Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-30
ECHOES OF BETTER DAYS.
The NstiOnRl Capital as n Ref0gt
for the Unfortunate,

letter to the Courler-JOurnal
Washington seems to be the
tomb where thousands come to
bury their griefs and misfortunes.
The "has beens" form a large
class in this city. An old man, q
grandson Of Patrick Henry, was a
doorkeeper in the treasury a few
years ago. l think the great pat
riot, Boutwell,, dismissed him, as he
did the daughters of Chief Justice
Taney and Robert j. Walker, on
account of their distinguished re.
lationship. No wonder that SO
poor specimen Of manhood and
craftsmanship should feel a grudge
against those who were better born
and bred than himself. What a
happy relief it will be to the coun-
try when it is rid of all such as
Boutwell, & Co.
A great grand daughter of
Thomas Jefferson writes in the de-
partment Of the interior. Mrs.
Wilcox, who was born in the White
House and educated in Berlin,
translates in three languages for the
postofiice. Girls who graduate in
the blooming month of June, and
who thought they had nothing left
to do but dance and be merry until
they were ready to marry and settle
down, have outgrown their youth
full enthusiasm and are content to
toll on in the departments if they
have the good fortune to retain
their places SO long, until old age
overtakes them, when they hope
that friends will give them a decent
burial. Confinement in ill-venti-
lated rooms has consumed their
beauty, and there are no thoughts
of conquest now to cheer and illu-
mine the dark future.
Y have recently been told a
strange story concerning a woman
who is toiling in this city. She
says that she belongs to the nobil-
ity of England, but eloped from
her home with a man beneath her
station in life. She was discarded
by her parents, but upon the death
Of her mother the family diamonds
(hcirlooms) were left to her. With
her husband and diamonds she
came to America, and her husband
enlisted during the war in New
Jersey regiment. She, with her
three boys, were all living at the
navy-yard in this city, at the close
Of the war. 0neeyening she sat at
her door, listening to her eldest boy,
who was singing. A stranger on
horseback rode up to the door and
accosted her. He said he was at.
tracted by the fine voice of the boy,
and would like to take him to Eu.
rope to be educated. She refused
the offer, but the man fingered and
learned her name and history. The
next day her child disappeared.
When she comes to this part of her
story we have a picture of a moth
er's anguish at the mysterious loss
of her child. She succeeded in
tracing up the man to a regiment
under General Burnside, who did
all he could to have the man ar
rested. The navy department
also became in measure interest
ed, But the woman was poor, and
soon all interest in her troubles died
out. She was now SO poor that she
tpawned her diamonds. Then she
Tell Ill, and was for a long time de-
liriouS. When she recovered she
was told that her second boy was
dead and buried. She went to the
pawnbrokers to inquire after her
diamonds, and they too had disaps
peared. She suspected an English
cousin to be the author of her mis-
fortunes, for her boys stood between
him and the English estates. So
convinced was she that she was the
victim of treachery that she caused
the new made grave Of her boy to
be opened, and the coffin was found
empty Those who stood between
her children and vast estates are
dead and the cousin has taken pos.
session, Her third boy is vet A