Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-08-17
B~ETHLEHEMITE WOMEN

As the reservoirs and canals which snnnlv Ro,h.
'ehem rs well rs Jerusalem with water. are in ruins
:. u'y eleven months IA the year. The women are
Obliged 10 go a league for what they fetch for bonsr.
hold use. and To bring It back themselves in skins.
Add TO this the toll Of climbing steep hills under
'heit Duiden, and then say. my dear friend. if il be
IosSIhie 10 suppress a painful feeling. especioiIv
when you consider that This task has 10 DO perlorn.
ed three or four tunes a week.
Aiew days since I was taking a walk out Of the
Town with the cure. About three quarters of n mile
IRON IT. we met with a young girl returning win
her provision. She had set down her skin mon ,
fragment OF rock, aud was standing beside il. out Of
oreath, ana wiping the perspiraiIun from her Cace
curious TO know the weight Of the skin. | begged
her 10 put Il on my shoulders; my request a-tonisb.
cd her not n little she nevertheless complied very
cheerfnlly. Ii was rs much AS | could do In take .
few steps under the burden.
"PoJr Thing" said !. as I threw il down. looking
NJ The cure, how old is she ? not more tia, sixteen
| dare say"
"SiHieenr' answered he. .she is not thirteen
anu addressing her IN Arabic, lac asked, How old
are you. my girl o.
Twelve. sir"
took from my pocket some pieces Of money
which ] handed To her. and which she accented
with a lively demonstration of ioy.
But 10 go 10 TAR Tor water is not the only task of
the poor BethlehemiIes The town is destitute al
wood, nor Is any TO he found nearer than some
'tdsucs. Is uo women who have To provide this
also.
But what wrings ones heart. and I confess makes
my blood boil, is TO zee these wretched. yorn down
emaeiaied creatures, having misery STAMPED ON their
iaces' sinking beneath their loads. passing in sight
OF their husbands, lIsilessly seated ia the puhIic
square, smoking and chatting by way Of pastime
while not n tsought enters the head OF these hear.
lss, base and unkind husbands, 20 relieve his mart.
ner of her bunlen. and Ia carry for her, NJ least,
from That spot To his home what she had To bring
whole leagues.
At night, with this wood. which has cost sucl,
ioii. she Is Obliged 10 heat the water brought from
such a distance. she has Go wash the feet Of That
man. ihen to cook his supper. then To xaii upon him,
standing. without taking the least share in The meal
and TO wait till he has done. before sho can siep
inside TO eat by herself what is left. . .
The pen drops from my fingers. Is il possible
mat she can be THIS treated, who carries him m her
tos1In' who brings him forth with pain, who sn-kles
MN with her milk. who warns him on her heart.
who rocks him on her knees. who guides his first
Steps who strives by education To iniuse into him
All that Is gsnlle and Kind, who delights To- throw n
charm over his life, who shares his sorroyys. WIN
Dest knows how 10 soothe his woes, To eomf,t him.
TO nurse him in idleness aud infrmity. To Tighten
md Sometimes 10 embcliIsh his old age. and 10 per.
form Tor INN until his LAST mument, services ol
which any other cnurage aud de yuteIness. anv other
l"ve would be incapable. And all that al Beihle.
hem!