Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-04-28
From the Montreal Literary Gazette.
T HE BROKEN NJ IRR R .
A TRUE TALE.
BY NJ RS. DIE.
CHAPTER FIRST.


Providence is always true to those that remain true
to themselves.
Dry your tears, dear mother. This vio-
lent grief destroys your health, without alter
ing in the smallest degree our present cir
culnstances. Look forward with hope to the
future. Better days are in store for u.s.
Robert Harden, you speak like boy
perfectly unacquainted with the trials Of life,'
said the widow, in no very gentle voice, for
sorrow and disappointment had soured
hitherto even temper, and rendered her peev-
ish and irritable. 'What prospect have we
Of lettering our condition7 Who is there
amongst all our summer friends who would
put themselves to the least Inconvenience TO
help us7 Have they not all deserted US in
our distress? All-all,' and here she buried
her face in her handkerchief,and wept afresh.
There is One, mother, who never de-
serts His children in distress who, when
the world forsakes them, has promised to
hold them up, trust in Him, and all will be
well.'
The poor widow looked up into the face
of her fine boy, and smiled through her tears:
Robert, where did you learn this lesson
of fai,hr
of you, mother. Who else taught me
to love God, and to trust in His divine prov
idence, but your
'Ah, my son! these heavy Affections have
made me forgetfu of my duty. In the hour
of trial have forgotten God. Pray for me,
Robert. have often prayed and wept for
you. Pray that strength may be given to
me, to bear with resignation my present
grief
Her head sunk upon the bosom of the tall
lad, whose willing arms fondly encircled her
dropping figure, as, after some moments,
their tears flowed silently together. Youth,
especially virtuous youth, is ever hopeful -
and Robert Harden possessed mind too ac-
tive and Independent to waste its energies in
unavaiing regret. He and a brother, two
years younger, we're the only children of
wealthy merchant in Edinburgh. During
their fathers lifetime, they had enjoyed all
the comforts and luxures which competence
can bestow. Their education had been con-
Quoted on liberal scale; and the boys were
just beginning TO profit by their advantages,
when the head of the family was suddenly
called away by death. This was dreadful
blow to his widow and young sons. 1t was
so unlocked for-so unexpected. He had
been taken from them, at a moments warm
ing, in the very prime of life. The atfec-
tionate, loving husband-the fond, indulgent
father; could any grief equal this was a
question which they often asked themselves,
in the first sad days of their melancholy be-
reavement. The friends and neighbors who
c1lled upon Mrs. Harnden after the funeral,
'mpted to console her, by representing to
hrc the independent circumstances in which
she had been left. Mr.. Harden had been
man of property-she and her children would
want for no comfort-there we're thousands
in worse circumstances-lhis thought should
be enough to console and mitigate her grief.
Poor Mrs. Harden loved her husband ten
derby, and these worldly considerations had
never entered her mind since the dark mo-
ment in which she found herself for ever de-
prived of her bosom friend and companion.
Could she have derived any satisfaction from
these circumstances, she was doomed to I'M
dergo still further trial-a still deeper dis
appointment.
To the surprise of his friends and family
when they came to look into Mr.. Harden's
affairs-for he had died without will-they
discovered that he had died poor man s.
that when all his creditors were paid, there
would be no provision left for his family
He had entered into speculations of a yer,
doubtful nalure-whether deceived bv him.
self or others, none could tel-and his losse.
had been so extensive, that it was supposed
that the sudden reverses in his fortune, which
he had not had courage to declare to his wife
had pressed SO heavily upon his mind, tina
it had led to his premature death.
} The loss of her husband had been severe
!. y felt by Mrs. Harden; but when the los
ofall his property left her entirely dependen
for support upon the charity of others, tn
!. poor widow lacked for,ltude to bear Vi
/ against the blow. She went unceasnply-
refused all sustenance-and sunk into stu
por, from winch the commonplace condo
lence Of friends, who offered no other tina
verbal assistance, failed to arouse her. TIL
return Of her sons from school. and the b.,
E ter consciousness of all they had lost by the
fathers death, served for time to rene,
:. her grief Their presence, however. was
i great comfort; and the manly and affection,
C ate conduct of the elder, in some measur
e reconciled her to the mournful change.
: Robert Harden, although mere boy
a sixteen, Immediately comprehended their 81
;. ua,ion, and saw that something must be dor
d to enable them to provide for the fulure.-
He had endeavored to prepare his mother
f. mind for the alteration in their circumstar
st ces. He tried TO convince her that povert,
although an evil, was an evil which, if borr
~ with becoming fortitude, might be subdue
d or, at any rate, softened /; and that he W;
At able and willing to work for parent who
e he dearly loved. But poor Mrs. Harde
1t was not willing that her fine boys. who hs
;" been educated as the sons of genteme
y should work and the most severe trial 81
N was called to endure, was seeing Them fore.
to leave their studies, and give up the pro
., pect of honorable advancement, to toll
ID some mental capacity, TO obtain bread.
III The mother and son were still locked
of each others arms, when little round-fac'
is man, in broad brimmed hat, with spect
" cles on his nose, peeped into the room, an
seeing the widow and her son in tears, hu
r;o1 Tor~ard ond co~~onrad a ~,