Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-05-25
1)opn!ar Galrs.
From the Philadelphia Saturday Courier
DES TITUTION:
Or A Widows Woes
BY A. w. Money.

tdlIOn III Which tne WIDOW HhhuIptH sal
one alustering winters evening, sur
rounded by her poorly clad children
four in nnnbcr--who were all ofthcin
| shIyering with cold ; and there wa, 40
bright fire by which they might nestle
in comfort, while the chill northern blast
roared so fierce and disnaly wi.Aout,
/ ana pierced the crcvices ofthcir wretch
ed dwelling. The blaze Of the last
stick which they had been able to col
Iccl during the whole oI The stormy day,
had long since expired, aud they sat
now lowering over lis cold cmbcrs-un-
willing 10 60 To he'd, where they might,
perhaps, havo been able to keep warin
for as yet, not one of that miserable
family had tasted food since he morn
ing,
The poor widow gazed upon her
suffering offspring with fearful eyes,
while her heart seemed ready To burst
HiIh lis ycarnings. Sae could afford
their wants no relief-she could offer
them nothing but sympathy; for the
means Of obtaining food AMI fuel, were
without her feeble power and her own
suiierings, through cold, hunger, fatigue
and anxiety, were far more uncomfortable
than those thm pinchcd the tendercr
natures Of ger orphan children. She,
/ herself, had not eaten anything since
the previous day, aud was, therefore,
now nearly furnished while she had
worked almost necessarily Ger the two
dayg past at hcr. sewing:--for which she
.had breg promised ihc honey at an
early hour that evening.
I. But they waited its arrival in vain
until, from The lateness of The hour, sse
at length ltIi convinced that payment
might not be expected that night and
despair began TO take possession OF her
/ soul, and henumb !3r more cficctuaIIy
her faculties, thar did the bitterness Of
cold or hunger. She seemed now 10 be
almost stupiied with the heaviness Of
her woes. and her courage was fast
sinking under lis fearful trials. when
her youngest boy turned his little face
up to hers, and in voice Of pitCous
complaining, inquired if he was not 10
have any supper dat night-adding
with sudden burst Of tears, that indeed
he was "very hungry, aud cold, too ~
L This formed signal for the oilers,
who thereupon commenced such plain
tive and heart-piercing cries for food
! and fire, that the tortured mother could
endure their complgnts no longer, and
she arose with the de,era;inaiion Of
procuring something for their imme-
diate vaDis, if she was obliged to beg
III taa streets.
! When The children saw her preparing
10 60 OFT, they became more clanorous
than ever, while she s'roye to quiet
their alarm by promising ihat she would
soon bring them someih;pg, yet what,
she knew not, and turned almost dis
traciedly from the Qoor. And then she
/ hardly knew whittier TO direct her steps.
! The persons for whom she had labored,
/ she dec med would have sent the money
4 due for her services, gs was promised
| could they spare it, and she dreaded to
imporiune them for il, in fear that iAcy
might take offence, and therefore re-
/ fuse TO furnish her with more employ
ment, upon which resource rested her
only dependence while her very soul
recoiled with u feeling Of horror from
the thought Of standing up 2 beggar in
the very same streets where, few
I years since, she had moved in the pride
and respect of wealth, undermining of
future misery.
Z fes-but few years since, this
same poor and desolaie woman, with n
worthy husband, enjoyed the comforts &
case Of comparative aiiluence They
were contented and happy but when
the blight came, which has devastated
I almost every fortune Of our extended
land, and brought with it want and dss-
titution even to the hoarihs of both rich
and poor, their fair possessions sunk
before their astonished eyes, and their
cherished hopes foundcrcd, like fragile
bnrks, in the storms OF that disastrous
period. Wiih many others, they could
then have said-"To-day, my soul
hath her conent in riches ~ But on
the morrow, where were they Gone!