Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-12-03


No good, she thought, could come from
such vicinity. But wha, was she to do!
She must beg now. and hapy she nigh,
meet those who imputed TO the lower
orders something which was not .vice.'
II was with heavy heart that. turning
out of the stree. in which The clergyman
lived, she stood where the ladies' passed
home from the market. and looked in
their faces with eager, hungry eyes. Ii
began 10 snow just abou! this time. Tin
i'd and ashamed. she watched an oppor,u
nifty to make her first appeal. Blu. every
one was in such haste to get home, now
that the snow was falling. that her sup
plcsting attitude and pale, al,enuated face
were scarcely noticed, or gained only
cold, unsympa,hising stare. All, it was
sad for The poor girl to see so many fel-
low christians, not one OF whom was dis
posed TO lend to their Maker an unstalea-
BILE fraction of the wealth he had bestowed
upon them. 1t is true that she had no,
yet pe,itioned with her tongue. but her
eyes, her cheeks, her pinchcd limbs and
bare attire, what eloquent tongues they
had How impressive their oratory!
But it was week day. and charity was
a theme for Sundays. Once in seven
days The rich folks Of Rockfed conde-
scended to call the poor their brethren.
Faster fell the snow. The girls bonnet
and shawl were white as the roofs Of the
houses. She shivered and her teeth chat.
tered. The marrow of her bones was
chilled. She had addressed FIVE or six
individuals. neither of whom deigned TO
reply, or recognised her existence by so
m UGH as shake Of the head, or any 9TH
er mute rejection of her suit. Only a
penny-',is for my grandmother; have
lost FIVE shillngs, anu we have nothing to
eat at home Faster fell the snow. and
faster on their way.
"He tina, giveih TO the poor. lendeth TO
the Lord.-Inasmuch as ye did it not TO
one Of the leas! Of these my brethren, We
did it not to me-" Holy words /! accred
tied by those who turned deaf ear to the
petition of the shivering beggar girl! Up
wards Of two hours did Jane stand, ex-
posed to the ,hickly falling snow, and
| suffering the severest priva,ions from the
combined effects of cold and hunger
| And during all ,ha, time she received an
cry and abusive words. deprecating looks,
and threats of Bridewell, but no, one half
| penny. not one.
And now the day was so far advanced
that the night would close in. 1t still
showed fast-ihe cold was extreme. As
she hurried along the movement she
caugh, frequent sights of glowing fires in
CRATES. and happy people warming them
selves thereby. The cold was in hel
limbs and in her heart. She must hasten
home. les, her poor grandmother should
die of fright because of her long absence
Yet once more she would beg-yet once
more, for her aged relations sake, she
would beg.
A sailor. rather an uncommon person
age in Rock6eld, approached. She rails
ed her hands in supplicalion; her pale
face streaming with tears, and her suppIi-
eating attitude attracted the worthy tar.
attention. She told her story, and the
humane seaman drew from his pocket d
lealhern purse. and placed five shilling:
in her hand saying that he gave it to he'
for the sake of his mother, who was ar
old woman, and whom he was hurrying
to meet, after a long-long ABSENCE
she was alive. He should have a child
too, he said, but he thought she wa'
dead-he didn't know,
Oh. joy.-oh. light-heared joyi-
Heaping unaccoun.ed blessings on til,
head of the generous son of Neptune. on
happy Jane SET her face homeward j,
good earnest. She was on the moo
now but soaked TO the skin by the pene
tra,ng snow. and chilled almost beyon'
the power of her slight, enfeehled fran
to bear. A, every step her strength
grew less and less. The snow fell s.
fast and thick that objects at a triflinj
distance were obscured, and her little fee
sunk deeper and deeper every minute
Oh to die upon the lonely moor, HOY
horrible! To sit frantically down, an
as she remembered to heard i. told tina
people so perished-,o heap the sno,
around her and build herself frightfu
tomb herewith! Was such to be he
; end! Through the long hours of tina
bitter winter night, how would her oil
} grandmother rave in mad despair and ca
vainly upon Heaven to aid her darlin
child.
Thicker and faster-thicker and fasie
yet. No sky. no horizon no object o
which rests the eye. but all one waste {
snow tina. made the eye-balls ache /
; look upon. Faster and faster yet, an
t feebler grew her steps. A dlzzines
came over her heart. She could not hol
on. much longer, she felt herself sinking
{ yet one more struggle for her young llf'
, A chirp, as Of little bird sounded j
her ear. 1t was close beside her, robiI
( a winter robin.
!, The moor was. in summer, parlicula
u ly barren, even for moor. There W;
not a tree for bird to perch upon.-
$ Only few shrubs. and they were no
hidden by the snow.
! 1t was only simple robin; but CT
alone knows how greatly its presen
0 cheered our little maiden battling again
:, the storm on that shel,erless and drea