The Public.
Miss Greenfield embarked from New York in a British steamer, for England, April 6th, 1853, and arrived at Liverpool the 16th of April, 1853; rested over the Sabbath, and proceeded Monday morning to London, in which metropolis she became safely domiciled on the evening of the same day.
But painful trials awaited her from a quarter the most unexpected. The individual with whom she had drawn up the contract for this musical tour was unfaithful to his promises, and she found herself abandoned, without money and without friends, in a strange country.
She had been told Lord Shaftsbury was one of the great good men of England, and she resolved to call upon him in person and entreat an interview,—his lordship immediately granted her request, listened patiently to her history, and directly gave her a letter of introduction to his lawyer.
The following letter from one of her early friends in Buffalo, will relate some of the incidents of her trial:
Buffalo, July 29th, 1853.
Friend Elizabeth,—I have just received your letter of the 25th, and we are all pleased to hear of your good health and improvement in music. I have received two letters before from you, the first with your likeness, and the other with the box of presents for Julia Palmer, and the children, all of whom were much pleased with them.
My health has not been good this summer, and when I have thought of writing to you, my mind has been so confused that I found it impossible to say on paper what I wanted to. I know you must think strange of it, but I know, too, that you will not think we have forgotten you, or that we have ceased to feel a deep interest in your welfare, and future success.
I think Mr. —— is not acting right by you, and I wish you had some disinterested friend to stand by you and make him do as he ought. I received a letter yesterday from Mr. Spooner. He says Antonio has returned to New York, and tells bad stories of ——
If they are true, you ought to call him to account, —— Antonio says —— would not advance you money to pay your doctor’s bill,—this he had no right to refuse, whether you have made money or not; and if he refuses to advance you any thing which you require for your health, comfort, or respectability, he breaks the contract, and you are at liberty to do better if you can.