Year: 1876

and that she is my own dear, dear child.


Gould you but know,th anguish of .


mothers heart, separated IS am from
her child, seeing her every day and not
daring to acknowledge her, having her
climb into my lap and wipe the unbidden
tears from my eyes and kissing them
from my cheeks, pillowing her head upon
my bosom, and not daring to express =
mothers love in return-could you but
feel the same blighting anguish that I
then feel, you would, / think, pity and
compassionate me, and make me your
lawful wife in the sight Of man as am
already in the sight Of heaven and God.
Now l entreat you to let me take our
daughter and join you in California. I
am still young, not yet twenty-three
years old. To be sure. sorrow has some
what faded my cheeks, hut your presence
and that Of my child would soon make
them rosy again. My fathers estate is
now settled, and l am his only heir, and
have enough for US both during our nat
ural lives. With $4,000 you could cstab-
lish yourself in q business which in a
short time would make you Independent.
DO pray you, grant my request, and if
you will not marry me, then let me be
your mistress, as am in the sight of
heaven your wife. 1 was your mistress
oncc-had l not been I mi 9Th have been
your wife. In an unguarded hour, where
you threw all Of your seductive wiles
around me, and swore to make me your
wife, yielded and fell. was yonne
and trusting. loving with all woman's
heart and soul. worshiping you as my
idol, believing and placing implicit conf
dence in your word, trusting my honor
in your hands, and my destiny at your
disposal. True the world knows not of
my dishonor. The precautions you took
screened me from the eyes of the world.
Only three know that l am a mother
yourself, myself and the attending phys
ician. The people to whom you intrusr-
ed our Mary have been unable to fathom
the mystery and find out the mother of
their charge, nsr do they even know the
name Of its father. They have often
told me the full circumstances of their
receiving the child, the stipulation made
between you and them, and the punctual
receipt Of $l00 per year for its support
from California; but can give no clue to
her parentage. How oft have I been on
the point Of confessing all, but my oath
to you will keep. have of late had
strange, wild dreams. I dreamed that I
was forgotten, and that you were about
to marry another, and that I should
never see you again. Oh, tell me-say
it's nothing but a dream and that you
will fulfill your VOWS. How much have
suffered for you-how much endured.
Now do, l entrcat you let me have my
reward. Once more, l beg of you, let me
come to you, and make mo your wife
yes, your menial, and will bless YOU
and love you with all of a woman's fond
and ardent love. A few words in regard
to our child, and then I am done. She
is very interesting child; she has the
hair and eyes of her father her form is
perfect her features are perfect, and
Mrs. S -. told me one day, resembled
mine. How my heart throbbed! and it
was with superhuman effort that I
controlled my feelings sufficient to avoid
suspicion. She is most beautiful child.
Oh Eben, does not her fathers heart
sometimes yearn to see and clasp his
daughter IN his arms? Have you no de-
sire to see your Mary, your daughter
know you must. She is worthy Of an
honest name and an acknowledged father.
DO write me on the receipt of this, and
relative to my sorrowing heart. l have
had several offers of marriage, but re-
fused them all for I am yours and
yours alone. Do write, and l prav
and beg of you to acceed to nv wishes
and your promises. From your affec-
tionate and loving -. G..


is clear the poor, betrayed creature
who wrote the above was woman of in
telligence and some education. A sadder
case Of lifelong misery and anguish could
not be found. InYention could hardly
add circumstance of more dramatic pa.
thos to this real tragedy. For the credit
of human nature, it would be we'll if we
could say that the letter did melt the
heart of the person to whom it was
addressed. But unhappily, from the ev-
licences of another letter found with the
one copied above,'it is pretty certain
that the recipient did not at least imme-
diately comply with the petition urged
with such touching eloquence. The
finders of the letters identified the man
who received it with reasonable degree
Of certainty, and found him to be 4 team
ster and former resident of town in
Ohio directly opposite Wheeling, Virgin
ia, whence the letter was sent.


':ANUDDER MEMBAH OBJ DE LEGLS-


LATURE."


From the Atlanta Constitution J


A lean, hungry.looking darky debark-
ey from the Macon train yesterday after.
noon, and, With sslab-sided carpet.sack
dangling in his grasp, approached one Of
the negro hackmcn at the entrance of the