The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-10-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
A SKETCH.
BY MRS. HARRIET Z. }. STOWE.

/ Il was q splendid room. Rich curtain:
swept down to the floor in gracious folds
half excluding the light, and shedding it it
soft hues, over the fine old paintings Gu the
I walls, aud over the broad mirrors, that re
! fleet oil that taste can accomplish by the
hand Of wealth. Books, the rarest and
most costly, were around in every form Of
gorgeous binding and gliding, and among
them, glttering in ornament, lay mag
niicenl Bible-a Bible, too beautiful in lis
appearance, too SNOWY, TOO ornamental,
ever TO have been meant to have been read
"a Bible which every visitor should take
up to eSclaim, "what splendid edition
wha. superb bindings and then lay il
! down again.
And the master OF the house was loung
ing on sofa, looking over late review
for be was man eff leisure, taste, and read.
lng-but then, as 10 reading the Bible =
that forms, We suppose, no part of the pre-.
tensions, OF man Of letters, The Bible
certainly he considered i, u respectable
book-a fine specimen oil ancient literature,
an admirable book of moral precepts-but
then. as TO It's divine origin he had not ex.
acty made up his mind, some parts APP
peared strange and inconsistent to his rea-
son-others we're very revolving to his taste
true, he had never studied it very ailen
lively, yet such was his general impression
about lt-but on the whole, he thought i
well enough 10 keep an elegant copy Of il
on his drawing room table.
So much for one picture, now for another:
Come with US lulo tbs little dark alley,
end up flight Of FUNGUS stars. 1t is a bit
ter night, and The wind and snow might
drive through the crevlces Of the poor room,
were It not that careful hands have stopped
them with paper or cloth. Blu; for all thus
liltlo carelulness, the room 10 bitter cold,
cold even with these decaying BRANDS, 90
the hearth, which that sorrosiul woman is
trying to klndls with her breath. Do you
see that pale little thin girl, with large
bright eyes, who is cTnuching so near her
mo.her-haIk how she cOughs-now lis
ten:
Mary, my dear child" says the moth.
er, do keep the shawl close about you, you
are cold, know" and The woman shlyers
as she speaks.
No, mother, DO, very" replies the
chi!G, again relapsng INTO that hollow,
omiuous cough wish you wouldn't
make me always wear your shaw when 1t
is cold mother"
Dear child, you need il most--how
you cough 10 night" replies the tnolher,-
:" /. really don't seem right for me 10 send
you up tina. long street, no@ yoJr shoes
have grown SO poor | must go myself after
this"
"Oh mother, you mus. stay With the
baby-what if he should have one of those
dreadful fits while you are gone-uo, can
90 very well, have go, used TO the cold,
now"
But mother I'm co.d," says o little
voice from The scanly bed IN the corner,
naynt gel up and come to the freT'
" Dear child, Il would not warm you'll
is very cold here, aud can. make any
more FIRE 70 night"
Why can't you mother - there are
four whole sticks Of wood IN the box, do put
one on. and let's &c, warm once"
!" No, my dear IiaIe Henry" saws the
mother, sooibirgly, "thas is all The wood
mother has, and ! haven't any money 10 ge
more"
And now wakens the sick baby in thu
little cradle, and mother and daughter ar,
both Tor some time busy m attempting e
supply its little wants, and Iulling i!sgair
10 sleep.
And now look you we'll at the moiher.--
Six monshs ago, she bad a husband. shos'
earnings procured for her both the necessa
ries and comforts Of I.fs--her children scf'
clothed, fed and schooIsd, without though
LOT hers. But husbandless, snd alone, il