Story Of A Sister's Love

A few days ago I was at the State Prison at Sing Sing, where I heard the facts I am about to relate. They furnish as touching an instance of devotion as I have lately met, and they show us that in the humblest walks, even in the atmosphere of vice and crime, there may flourish some of the passions, that ought to win our charities and make us respect the poor.

A young man in Nova Scotia came to the city of New York and fell among thieves. He became the companion of criminals, perhaps a criminal himself. Cerlainly he was arrested on a charge of crime, was tried, convicted, and sent to the prison at Sing Sing.

His sister in Nova Scotia heard of the fate of her brother, and resolved to secure his deliverance from prison. She was only a servant girl, and her scanty purse was barely sufficient to defray her expenses through the ling journey to the city. When she reached New York, she learned that the only way to get her brother out of prison, was by pardon from the Governor of the State, and he was at Albany. She had no means to employ counsel to aid her in making the application, nor even the little that was necassary to pay her own way to the feet of the Governor. - She went to service in the city and worked faithfully till she had earned money enough to defray her expenses to Albany, and was soon there, a stranger, a young, unprotected woman, with no other recommendation than that of having a brother in the State Prison. She inquired the way to the house of the Governor, obtained an audience, and then with all the eloquence of love so long pent in he own bosom, she made known her request.- The Governor said that he must have some eason for granting the pardon, or he could not interfere!

"But my brother is an innocent man," said the girl, who had never for a moment indulged the thought that he could have been guilty of crime. The Governor wanted something more than her word for it, and giving her the small comfort of words of sympathy and kindess, sent her away to devise ways and means to prove the innocence of her imprisoned brother.

She returned to New York, and finding a place, again resumed her domestic service, and indefatigably labored, as time and opportunity allowed, to accomplish what was now he great end of her life. And what will not perseverance and love achieve! Hopeless as the attempt might appear, she found the men who composed the jury that convicted her brother, and obtained the names of every one of them to a petition setting forth mitigating circumstances in his case, and asking the interposition of clemency in his behalf. With this petition the devoled sister hurried to Albany, and full of hope, she presenled it to the Govemor. He was moved by the intensity of her purpose, and the ardent strength of her affection. But he still hesitated.

"Why," said she, "you must pardon my brother, I shall never leave you until you do. I shall stay just here and pray forever, and if wish me to go away you must pardon him, and I will bless you, and God will bless you the longest day you live." Her prayers and tears so far prevailed as to extort a promise that he would make inunedinle inquiries into the case, and if they were satisfactory he would transmit the pardon by a certain day, which he named, through the mail. to the prison at Sing Sing.

Once more the noble-hearted girl returns to her work, and waits for the slow weeks to wear away. but they flew faster when she thought that the time of her brother's liberty drew near. this was to be the reward of her toil, and suffering.

On the very day which the Governor had narned, the constant sister makes her appearance at the door of the prison ot Sing Sing and informs the keeper that she had come for her brother, who on that day was to be pardoned by the Governor. She was told that no pardon had been received. Her heart sank within her. Was she, after all, to be disappointed. "But the Governor said he would send it by the post, and it would be here today. He will keep his promise, I know he will." The keeper was struck with her appearance and deeply interested in her manner. Hoe told her to come in and he would send to the post-office. While the messenger was gone she walked the room in great agitation, trembling between hope and fear, and the word was brought that there was no pardon, she protested that it would come, and she should not leave the prison until it did. The kind-hearted keeper took her to his house and permitted her to stay there waiting the arrival of the Governor'e letter. The next day it came - the pardon came - and she embraced her brother free, and freed by his sister's sacrifice and love.

The pardon was accompanied by a letter from the Governor to the prisoner, urging him in strong and impressive language to conduct himself hereafter in a manner worth of the noble sister of whom he had reason to be proud, and whose self-denying and persevering efforts he was indebted for his liberty. The brother and sister, rejoicing in their reunion and the boon of freedom so toilfully won, took their way from the prison-house, and are doubtless now in some retirement, earning an honest livelihood.

I dwell with peculiar interest upon this instance of sisterly attachment. It teaches me not to only look to the refined and elevated circles of humanity for examples of pure and constant Iove. It tells me the poor and wretched have hearts, and that they are as keenly alive to pleasure and pain, as those in the more highly favored walks of life.