She was lily clad, and the
major portion of the thin, bright-color-
ed shawl that covered her head and
shoulders was wrapped lovingly about
the babe in her arms. Her dress OF
calico was worn, faded, and patched in
places until the original pattern was
little more than a patch itself; yet
there were no tattered ends, no rags.
The child nestled close to the mother
and babbled in a subdued manner
scarcely audible few feet away.
When the boat entered the slip the
mother was the first to go on board.
Well dressed men and women, and
children clothed in garments of rich
warm texture, filled the cabins, and
the little Italian woman attracted no
attention. but remained crouched in
the further corner of the forward
cabin, probably unseen by more than
the two or three personss immediate
ly surrounding her. Hardly had the
boat left the slip when the chatter in
cident to a public conveyance was ar
rested by the singing of the first lines
of the ballad, Kathleen Mavourneen."
A moment later men ceased reading
their papers and listened. All eyes
were turned to the insignificant figure
in the dark corner. When the last
words had been sung, perfect storm
of applause was given. and in return
the woman sang one of her own native
airs, ballad plaintiye and touching,
of one whose home and friends were
far away, while she, the child-widow,
mournfully called on the sea to give
back her dead. Her voice was mar
yellously sweet aud clear, and the air,
rendered as it was with subdued stress,
was very effective. Several women
sobbed aloud, while there were not a
few men present who coughed sus-
piciously and turned their faces aside
for a moment, using their handker-
chiefs very energetically. That woman
left the cabin richer by score of dol
lars, for as she glided through the
crowd with outstretched palm bank
notes and loose change were pressed
into her hand in lieu of the pennies
usually cast to mendicants, for she was
but beggar. She related her story
subsequently to gentleman, who made
inquiry into her life. She was educa-
ted for a public singer in her native
city, Genoa. Her father was chorister
of popular church. Four years ago
she fell in love with an American who
was visiting Genoa Her father op-
posed the attentions of the tourist,
who he said was dissipated. 1t was the
old story from that point. She fled
with her lover, and few months later
he deserted her. By selling her jewel
ry she paid an emigrant passage to
New York. Her baby was born on
board the ship. She had searched
the streets for the man she believed
was her husband until she had no hope
left. Even if she found him he might
repulse he:. Her baby was sick, and
in devoting herself to its care she had
lost her work. Now she was beggar.
No, she would not give her name; her
friends should never know her
fate.