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DECEMBER 23, 1850. [NO. 26.

FICTION OUTDONE.

From the Boston Traveller of Friday.

The following little narrative of facts verifies the saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction." About six years ago, an Irish girl left her friends in the old country to try her fortune in the "States." She came to Boston, and has been for some time past employed as a "help" in the family of Mr. N. at the North End. She has repeatedly sent letters, and in several instances money, to her parents in Ireland; but during all this time she has received no answer to her letters, or heard from her folks, until quite recently, she received an answer to the last letter sent, that being the only one which ever reached its destination! By this epistle she was informed that her sister had followed her to this country, and had been in New York nearly four years.

On learning this fact, she determined at once to inform her sister of her whereabouts, and to extend an invitation to her to come to Boston. Being unable to write, she engaged the services of a female acquaintance to write the letter for her, and gave her ten dollars to enclose in the letter, for her sister, to defray her expenses. The acquaintance wrote the letter; but instead of sending the money, and with it the invitation to visit this city, she pocketed the $10 and wrote word that Ann (the sister residing here) was some time since, very sick, and had to be sent to the hospital, where as no one had ever been permitted to see her, she had doubtless died! She added, furthermore, that the last place Ann had worked at was Mr. N—'s, naming the place and number, and offering if the sister desired it, to get her things and send them to her parents. The New York girl was sadly grieved on receiving this letter; she had sent letters to Boston, and other places, in hopes Ann would get one of them, but none had ever reached her. But now considering her sister dead, she wrote directly to N—, requesting him to forward to her such things as had belonged to her sister. This letter was duly received, and caused some surprise in the family of Mr. N—, but owing to a little misunderstanding between him and the girl, as to which should return an answer, a delay of a few days was occasioned.

In the mean time Ann's sister began to have a strong desire to come to Boston and see if she could not learn some of the particulars relative to the sickness and death of Ann, or at least to see her grave. Accordingly, a day or two after she had sent her letter to Mr. N—, she left New York and came here, and went directly to his house and rang the door bell. It so happened that her sister did not go to the door. She enquired of the person who opened the door, "Does Mr. N— live here?"

The individual replied in the affirmative, and noticing the strong resemblance existing between the two girls, asked her if she was Ann's sister. "Yes. where is she?"

"She is up stairs—please come in."

"But is she alive?—is she dead?—tell me is she dead?" cried the excited girl, as she came into the house; and while the attendant went in search of Ann, the sister was compelled to yield to the severe shock she had received in being so suddenly informed that Ann was alive, and sank fainting to the floor, where Mrs. N—, who heard her groans, found her as she came down to enquire the cause.

The meeting of the sisters may be better imagined than described. The one from New York returned home last Tuesday.

A word of advice:—When persons who cannot write wish to send letters and money to their friends across the Atlantic they should see the letters written, the money enclosed, and then deposit them in the post-office themselves.