The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1839-09-06

From the Southern Literary Messenger.
The COmtrast-A Sketch.
THE INFIDEL'S DEATH BEL

twas dark and gloomy night in the
depth of winter; the ground was covered
with snow, and but few dared to brave the
bitter coldness of the midnight hour. In a
wretched hovel, in one Of the most imam
GUS parts of New-York, reposing on some
mustV straw, over which was spread tat
terec blanket, lay the InJSdeI. A few Goals,
with which some charitable hand had filled
his fireplace, shed over the scene dim and
gloomy light: by his bedside was placed a
rude table on which was placed some bot
ties of medicine; few torn garments lay
scattered about the room, every thing indi-
Gated the most squalid poverty. Near this
sufferer, dying from dissipation and want,
sat woman who had undertaken to nurse
him. She often shivered and drew her
cloak more closely around her, as the cold
wind poured through the crevices of the
crazy walls.
There is something in the whistlng of the
wintery blast melancholy to all; it reminds
the poor man Of the hardships, the priva-
tons, and the sufferings he must undergo,
ere the genial warmth of spring returns
it reminds the merciful rich man of the I'M
happy fate of the many who are exposed to
its violence without a shelter for their
heads; it reminds the rich sensualist, as
he calls for more blankets and hotter fire,
of future attacks of rheumatism and govt.
With that soothing and delicate attention,
SO peculiar to woman, the nurse was bath
ing his feverish forehead; but he needed
not-yet he was soon to appear before the
judgment seat of that God whom he had
insulted. whose followers he had reviled,
whose religion he had scoffed, whose ven
geance he had set at defiance, whose very
existence he had denied. He was in de-
lirium; and his mind was wandering back,
back TO those happy days of childhood,
when, free from gile, he had lived under the
fostering care of kind and religions moth
er. Later in life, when he had become
more familiar with the world, and had be-
gun to mix with young men of his own age,
he had been ridiculed for his religious i'm
pressions. At first he was astonished and
shocked to hear their impious blasphemy,
but soon his ear became familiar with it,
and at last he was one of the most profane
among them But his thoughts were now
in far happier days; he was talking with his
mother and receiving her holy instruction
he heard her uplifting her silVery voice to
Heaven in behalf of the wretched; he heard |
her whispering the words of consolation into
the ear of the afflicted, and as she directed
their thoughts to Heaven, asking them in
the simple eIoquence of scripture, els there
no physician in Israel? Is there no balm in
Gilead?" This dream was pleasant. In
in sorrow, even in the hour of
death, the memory of motner's love, of
a mothers kindness, of mothers anxiety
can drive away the mists of sorrow from the
soul, with their cheering ray.
His thoughts now reverted from those
bllssfnl scenes to the hours spent with his
lntidel mpan;ons-ravings and blasphe-
mics the most impious, poured from his1ips; =
now he was in public assembly, advocat-
ing in6delity, ridiculing, and (such is the
vanity of man, as he thought, disproving /,
the holy faith Of his fathers; now he recall
ed the time when he dared even to trample Il
on the sacred volume Of God; and his dim
eye saw the maddened populace follow his
detestable example. Well might his remem-
brance convulse his frame with fresh agon- /,
les he clenched his hands-he tore his
hair, he exhibited all the gestures Of des-
pairing anguish, until wearied By excite
Eent he sunk into troubled repose.
The morning dawned, dark, gloomy and
odd; a fit time for him to weld up his soul.
The physician came, inquired how he had
lpent the night, felt bis pulse, shook bis
read, and announced to him that his last
lour was nigh. The sinner now, for the
inst time, became sensible Of his condition, /,