Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1884 — Margaret Fuller. [ARTICLE]

Margaret Fuller.

The great dream of Margaret’s life was realized in 1846, when at last the opportunity came for her to visit Europe. She passed some time in England and Scotland, meeting Wordsworth, Dean Milman, Chalmers, De Quincey, the Carlyles, Harriet Martineau, Joanna Bailie, and other famous people. Then she went to France, and from there to Italy, reaching Rome in May, 1847. She spent several months in excursions to other Italian cities, returning to the Eternal City in October, where she remained, barring a short absence now and then, until May, 1850. During this .period she married privately the young Italian nobleman, Ossoli, with whom she appears to have fallen in love at sight, and in due time a child was born to them, that occurrence being kept a secret. Those were stirring days in Rome—-the days of Mazzini and Garibaldi, of the republic and the French invasion. Margaret was enlisted heart and soul in the patriotic cause, and when the city was invested she acted as superintendent of one of the hospitals, rendering admirable, untiring, and effective service. So great seemed the danger at one time that she sent for the American Minister, Lewis Cass, and disclosed to him the fact of the marriage, and that she had a child, asking that, in case of her death, certain important documents which she gave him should be sent to her family in America. On the next day, however, military operations ceased, and she and her husband left Rome, took their boy from his hiding place at Rieti, and made their way to Florence. There they spent the winter, and on the 17th of May succeeding they set sail for New York. Various things detained them here and there, and it was not until the evening of the 18th of July that the ship Elizabeth, on which they were passengers, sighted the Jersey coast. An early arrival in the city was promised, and everybody retired in good spirits, having made all arrangements to go on shore in the morning. The rest is best told briefly. At 4 o’clock on the 19th the ship struck on Fire Island beach, and the passengers sprang from their berths, only too sure what the shock meant. Margaret would not be separated from her husband or child, though promised escape with her life if she would go; and the three died together, the body of the child only., being recovered after the catastrophe. — St. Louis Globe-Democrat.