Year: 1859

lhlS Is all L nave TO say, Gilbert JhOrne
| all the reckoning ! come to make, and now, =
slowly rising, " may the great God through
the interceSsion of Him whose nativity the
ceremonies of this night commemorate keep
you aud yours from all evil and harm, and not
visit the sins of the fathers upon the chill
dren."


As she said this she had risen to her full
height, and her upturncd face was lit with a
radiance which it had never known before.


Oh 4! Jenny, Jenny" groaned Gilbert
Thorne, throwing himself at her feet "for
Gods sake curse me. Do not say you forgive
me. This is my punishment | see it all
now"


Colbert Thorne," she rejoined, and deadly
pallor oVerSpread her features, this is no
time for impiety my carriage is waiting, and
| must go. | have said all that | have to say:
but kneel with me one little moment that !
may intercede for You"


Her voice was sngularly distinct, but very
soft and low, and faint tremors ran through
her frame. The strong man was bowed he
knelt beside the Outcast, and she, whom all
men revied, offered up for him petition to
the Throne of Mercy, which was taken up by
angels and borne to Him who suffereth not a
sparrow to fall to the ground unheeded. The
words of that prayer dwell ever in the mem
ory of Gilbert Thorne, Tears came back to
him as when a child. The agony of the strong
man, bowed, pen may not describe In vain he
pressed her to stay. In vain he told her that
the house and all was hers that he would
go forth, and leave her to her possessions ::
that he would work as a galley slave. any
thing to make up for the wrong which he had
done.


She only said "Io0 Lqie, too Late All is
prepared for my departure, and | must not,
cannot stay. We part now, Gilbert Thorne,
and let it be quickly over. Good bye !" And
she took his hand in both of hers and pressing
it once only to her heart, glided from the
room. Once she only turned TO look back as
she threaded the dimly lighted hall once
only she paused, and through the open library
door she saw the lawyer, with cenched hand
against his forehead, and heaving breast,
standing in resolution and agony, combating
the impulse which bade him follow her here,
ever she went, and snatch her from fate
which was already half foreshadowcd in his
mind.


She opened the street door, and as the cold
wind rushed in, wrapping her frail form in its
Clllll GlnUl dHl HIOdIiHS tlIOupU JuS 1dII, II
seemed to seek to drive her back again, say
ing eco not forth 90 not forth" A moment
only she paused, while her shudderng frame
had need Of all its resolution to urge her
forth into the desolate night Perhaps, in that
brief moment, standing in the half open door,
looking out upon the falling snow, she had a
lingering hope that a kindly hand might be
laid upon her shoulder, drawing her back from
the fell purpose on which she was bent But
no protecting hand came at the last moment,
to detan her; no sympathetic voice to bid her
stay. She closed the door, and forth into the
deSolate storm she went, ont into the bitter
night amid the drifting snow and ptilcsS
winds, leaving blessing upon the threshold,
which she was never to rccrOsS again, for him
who had been the cause of all her ruin.


On the 9th of December, 1855, the daily
papers of the great metropolis contained
among their city items the following announce
ment :


DEATH FROM INTEMPERANCE AND ExrosrRE.-Christ
morning Officer SayeS, while patroing his beat az
break found partly covered in the the steps
of house in Fifth avenue the body of abandoned
man. commonly called Wild Jen but whose real is
supposed TO have been Jenny Irwin.


She taken to the deadhouse where an inquest was





She is supposed to have lost her way in the storm while
returning intoxicated from reve the previous night
and becoming bewildered and chilled, sought refuge on
the steps where found She will be buried in Potters
Field"


Thus ended the life of Jenny Irwin.
X
1t boots not now to record the secret salts
faction which mingled with the remorse of
Gilbert Thorne, as reading his morning paper
over the rich breakfast service, he learned for
the first time the fate of Jenny Irwin The
world thrveS well with him : honors and
riches wait his every step. They talk of ma
king him a Judge, and if they do, as they
doubtless will, it requires great gift of proph-
ccy to write his future life


The ermine will fit him gracefully and well,
10 tie world his judgments will be clear, and
impartial, and fair, TO The 1cOyld his actions
will be above reproaCh, to hc 1rord ; he will
he a constant church-goer and a devout Chris
tian, 10 the world, he will write book upon
some hackneyed subject of the law, which shall
TO the 1cord appear very profound and learned,
and then, after not many years, he will die
The courts will be closed ont of respect for his
memory for it is meet that Justice should
pause to weep when a good man dies. His
distinguished brethren of the bench will meet
in solemn cOnclave, and pass Resolutions" OF
coincidence with his afflicted family, expressive
also Of their high sense of his public and pri-
vate worth, and of the irredeemable loss 10
the country. There will be meeting of the
Bar, over which the distinguished Judge " will
be called TO preside" That bright luminary
and celebrated advocate, David Little, Esq
will pronounce his stereotyped eulogy Coun-
sellor SIasher will recall some happy reminis
cence of the departed greatness, aud will tell
how he knew him intimately and well, and
that he held it among the proudest recoIcc-
tions of his life to have been the friend of such
a man" The head of the great firm of Drag
on, Bully & Dunn, the great special pleader,