Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-08-25

When the coach was about to stop, my atten-
ton was drawn towards an elderly woman,
meanly, but neatly clad, who was looking Up to
the coach with an expression of anxious ir,1pa-
tience in her eye, which forcibly interested me-
The coachman saw her also, and dashing
away a tear, said, 'Ah poor SOUL there she is
again, and there she has been every day for
years, and now | am parent myself, and an
anxious one too, | feel the more for her." This
speech increased my interest in the poor wo-
man, who, now that the coach had really stop
ped, and the passengers were getting down,
drew quite close to the wheels, and looking up
in the coachman's face with an expression
which evidently unnamed him, said, in hur-
ried voice, as he come to-day!" "No dear
SOUL" he replied, "but he will come to-morrotc,
you know" "Yes, yes" said she, "he will
come tomorrow" She then hurried down the
street, followed by respectable young woman,
who shook her head mournfuly at the driver as
she turned away
had paid all demands upon me, and might
have gone in search Of place to N--but |
could not stir till had an explanation of what
seemed so interesting TO a sentimental traveller
like myself, and | asked the coachman if |
might speak few words with him. 81 see
what you want to ask" he replied; "and as
soon as have done all my duty here, will
walk with you 10 the inn where the other coach
starts FROM"
thought him long time about his duty; but
at last he joined me, and we walked down the
street together "You want to know all about
that poor woman" said he "Indeed | do"
alt is sad story, sir She and her husband,
Il Ettlo hoI
and fine lad he was; but he was more fond of
play than work, and his father was severe
man. His mother doated on him, poor soul!
and he loved her dearly. But not TO be lengthy;
when he was eighteen, poor Willy did some
thing, | do not know what exactly, which put
his father in great rage and in spite of his
wife's tears and prayers, struck his son, and
turned him out of doors. | have always heard
the poor lad did not deserve it; certain it is that
he was wrong in one thing; for he told his ia
ther he saw him for the last time, for he would
never come back TO be struck again And he
enlisted directly, and left C-with the soldiers.
Oh! the agony of the poor father when he had
slept on his rage, and rose the next morning!
The poor mother had not slept at all, and they
both went in search of their now pardoned son.
But he was gone. And by very affecting let
ter TO his mother, they learned that he was Or
dered to the West Indies! and they were not
rich enough TO effect his discharge! So he
sailed, and it broke his fathers heart
On his death-bed he left loving messages and
his blessings to his boy, and said he died of
broken heart, and from the recollection of lis
harshness 10 him.
Well, time went on, and the poor widowed
mother might be said to live only for and in
letters written by Willy; and every letter was
full of love and piety.-At last came a letter
from him to say he had been at deaths door
with bad fever, and was SO weak still, after
il, that the medical men had ordered him home,
as the only chance of life.
"Oh! | shall nurse him again" the poor mo-
ther said. all fear lost in the delight of having
him restored to her; and when the time came
for the vessels being due in which he sailed,
busy as bee was she IN preparing for his
coming.
At last he wrote to say that he was landed,
that he had almost recovered his health and
strength in the voyage, and should be at c.
on such day. That morning the poor mother
went to the coach office, long before the horn
announced the approach of the stage. 1t came,
bu. she could not see her son on the outside;
perhaps he was inside, and she ran eagerly for
ward 10 look in at the window, but he was not
there.-"Where is he? Where is my boy?"
she cried to the driver, who had not as yet OBJ
served her. Now sir, that man was good
sort of man enough, but he did not understand
parents feelings, and what do you think he
replied! "Your son! poor soul he is not come
indeedi" "But he will come tomorrow. then;
is there not letter to say so?" "No, mistress
your poor son will come no more! He fell
off the coach coming from Portsmouth 10 Lon
don, and was killed on the spot"
|, little boy, then, was present al this scene
and | never shall forget the shrek, with
which she repeated the word killed and then
fell back, as if it had struck her 10 the heart!
She was carried home insensible. and we all
hoped she would never recover But it was or
dered otherwise She recovered 10 life the
next day, but not to reason-for the first words
she uttered were, 81 must get up and dress my
self, or shall not get to the coach in time to
meet Willytn And finding she was able 10