Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-02-17
From Miss LeSlie's Magazine
THE WIDOWS LAST TRIAL.
A TRUE STORY.

lie '0as The only Of his mother and she ,oas
'cidoto
And tomorrow you are TO be taken into
the firm as partner This was uttered
by an angel female, who was sitting with
one of her withered hands clasped in that
of her son, a young man of two-and-twenty
who sat looking in her face with eyes beam
ing with affectionate interest. This fully
repays me, my beloved son, for all have
suffered
For moment the sons features appeared
clouded with sorrow he thought what that
suffering had been of the years long past,
when the mother now sitting beside him, so be-
loved, had submitted to toll and privation, en-
during all this for his sake; his eyes gis:ened
with tears, till brushing them away hastily,
a smile broke over his countenance.
True, mother he said but let these
recolections be forgotten now The memo
ry of the past we will bury in oblivion, and
think only Of the days that are to come.
But you will not allow present prosperity
to harden your heart, William you will not
let your good fortune make you high-mind-
ed, and forget Him, who has been friend
in the hour of troubled?
No, mother, will not forget that am
the child Of God-yet should temptation as
sail me, have only to think of your pre-
cepts and example, aud they would always
deter me from doing wrong But think
mother he continued, bright CLEAN light
ing up every feature, how happy shall
be, in being enabled to place you in the
sphere of life'to which your virtues entitle
you. If you knew how often busy fancy
has pictured this hour; how often | have
dwelt upon the idea of one day being able
to place you in home equal to your merit,
you would not wonder, that now, when
see my wishes OH the eve OF accomplish
ment, il should thus subdue me-
Nor do ], nor DO /, my son. the mother
said with fearful eyes, but you think more
lavorably, my boy of your aged mother than
she deserves. doubt not many will think
and say the old woman has now more than
she merits; and really though | am proud
Of your advancement should not murmur.
at never having a more comfortable home
than the present one you have provided me-
The night was pitchy dark, not a star be-
gusts. portented storm of unusual slo-
Twill be a stormy night fear said the
Young man, rising and going towards the
door to look out The river is already
swollen, and if the rain falls as it did the
other evening, | fear much damage will en-
sue. You heard of the poor fellow drowned
last EVENING"
Yes the mother replied. Il hope he
had friends to take care of him. IT'S a
dreadful death to die she added, musingly.
They say not, said William; many who
have encountered it, assert the being brought
to, is the most painful part to endure
1T may be so, the mother answered but
fervently trust no one dear 10 me, may ev.
er be submitted to the experiment.
A vivid flash of lightning followed by the
low rumblng thunder, caused William now
TO retire aud observing again that the river
would be very high he closed the door.
Ii was now the usual hour for family
worship The mother had seated herself il
corner of the fireplace, with her features
settled into look Of devotion, while thu
son, with a corresponding gravity, walked
towards the stand on which the family blbl'
was placed, and opening the sacred volume
began reading chapter. Religion will
them, was not the cold expression of the liz
alone. 1t was the incense Of the heart. l
was a beautiful sight, that aged mother, an,
her only son, bending their knees. and lift
ing tip their voices to the Most High Per
haps the events of the day had given a deep
er tone of tenderness to Williams voice an'
feelings certain it was, he had never praye,
more fervently than on that evening ant
when they separated for the night, the poo
old woman looked forward to the bright visit
of the future, with the full confidence of it
meeting her most sanguine anticipatlons.
The mother of William had been left
widow, while he was in his second year
By dint of hard labor, she managed TO ge
her boy at school, until he arrived at his fl
teenth year, when she obtained situation
for him with merchant, residing at tn
hourishing town of Rochester, in the stat
of New York Williams good conduct an,
steady application TO business, won the ia
vorable opinion of his employer. The mer
chant was man of great benevolence; h
could appreciate merit in whatever station
it was to be met and when he saw the la'
supporting an aged mother out of his earn
ings-never mingling with the low and Vi
cious, aud practising fidelity to business un
usual in one so young, it was impossible to a
void feeling an involuntary respect for hi
char acter.
William was aware ofthe merchants kind
ness he knew that his salary exceeded tina
given TO other boys; still he never presume
on the merchants disinterestedness, but wa
alike respectful to his employer and thei
customers On the day in which he was in
troduced to the readers notice, he had bee
offered a share in the merchants lucrativ
business. Never had his brightest yisio