Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-07-13
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
THE RIGHTEOUS NEVER FoRsAKEN.
Hoot away despair!
Never yield 10 sorrow
The blacklist sky may wear
A sunny face to. morrow %

1t was Saturday night. and the widow of the
Pine Cottage sat BY her blazing taggots with her
five children by her side ehdeavorIng by listen
ing to the artlessness Of their juvenile prattle, to
d,ssipate the heavy gloom that pressed upon her
mind. For a year, her own feeble hands had
provided for her family, for she had no suppor
ter: she thought Of no friend in all the wide, un.
friendly world around. But that mysterious
Providence, the wisdom of whose ways is above
human comprehension, had visited her with vast.
ing sickness, and her little means had become
exhausted. 1t was now. too, mid winter, and
the snow lay heavy and deep through all the sur
rounding forests, while storms still seemed ga.
theriDg in the heavens, and the driving wind
reared amidst the bounding pines, and rocked
her puny mansion.
The last herring annexed upon the Goals before
her; il was the only article Of food she possessed,
and no wonder her forlorn, desolate state brought
up in her lone b"som all the anxieties Of a mo-
Their when she looked upon her children; and
no wonder, foilOrn as she was, II she suffered the
heartswel,ings Of despair to arse, even though
she knew that he. whose promise is to the widow
and orphan, cannot forget his word
Providence had many years before taken from
her her eldest sons who went from his forest home,
to try his fortune on the high seas, since which
she had heard no note or tid,ngs Of him; and
latter times had, BY death, deprived her OF the
companion and staff Of her earthly pilgrimage, in
the person Of her husband. Yet to this hour she
had been up borne. she had not only been able to
provide for her little flock. but had never lost an
opportunity Of mnisrering to the wants Of the
miserable aud destitute
The indOent NAV well bear with poverty
while the ability to gain sustenance remains
l,a nd al thpb hos hif nc mt IN
supply, may suffer With for,itude the ainser -of
wanr, uIrrcruus are not wounded, hIs heart
not wrung The most rlesolate IN populous ci-
ties may hope, for charity has not quite closed
hand aud heart. and shut her ewes misery
But the industrious mother OF helpless and
depending children, Ear from the reach Of nu.
man charity, has none Of these to console her -
And such an one was the widow OF the Pine
Cottage: but as she bent over the FIRE and took
up the last scanty remnant Of food to spread be.
fore her children. her spirits seemed to brighten
IN, as BIZ sudden and mysterious impulse. and
Cowper's beautiful lines came uncaled across
her mind:
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense.
But trust him for his grace,
Behind a frownng Providence
He hidess smiling face.
The smoked herring was scarcely laid upon
the table, when gentle rap at the door, and the
loud barking Of a dog, attracted the attention OF
the family. The children flew to open it, and
weary traveller, in ta;tcred garments, aud appa-
ren,,y in indifferent health, entered and begged
a lodging and mouthfu of food; said he, " it
is now twenty four hours since tasted bread"
The widows heart bled anew, as under fresh
of dIs,resses for her sympathles
L.. 10 Chp hos a an
not ever nov; rest and a share OF all she had,
Sbs peniIrFed 20 the stranger.
=. We sna., uot 0e fOrsaken, "sad she, cor sui
fer deeper for an act OF charity"
TH- L weller drew near the board nt when
he cav the scanty fare he raised his eyes towards
Heaven with astonishment--" and is this all
your storel and share of this do you offer 10
one YOU know nots then never saw charity. be-
forei but madam" said he. continuing I" do you
not wrong your children BY giving part OF your
last mouthful to a stranger
Ah," said the poor widow, and the tear
drops gushed into her eyes as she said it. Il
h ave bow, darling son. some~bere on the face
of the wide world, unless Heaven has taken him
away, and I only act towards you, as l would
that others should act towards him. God. who
sen, mamma from Heaven, can provide tor Israel,
aud how should this hight offend h'm-if my
son should be a wanderer destitute as yon. and
he should have provided for him home even as
poor as this-wcre to turn you unrelieved
away"
The widow ended, and the stranger, spr'nging
from bis seat, clasped her in his arms God
indeed has provided tor such wandering sou
and has gwen him wealth TO reward the goodness
of his benefactress-my mother! Oh my mo.
ther!"
1t was her long lost con, returned to her bosom
from the Indies. He had chosen that disguise,
that he might the more completely surprise bis
family; and never was surprise more perfect, or
followed by sweetsr cup Of joy The humble
residence ia the forest was exchanged tor one
comfortable. and, indeed. beautiful, in the valley.
and the widow lived long with her dutiful son,
in the enjoyment of worldly plenty, and in the
delightful employments Of virtue, and at this DAY
the passer BY is pointed to the luxuriant willow
that spreads its branches broad and green shove
her grave while he listens to the recital Of THE
simple tale.-Elmira Rep.