Year: 1876

| THE following story is contributed to
the Chicago Tribune, with the assurance
by the writer that it is true in every par
ticular:


Her name was Mary Tobin. AS there
is nothing in this history Of which. she or
her children should ever be ashamed, the
facts are given precisely as they occurred
The writer does not know what was
Marv's birthplace in Ireland, nor the
year when she WIS born. 1t must have
been a year or two previous to 1880


When twelve or thirteen years cid, she
came to this country with an older sister,
who married a man that had the position
of chief teamster of detachment of SOL
diers then stationed at Brooklyn, n. Y.


After remaining with her sister, the
only relative she had in this country, for
some months, Mary accepted service with
a gentleman by the name of Cloves, then
living few miles west of Charlottesville,
in Sullivan County, N. Y. He was
widower, and his aged mother kept house
for him. The young and ignorant Irish
girl did not perform at all TO her liking :;
and yet as it would cost considerable to
get her back to her sister in Brooklyn,
the venerable matron did not know exact
ly what to do with the girl. AT this time,
a gentleman from Orange County, on his
way in buggy to visit friends in Lum-
berland, having a slight acquaintance
with NJ. Cloves, stopped for a few mo-
mcntS to have a chat. When about to
start, remembering the injunction of the
madame to bring back housemaid if he
could find one on his journey, he askel
Mr.. Cloves if there was anyone in the
neighborhood that could be had for that
service. Mr.. Cloves referred the gentle
man to his mother, who at once agreed
that Mary should return with him. The
good dame, however, could only recon-
mend Mary as bright and honest; but she
was almost totally ignorant Of our Ameri-
can way of doing things.


In the course of week the gentleman
returned, and Mary found herself installed
as the maid -of-all-work in the family OF
the Principal of one of the academies in
Orange County. She was then scarcely
sixteen, but rather large OF her age, with
light hair, rosy cheeks, bright, sparkling
blue eyes, graceful for one so utterly un-
cultivated; and every feature, and her
sweet, CHEEKY voice, all told at once that
she was one of the very best specimens of
an Irish lass that the "Gem of the Sea"
could possibly send us. She was, i'll fact,
very promising, pretty girl. But Esther,
the old maid cook to whose care Mary was
committed for some needed instruction in
that department, had no patience with her
ignorance; and the disgust of the ancient
dame knew no bounds when, having
given her pupil some potatoes to wash,
she saw Mary, with her bare feet, tread
ing them in the tloor-pail half full of
water. Esther's ridicule made the poor
child sad enough; but it broke no bones,
and her buoyant, cheerful nature soon re-
covered its wonted vivacity. 1t was vaca-
ton; the family numbered but four;
Esther became sick, and the madame was
forced, with the assistance of Mary, to
prepare meals, and to get along as best
she could. She soon found that her new
girl needed showing but once, that she
was active, anxious and quick TO learn,
and, when Esther returned TO duty, Mary
was nearly as well qualified for the duties
of queen of the kitchen as the more aged
and pretentious dame, who had shown so
little good sense and patience in instruct
ing her. In "a month or two, Esther's
health again failed, and Mary was duly
installed as cook in her place.


In this position she did faithful and ex-
cellent service for year or more, when
she petitioned her friends for the privil-
ege of going to school-acting as assistant
housemaid morning and evening, to pay
for her board. She had already learned
to read and write, and now commenced
with the elementary branches in good
earnest. She made rapid progress for a
year, when the Principal of the Academy
changed his location, and Mary spent a
year with his sister at Barryville. in Sui
livan County. She then became mem
Der of the family with whom she first
lived, and entered Chester Academy, earn
ing her board, as before, by service in the
family. Her classmates were the daugh-
tiers of the leading citizens of Orange
County, by whom she was always treated
with the greatest respect. Her beauty,
her cheerful, merry heart, her wit, and
genuine lady-like bearing, and withal,
her rapid progress in her studies, shielded
her perfectly from any sights on account
of her humble position. Indeed, she was
a general favorite in the school.


In her examination in all her studies
no one acquitted herself better than Mary
Tobin; and, at the closing exercises,
when compositions were in order, for
purity and simplicity of style, beauty of
thought and expression, Mary's was re-
ceived with marked applause, and, in
fact, was far better than the performance
of any of her associates.


A most important change now occurred
in Mary's personal history. She had re-
jected several offers Of marriage, as, with
true, loyal Irish affection, she intended to