Martinsburg Gazette And Public Advertiser

From the Philadelphia Saturday Bulletin.

A Bride in distress--An affecting object of charity was examined on Monday by the Mayor, in the person of a girl of seventeen years of age, who stated her name to be Rosa--e--, it is unnecessary to mention it. She came into the office a picture of poverty and desolation, having been found sleeping on one of the market stalls in the rain of Sunday night. The watchman stated that he found her in a sound sleep, though the clothing with which her body was scantily covered, was dripping wet. On rousing her she opened her eyes slowly, and was with difficulty got entirely awake, so much had she been overcome by the cold and rain. He inquired where she lived but received no satisfactory answer, though her behaviour was modest and respectful; and at his request she accompanied him to the watch house, where comfortable quarters were provided for her during the remainder of the night. Her appearance this morning presented the curious spectacle of a girl of seventeen, robust and blooming in health, without indications of a familiarity with crime of any kind, modest and retiring, yet covered with rags which bespoke the extremity of poverty. When asked how she came to be found in the street under the above circumstances, and what was her mode of life, she related, but not until great persuasion had been used to convince her that she must give assurances that she was not a common vagrant, some part of a history in which the romantic formed a very conspicuous half. She came from the neighborhood of Pittsburg, to meet a young man now in this city, between whom and herself there existed an engagement of marriage--which was to be consummated on her arrival here. They were both of humble but respectable parentage, he being engaged as clerk in a store here, with a salary sufficient to support them both, though his business prevented him leaving it to marry her at home. She had come on by appointment, about a week before, but had been robbed on the way, of every thing but the clothes she wore, including the small sum of money which her mother had given on leaving home. To add to her misfortune, she did not know where to find her lover, having lost the direction he gave her, though she remembered part of the merchant's name where he was employed. She had wandered up and down the streets for nearly a week, searching in vain for it, and had supported herself by pawning her clothes in exchange for the ragged suit she now wore, being unable to bring her mind to begging. Several nights she had found lodgings in houses of evil fame, but had escaped the pollutions which were practised in them. On Sunday night, driven to despair by her desperate situation in a strange place, having expended her last sixpence in paying for a lodging the night before, she lay down in the market house to sleep, not having tasted a mouthful the whole day. This relation excited the strongest sympathy among a considerable number of respectable persons who heard it, and a purse of twenty five dollars was immediately subscribed for her, with which to procure her new clothing, and pay her board for three weeks at a respectable house, while endeavors were made to find out the residence of her lover. When she was apprised of these liberal arrangements on her behalf, she was so overwhelmed with the unexpectedness of the relief, that her full heart relieved itself in a shower of tears. She said also, that she was unable to write, and could not therefore have informed her friends of her situation, and that she was afraid to communicate her story to any one here, lest she might be considered an impostor. Many rude and infamous proposals had been made to her by respectably dressed men in the street at night, but she had been preserved against them all. Since the above was written, suitable measures were taken to discover the young man, and on Tuesday afternoon he was found--the meeting between him and Rosa was of the most affecting kind, for he had been made acquainted with her sufferings and trials.--The same evening their vows were sealed forever on the hymeneal altar, and the sunshine of the present abundantly compensates them for the darkness of the past.