Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-29
From Black,cood's Edinburgh Magazine.
THE WIDOW AND HER SON.

From Black,uood's Edinburgh 1Iagasine.
THE WIDOW AND HER SON.
Not more beautiful vale ever inspired pas
toral poe: in Arcadia, nor did Sicilian shepherds
Of old ever pipe TO each other for prize OF oat-
en- reed, in lovelier nook than where yon cot
tage stands, shaded, but scarcely sheltered, by
a few birch trees. 1t is in truth not cottage
but Smelling Of turf, part Of the knoll adher-
ing to the side Of the mountain Not another
dwelling-even small as itselI--within mile
in any direction. Those goats that seem to
walk where there is no footing along the side
Of the cliff, go Of themselves to be MIXED at
evening, 10 a house beyond the hill, without
any barking dog to set them home. There are
many foot paths, but all Of sheep, except one
leading through the coppice wood to the dis
tan, kirk. The angler seldom disturbs those
shadows and the heron has them TO himself,
watching often with motionless neck all day
long. Yet the Smelling is Inhabited, and has
been so by the same person for good many
years. You might look at it for hours and yet
see no one so much as moving 10 the door. But
little smoke hoyeTs over it-faint as mist
and nothing else tells that within is life.
1t is inhabited by widow, who once was the
happie.t Of wives, and lived far down the glen,
where it is richly cultivated, in a house astir
with many children. /, so happened that in the
course Of nature, without any extraordinary be-
reavements, she outlived all the household, ex-
cept one, on whom fell the saddest affection
that can befall human being-the utter loss of
reason. For many years after the death Of her
husband and all her other children, this son was
her support; and there was no occasion to pity
them in their poverty where all were poor
Her natural cheerfaness never forsook her; and
although fallen back in the world, and obliged
in her age TO live without many comforts she
once had known, yet all the past gradually was
softened into peace, and the widow and her son
were in that Smelling as happy as any family In
the parish. He worked at all kinds Of work
without, and she sat spinning from morning
till night wlthin-a constant occupation, sooth-
ing to one before whose mind past times might
otherwise have come too often, and that creates
con,entment by its undisturbed sameness and
visible progression. II not always at meals,
the widow saw her son for an hour or two eve
ry night, and throughout the whole Sabbath
day. They slept, too, under one roof; and she
liked the stormy weather when the rains were
on, for then he found some ingenious employ
ment within the Smelling, or cheered her with
some book lent by friend, or with the lively
or plaintive music of his native hills Some
times in her gratitude she said she was happier
now than when she had so many other causes
TO be so; and when occasionally an acquaint-
ance dropped in upon her solitude, her face well
coined every one with a smile that spoke OF
more than resignation; nor was she ayerse to
parlake the sociaiity OF other huts, and sat Sc
date among youthful merriment, when summer
or winter festival came round, and poverty re-
ioicetl in the riches of contentment and inno-
ccnce.
But her trials, great as they had been, were
not We, over; for this, her only son, was laid
PROSTATE by lever: and when it lett his body,
he survived hopelessly stricken in mind. His
eyes, so clear and intelligent, were now fixed in
idocy, or rolled about unobservant of all OBJ
jects, living or dead. To him, all weather
seemed the same,-and if suffered, he would
have lain down, like creature void Of under
standing, in rain or snow, not being able 10 find
his way back for many PAGES from the hut
All thought and feeling had left him, so had
speech-all but a moaning as OF pain or woe,
which none but mother could hear without
shuddering--but she heard it during The night
as well as day, and only sometimes lifted up her
eyes as in prayer 10 God.-An offer was made
TO send him 10 place where the afflicted are
taken care of, but she beseeched charity for the
first tme-such aims DIS would enable her. a.
long with the earnings Of her wheel, to keep
her son in the Smelling; and the means were
given her from many quarters TO do so decen'ly,
and with all the comforts that other eyes OBJ
served, but Of which the poor object himself
was insensible and unconscious. Thenceiorth
il may almost be said, she never more saw the
sun, nor heard the torrents roar. She went not
TO the Kirk, but kept the sabbath where The pa
ralytic lay--and there she sung the lonely psalm
and said the lonely prayer, unheard in Heaven,
as many despairing spirits would have thought
but it was not so-for in two years there came
a meaning to his eyes, and he found few words
of imperfect speech, among which was that OF
/" Mother" Oh! how her heart burned within
her, to know that her face was recognized! To
feel that her kiss was returned, and to see the
first tear that tricked from eyes that SO long
had ceased to weep! Day after day, the dark
ness that covered his brain grew less and less
deep--to her, that bewilderment gave the bless
edness OF hope; for her son knew that he had
an immortal soul, and one evening joined faint
ly and feebly, and erringly u prayer. A few