American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-07-12
FOR THE WATERMAN.
THE SNOW STORM.
Content with poverty, my soul I arm,


And virtue, though in rags, should keep Inc warm
great portion of the world but the sunny side of
the pic ure of life 1t seems disposition natural to man,
his situation by that of his sperors fortune
and hence the bterest complaints often heard from
lips which ought to be full Of praises to the great Source
of all good for the multiplied mercies which ever
oneing to them Did the thousands who complain in the
midst Of plenty visit those abodes of Indebtedness which
the measure Of human misery full; where grief sits
perpetual guest, and the bghtng hand of daily actnn
is pressing heavily where poverty a constant visitor
where pain is twined with every gament of existence
where life is burden, and death more horrible than
the drcary waste Of life they to witness these, they
would back in astonshmen and wonder that in the
immuabe DEGREES of fate their lot had been cast amid
and circumstances widely distant from those of
misery and am led to these remarks by incident
witnessed in the year 1820-and, gentle reader if thou
art in that happy mediocrity of life which prevents
thee from the Indulgence of luxurious and cenous plea
surcs with sufficient to guard thee against the unwelcome
intrusons of that haggard visitor povertyearn to be
contents for, if thou art christian thou art more to be
Wed than the ornamenied tenemens of human majesty 1t
dark and bitter night in the month of February,
in the above toned year, as ourneyng from the
town of c. 10 u village miles distant to take
route attempted to cross almost rackless Forest
and lost my way. Wandering from hill TO hill at times
climbing huge rocks which lifted their bald heads above
The Ell OF the thick pnes scarcely visible, and then de-
cendng into deep gens, where darkness reigned in hor
rid silence and the fallen leaves only startled by the
sudden trampe OF some nocturnal anna-aernately rs
ing from deep to lofty SUBMITS became exhaus
ted and was preparing seek shelter amid the awful
precpce Of rocks that surrounded when my eye
ATTEMPT eXtricate myself followed and found it sta
tonsryand in a short time was at the door of forest
cottage My first appeal to the humanity of its inmates
answered by sweet and plantive voice. which babe
me come in. As entered, my heart sckened at the OBJ
iecs around In of the room, resting
wicker bed Law two lovely infants folded in each others
arms unconscious of the misery which waited them while
little girl and boy of about IL years of age, active
" employed in making baskes-he principal of
their support. felt it duty that an explanation should
take place TO the of my present inrusonbu
was senced by the interesting female before with the
assurance that her "papa would be pleased to find that
had claimed refuge under his roof" short time rolled
over in delightful converse with this amiable girlbu
the sky became suddenly darkened, and her expressive
features seemed to darken with it. 1t evident there
was inward struggle which she could but i'll conceal.
The wind high and higher, till the cottage trembed
like leaf She opened the window add looked out it
dismal highland the snow was beginning to fall in
large dry flakes around the lofty forest frowned
aky on the plain-and the hollow whistng of the wind
seemed strike into her heart She closed the
window and babe her brother and sister desst from their
employment. She took up book which lay beside her
il 1hompson's seasons-and the first passage which
met her eye was
ssIn vain for him the oficous wife prepares
The fire fair blazing and the vestment warm:
In vain his little children peeplng out
Into the mnglng storm, demand their sire,
With tears of artess innocence. Alas!
Nor wife, nor children more shall he behold,
Nor friends, nor sacred home.
She could no longer conceal her feelings but burst into
tears as she pressed her bosom the little nnocen whom
a diving mother had left i'll her charge but few months
before and while her tears were mingled with theirs
she exclaimed" All! when will papa come home oh
he will be able to brave storm like this-and his
anxiety for will suffer him to stay" was about TO
offer my go in search after her father when
gentle rap was heard at the door. She flew to open it,,
My dear papa said she, extending her arms chow glad
she started back, while crimson blush added tentod
beauty her cheeks lit was her lover, and her heart
told her truly, Edward scarcely less dear to her than
her parent They loved-but theirs was
"Not that pure, open, prosperous love,
RI Which, born on earth and sealed above,
, Grows in the worlds approving eyes"
They had been brought up together and from infancy
their hearts had been one but the mandate of his father
had hope from their bosoms, and left them to pine
away in wasting melancholy long years apart for Edward