Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-18
From Blackwood's Maga-he fer October.
EXPIATION

parish, had 0ieu When sAe as mere Chiiu; anu
IS they had left no near relatives, there were few
OF none to care much about the desoate creature,
who might be we'll said to nave been left friend
less in the world. True. that the feeling Of char
itv is seldom wholly wanting in any heart; but it
is generally but cold feeling among hard work
ing folk, towards objects out of the narrow circle
of their own family affections, and seiishness has
a ready aud strong excuse in necessity. There
seems indeed to be sort of chance in the lot OF
the orphan offspring of paupers. On some the
cye Of Christian Deneyolence falls at the very first
moment of their uttermOst destitutiOn-and their
worst sorrows. instead of beginning, terminates
with the tear she'd over their parents grave
They are take, by the hands. as soon as their
hand, have been stretched ont for protection, and
admitted as inmates into households, whose DOORS
had their fathers and mothers been alive, they
would never have ;larkened. The light Of COM
Tort falls upon them during the gloom of grief. and
attends them all their days Others, again. are
overlooked at the first fail of affection, il In
some unaccountabe fatality; the wretchedness
with which all have become familiar, no one very
tenderly rites; and thus the orphan, reconclled
herself to the extreme hardships of her condition,
lives on uncheered BY those sympathies out OF
which grow both happiness and virtue, and Yield
ed by degrees the constant pressure OF her lot,
eetates like an almost worthless weed that is care
iessly trodden on BY every foot. or if by nature
born flower. in time loses her lustre. and all her
,lays-no; long-leads the life not so much of Il
servant as OF a slave.
Such, till she was twelve wears old, had been
the tate of Margaret Burnside. Ola slender form
and weak constitution. she had never been able
for much work; and thus from one disconnected
and harsh master and mistress to another, she
had been transferred from house to house-always
the poorest-till she came to be looked on as an
incumbrance rather than help in any family,
ayr uIuu;,rJ 'Iaruiy worm her bread. Sad and
sickiy she sat on the braes herding the kline. 1t
was supposed that she was in c0nsumption--and
rs the shawuw of death seemed TO lie on the ne
elected creatures face. feeling something like
love was awakened towards her in the heart of pi-
", for which she showed her gratitude by still
attending to all household tasks with an aIacritv
beyond her strength. Few doubted that she was
dviug-aud it PLAIN that she thought so her
self; for the Bible. which. in her trendlessness,
she had always read more than any other chill
dren. who were too happy to reflect often on the
Word of that Being from whom their happiness
flowed, was now when leisure permitted, seldom
or never out of her hands, and IN lonely places,
where there no human ear TO hearken, did
The dying girl often support her heart when quak-
my in natural fears of the grave, by singing 10
herself hymns and psalms. But her hour was not
vet come-th>uyh by the inscrutab!e DEGREES of
Providence. doomed to be hldeOus-aid sad with
almost incapable guilt. As for herself, she was
innocent as the linnet that sang beside her IN the
broom. and innocent was she to be up to the last
throhhings of her religious heart. When the sun
shine fell on the leaves of her Bible. the orphan
seemed to see in the holy wordss. Frightening
sh,,.u tn. AT
of all her sins-small sins indced-yet to her
humble and contrite heart exceeding great-and
Ia he hardened only bv the intercession of Him
who died for us on the tree. Often, when clouds
were in the skv, and blaCknesS covered the Book,
Hope died away from the discOloured pagc-aud
he lonely creature wept ani Sobbed over the
doom denounced on all who sin, and repent not
whether in deed or in thought And thus re-
liaion became with her an awful tling-till. in
her resignation. she feared to die. But look on
that flower by the hill side path. withered, as it
seems. beyond the power of sun and air, and dew
and RAM to restore 1t to the beauty ct life. Next
day. you happen To return to the place. IT'S leaves
are OF n dazzling green, its blossoms OF a dazzling
crimson. and lis joyful beauty is felt over all the
wilderness So was it with this Orphan. Ma
ture, as if kindling towards her in sudden love,
not only restored her in few weeks to lfe-but
W pcitcN' uVai'i, duu ciV i"i'S Shc' "ho' iC" h"u
looked at. and for whom still fewer cared, was
acknowledged to be the faircst girl in all the par
ish-and the most beautiful of any while she con-
sinued to sit, as she had always done from very
childhood. the pOor's farm in the lobby of the
kirk. Such face, such figure, and such man
ner. in one poorly attired and so meanly placed,
attracted the eyes of the young Ladies in the Pa
irons Gallery. Margaret Burnside was taken
under their especial protection; sent for two wears
to a superior school. where she was taught all
things useful for persons in humble lile-and while
vet scarcely fifteen, returned to her native parish,
was appointed teacher of small school of her
own, to which were sent all the female children
that could be spared from home from those of pa
rents poor as her own had been. up to those of
the farmers and small proprietors. who knew the
blessings of GOOD educa'io"--and tina without
il the minister may preach il VAIN. And thus