The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-19
A CHILD OF SORROW.

During the late festive season, when those eho
thought at oil, reelected that eighteen hundred and
forty three years ago. the religion Of The heart bring
ing peace and good will on earth, came TO soften the
rgor Of the religion of FORM little girl SIX years
old, had been observed by lonely lady sitting day
after day The step OF door opposite TO her rouse
1t seemed TO belong TO nobody but at certain hour
there It was wrapped in,sn old shawl, crouched IN
the cold stone, and rocking itself pensvely back
wards and forwards, more live an aiIing old woman
than this melancholy little being, mingled not in their
sports, but sat silent and solitary.
Soon afterwards it seen to peep abou, the
Of the ladys house, and looked wistfuy at the
kitchen windows. The lady, who was kind to child
rem thinking that the little grl might be trying to a.
tract her notice, opened the door suddenly and Of
fered il some gingerbread. When the door opened
there was strange, eager expression In the chlds
eyes, but when she saw the lady che looked scared
and disappointed. The kind voice and manner soon
re assured The startled child who tn ,nkfully took the
offering, broke it up into little bits in her hand and
carried it 10 the door step opposite where she again
took up her station. Another child, seeing the gin
gerbread, up to the solitary infant, who gave the
new conner some, and, by gestures, the lady that
the informing the other child whence the gift
came. After waiting considerable time without
eating her gingerbread, the poor little girl rose de-
dejectedly and went away still looking back at the
house.
A day or two afterwards, the same child was seen
lingering about the pavement the area, and
through the rails.
The lady who thought that the child was come to
offer it out of gratitude for the gingerbread went
down into the area and as soon she appeared the
child ran away Soon again, however, the child was
al its old station, the door step opposite. The lady
had mentioned this to her only female servant as We
~ odd, but received no observation in reply
One morning the door was opened receive
piece OF furniture, and the child again suddenly
appeared, and advanced stealthily toward the door
The lady, who was near, said.
81 see you = when the child imme dately retreatd
to her doorstep.
"This is very extraordinary I" said the lady TO her
servant; 81 cannot make out what that child waats
MADAM, said the servant, bursting into tears, at
is my child"
''Your child! But go, bring her in Where does
she live;"
with my sister, and she goes to school have
told her never t, coue here but the poor thing ,oA
come every bit of playtime she gets. That day you
thought she was Herring you some sugar candy had
been to the school and given her penny when
school was over she to give me bit of the
sugar candy she had bought Oh, ma'am have
mercy-f rgive me! Do not send me away"
The lady, who had known adversely, anu was not
one OF those rigidy righteous people who forget the
hrst principles ncucated by the divine author Of the
Christian creed, looked grave, il is true but did not
shrink from the lowly if .he had the plague
although she had become mother before she been
made wife, by the gay cavalier who had deceived
a"o io's hcT. NOR Ola sshe turn her out
the wide world, in the virtuous sernness of her in.
dignaton To the great horror Of some of her neigh
bors she told her servant that her child might come
to see her every Sunday, beginning Nth the next -
When the child, who was longer the mopiog crea-
ure which il had been before was admitted 10 the
mother, heard this, she Immediately and an .iously
inquired, "How many days and nights s it 10 Sun
dayw
Some may sneer at this to me there is something
painfully affecting IN The quiet subdued demeanor Of
this offspring Of shame, limidly watching 10 obtain
glimpse OF her who bad borne it, at age hen hap
pier children are never without those greatest of en-
Joyments the caresses Of mother. Think of the
misery Of this poor child, driven, fom the mere in
stlncl Of long ng for its parent he stad demeanor
OF age, whilst the other merry little were sport
ing around H. Think what she must have suffered
as she gszed, day after day, at the rownng door that
shut out more than oil the worlds value 10 her
think oil the suffering mother, dresd,ng to lose with
per pace ana Character the means Of supporting her
hapless, prcmsturely old infant Oh, man. man
thou hast much to answer for