L[ydia] Maria [Child] ALS to Louisa Loring, May 29, 1843

beauties around Boston. I thank you for all your
kindness to my adopted; not that I take it to myself
for his own merits are sufficient, even without the claims
of his excellent father; but he has been so good and
kind to me, and seems so much as if he were really
my son, that I thank everybody who makes him happy.
I know few people wh scatter so many flowers in the paths
of all they meet, as John. A few weeks ago, business (and
that, too, was an errand of kindness) led him to the Tombs.
There he saw a young and very pretty girl, weeping and
sobbing, surrounded by the vilest and filthiest of woman-
kind. He soothingly inquired her history. She told him
she was a country girl, from the neighborhood of Rock-
land Lake, and her mother was a widow. That she
had been tempted by love to run off with an unsteady
young fellow, who promised to marry her, as soon as
they arrived in the city. He took decent lodgings for
her, but did not keep his promise. Afer living with him
a few months, he still promising to marry her, he suddenly
disappeared, and left her without money, to pay the rent as
she could. She tried hard to get employment, but could not.
A vile woman took advantage of her desolation and distress,
and coaxed her into her establishment. She had been there
but a week or two, when the whole posse were taken
by the police, on account of some row among their guests,

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Angelina Grimké dined here while I was gone to Northampton. She defends the
gallows from Scripture, and is a flaming Millerite. So much for marrying a
Presbyterian!

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