Poor Miss Finch

olungo pres

an Event which occurred in an out-of-the

rs; a skilled surgeon; and a curious foreign woman. I am the curious foreign woman.

r. Good. I may make myself kno

hich is of no consequence to anybody) with some experience of the world; with a cultivated musical talent on the pianoforte; and with a comfortable little fortune unexpectedly bequeathed to me by a relative of my dear dead mother (wh

rriage. Having become man and wife, Doctor Pratolungo and I took ship to Central America - and

sence, when I met with him in Paris - the picture of heroic poverty, with a brown complexion and one lame leg. Who could avoid falling in love with such a man? I was proud when he proposed to devote me on the altar of his adopted country, as well as himself - me, and my money. For, alas! everything is expensive in this world; including the destruction of tyrants and the saving of Freedom. All my money went in helping th

England. The affairs of Centr

de a sad little paragraph in the English newspapers - if the end had not come in another way. My poor Pratolungo was in truth worn out.

, with recommendations: and encountered inconceivable disasters in the effort to earn a living honorably. Of all the wealth about me - the prodigal, insolent,

hillings, and fourpence in my purse; with my fervid temper, and my republican principles - and with absolutely

own independence by her own work, do? She takes three and sixpence ou

shment in Lyons. At another time, I had been bedchamber-woman to a great lady in Paris. But in my present situation, these sides of myself were, for various reasons, not so presentable as the pianoforte side

wspaper, to enjoy the pride of

knowing it. I had advertised myself as "accomplished musical companion for a lady. With cheerful temper to match." And there above me was my unknown necessitous fellow-creature, crying out in printers' types:-"Wanted, a companion for a lady. Must be an accomplished musician, and have a cheerful temper. Testimonials to capacity, and first-rat

eloped himself in mystery. It seemed to be a professional habit

of the house. Her father had married a second time. Having only the young lady as child by his first marriage, he had (I suppose by way of a change) a large family by his second marriage. Circumstances rendered it n

had a sudden inspiration

e next at the piano, and reproduce the music morsel by morsel, by ear. A professor was appointed to pronounce sentence on me, and declare if I could be trusted not to misinterpret Mozart, Beethoven, and the other masters who have written for the piano. Through this ordeal I passed with success. As for my references, they s

arted for my visi

oung lady's father - described on his card as Reverend Tertius Finch. The chaise was to take me to the rectory-house in the v

e English village, and live a life as monotonous as the life of a sheep on a hill? Ah, with all my experience, I had yet to learn that the narrowest human limits are wide enough to contain the grandest hum