Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-01-25
The Emigrans's Sabbath.
AN EXCELLENT MORAL STORY.
BY n. HASTINGS WELD.


will the baby die, mother2
The enquirer was hersefa child and the look
of earnest curiosity with which she watched her
mothers face, TO gather from that reply which the
parent could not speak testified to that precocity of
intelligence which is the lot of the children of the
poor. To us this union Of maturcd perceptions
with juvenile features, is among the most painful
of the traits which distinguished the offspring Of
those whose every step is contention with obsta
cles, whose every gesture seems buffet with
the world But ifthe face of the daughter was
painfully interesting, that Of the mother was not
less So Though still young, toll anxiety and
care, and above all, grief, had marked her countc-
nance with evidence that young though she might
be in years, in experience she had lived out life
time She was bending over the cradle of an in
FAINT whose quiet sleep seemed the suspension of
its little being Pale and wan, she seemed SC lrce
farther from the grave than her infant charge, in
watching whose almost imperceptable breathings
her whole attention was absorbed.
will little sis die no,o, mother ? the elder child
again asked There was volume of meaning
ia the tone in which the enquiry was put 1t ex.
pressed the resignation which all in tina, little
household had made---the conviction that their
wel-beloved infant companion was sick unto death
and all that Mary could hope in answer was, that
The moment of the departure of the infant was not
vet-not that instant A half an hour seemed a
long future-a day seemed years. Who that has
watched the life OF a child wasting away has ev-
er forgotten n2 The unconscious sufferer, inpa-
pabe alike of approaching its danger, or of com
municalng its feeling to the earnest affection
which surrounds its bed the mcekness of endu-
rance-the duplicating gancos from the eyes of
diving child----oh how deeply do they move the
! heart When man sinks from his strength or wo-
man wastes from her loneliness into the arms OF
DEATH at each stage of the disease the invalid can
communicate with attendant friends; at each pause
like respite in the Journey through the valley OF
the shadow, adieus may be re-exchangcd between
those who are to part at the grave, but TO meet
gain beyond it. But where the babe, in pain, bn,
unconscious from what cause or TO what end
looks up i'm plorngy to her ho,though now pow
erless to aid has hitherto been lis solace, the mo-
Their feels she could willingly die with her child
if she could make the sufferer understand that II is
death 1.-The death appointed TO ALL which is slow
Tly but surely sitting the pulses of its innocent
heart
So fell the young wife and moher---but still
she spoke not No sound broke the stiffness o.
that house in the iorcs--no hum of passenger, nc
notes of bmsv life. in dscord with ,hcscene, mock
ed the silent grief of the mother and sister of the
dying child There was melancholy opposite
ness in the solitude OF the place. and IN the serr
natural simplicity without and within the dwelling
The light vernal winds moved the branches o
The primeva tree Of the forest which shaded thf
humble cabin. and. as the sun stole in between the
open door among the leaves the shadow Of a lesser
branch Of the tree trembed to and fro upon the IN
flns lips as If it emblcmcd there the chickering's
of its breath. This painfully beautiful thought
entered the mind OF the mother---and while she
: sill dwell upon it, the door was darkened-ond
the poetic vision was lost-and her husband and
her brother entered with a noiseless step The
boy had plucked violet in the vain hope OF at
tracing The dying child's attention. Il had with
cred ID his hand as he walked, and while h
stood over the couch, struck with the alteration
which in few hours had taken place, he let fal
I upon the pillow The mother took it up-sh'
looked at The withered blossom offspring, and ther
D a, the withered flower Of her maternal hops =
' Turning 10 her husband, she sunk upon his necl
2 and wept
s The child was dear 10 them. Exiled, IN par