g my fashionable
acquaintances, would associate with an impoverished and deserted wife?
Not one. Furious at Livingston's treatment of me, I resolved to follow
him, even unto the end of the earth, in order to avenge my wrongs. By
careful inquiry, I learned that he had taken his departure for the
western part of the state of Pennsylvania. You will hardly credit it,
but it is God's truth, that being without money to pay travelling
expenses, I actually set out _on foot_, and travelled through New Jersey
until I reached this city. I subsisted on the road by soliciting the
hospitality of the farmers, which was in most cases grudgingly and
scantily bestowed, for _benevolence_ is not a prominent characteristic
of the New Jersey people,[F] and besides, there was certainly something
rather suspicious in the idea of a well-dressed woman travelling on
foot, and alone. On my arrival here in Philadelphia, I found myself worn
out and exhausted by the fatiguing journey which I had performed. Having
called upon some kind Quaker ladies of whose goodness I had often heard,
I told them my sad history, which aroused their warmest sympathies. They
placed me in this apartment, paid a month's rent in advance, purchased
for me the articles of furniture which you see, and obtained for me some
light employment. I worked industriously, and almost cheerfully, my
object being to earn money enough to carry me to Pittsburg, in Western
Pennsylvania, where, I have reason to believe, the villain has located
himself.

"In my moments of leisure, I longed for some means of recreation; for I
saw no company, and was very lonesome. So I wrote on to New York, and
through the agency of a kind friend, had my harp sent out to me here,
the rest of my poor furniture being presented to that friend. Then did
the divine charm of music lighten the burden of my sorrows. One
circumstance rather discouraged me: I found that with the utmost
industry I could not earn more than sufficient to pay my rent and other
necessary expenses, although I lived frugally, almost on bread and
water, except on Sundays, when I would manage to treat myself to a cup
of tea. You may smile at these trifling details, my dear friend, but I
mention them to show you the hardships and privations to which poor
women are often exposed. My landlady, who keeps the grocery store down
stairs, is a coarse, vulgar, hard-hearted woman; and, when I was thrown
out of employment in consequence of the hardness of