Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-17

that if their trials had been ours, we could
lhaye sustained those trials as they did.
/ Now our hour has comet is an hour
sharp and terrible 2 1t isp murmured
the shuddering husband. But shall we
therefore shrink 2 replied his wife; your
ancestors, who were first in Germany that
lemhraced the reformed religion, have
blcd and blazed for it, as you have often
told me-can there be stronger attesla-
ton of itF 4 believe there can, said
Welberg whose eyes rolled fearfuIly--'that
of starving for il oh, Ines !! he exclaim-
ed, as he grasped her hand coEvulslyely,
l'I.have felt-still feel, that death at the
stake would be mercy, compared with the
lingering tortures of pfotractcd famine
to the cath that die daily--and yet do
not dienl What is this hold 2 he exclai-
Emed, erasping unconsciously the hand he
held in his. Ttis.my hand, my love- an
swered the trembling wife. 'Yours-no,
inpossiblel Your fingers were soft and
cool, but these are dry and hard-is this
human hand Pit is mine,' said the weep
| ing wife. Then YOU must have been FAM
ishing, said Welberg, as if from dream.
We have all been SO latlery, answered
Ines, satisfied 10 restore her husband san
lity, even at the expense of his horrible
coniession--swe have all been 50, butt
have suffered the least. When family
is furnishing the children think of their
meals, but the mother thinks only of her
children. have lived on as little os l
could have, indeed no Appetite Hush
said Welberg, interrupting her, what
sound is that was 1t not like a dying
groanP No, it is the children, who moan
in their sleep what do they moan for 2
Hunger, believe said Ines, involuntari-
ly yiekling to the dreadful conviction of
habitual misery. 'And ST and hear this!'
said Welberg, starting up, i sit to hear
their young sleep broken by dreams of
hunger, while for a words speaking |
) could pile this floor with mountains of
gold, and all for the risk of'--'Of
} what said Ines, clinging to him-Of
] what ?-Oh think Of thatt what shall
man give in exchange for his soul! Oh?
= let US starve, die, rot, before your eyes,
: rather than you should seal your perdtion
: bysthat horrIble'--sE1ear me, woman!'
? said Welberg, turning on her, eyes almost
: as fierce and lus.rous as those of Melmoth
: and whose light, seemed indeed, borrowed
e from his Ehear me, my soul IS lost they
$ who die in the agoaies of famine know no
t God, and want none-if | remain here to
famish among my children, shall as sure
5 y blaspheme the Author cfmy being, as |
e shall renounce him under the fearful con-
i ditions proposed TO me Listen 10 ME
9 Ines and tremlJle not. To see my chill
t dren die of famine would be to me, instant
Y suicide and impenitent despair, but if /
: close withthis fearful offer, may vet re-
/ pent, may yet escape. There is hope
}. ON one slde-on the other there is none
, none, none. Your hands cling round me,
U but their touch is cold. You are wasted
: to a shadow with want. Show me the
: means of procuring another meal and l
IS will spit at the tempter, and spurn him
], but where is that 10 be found. Let me
,, go then, to meet ihln! You will pray
1t for ME Ines; will you not I! and the chill
$, dren No, let them not pray for me -
d in my despair forgot to pray myself, and
II their prayers would be Il reproach TO me.
:, Ines, Ines, what lam | talking TO
c corpse 2 He was indeed, for the wretch.
9 ed wife had sunk at his feet senseless.
e Thank God 2 he again emphatically ex-
n claimed, as he Behed her he to all appear.
IS ance lfecss before him. Thank God
: a word then has killed her-it was gentler
# deaf h than famine. 1t would have been
It kind to have strangled her with these
= hands Now for the children?' he ex-
n claimed while horrid thoughts chased
e eachother over his recling and unseaied
$ mind, and be imagined he heard the roar.
l ing Of a sea in its full strength numbering
Il in his ears, and saw ten thousand waves
n dashing at his feet, and every wave of
1t blood. Now for the children 2 and he
n felt about as if for some implement of de-
% strucioa. In doing SO; his left hand eros
sed his right, and gfasping it, he exclaim-
g ed, as If he felt sword in his hand, this
IS viii do--they will struggle-they viii sup
d plicate, but will tell them their mother
y lies dead at my feet, and then what can
ie they say? Hold now said the miserable
ID man, sitting calmly down, IF they cry TO
ID me what shall / answer? Julia, and Ines,
OF her mothers namesake-and poor little
Id Maurice, who smiles even amid hunger
ID and whose smiles are worse than curses III
er will tell them their mother is dead 2 he cried
or staggering towards the door of his children's
: apartment dead without blow what shall
be their answer and their DOOM
- sAs he spoke, he stumbled over the sense
IS less body of his wife and the tone of his mind
vi once more strung up to the highest pitch of
s. conscious agony, he cried, MEN, men, what
IL are your pursuits and your passions, your hopes
of and fears, your struggles anu your triumphs
ii Look at me, learn from human beng Ike
a yourselves, who breaches his last and fearful
- sermon over the corpse of his wife, and approa-
ching the bodies of his sleeping children.
IS whom he soon hopes to see corpses also
of corpses made by his own hand Let all the
ed world listen to me, let them resign factious
n. wants and wishes, and furnish those who hang
Ia on them for subsistence with the means Of
- bare subsistence There is no care, no tho'i
~ beyond this! Let our children Gallon me for
u instruction; for promotion for distinction, and
tn call in vair-I hold myself innocent They
n NAV find those for themselves, or want them
re ifthey list--but let them never in vain call on
:. me for bread, as they have done-as they do
a now! hear the means of their hungry sleep.
= World world be wise, and let your children
y curse YOU to your fase for any thing but want
&c of bread! Oh, that Is the bitterest OF curses,
ne and it is felt most whenit is least uttered
III, have felt It often, but shall feelt no longer
re And the wretch tottered towards the beds
/ I.of his children.
: aFather father! cried Julia, are these
vour hands! Oh, let me live, and | will d.