Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-28

H14mzs- - -s<Cg III
cended one flight Of stairs, then, unable TO
control her agitation, she sank down upon
the lowest step of the next flight, and sobbed
passionately.
.Oh, my God ! why am ! brought TO thisl"
she uttered. ''is all this suffering necessary
10 subdue the pride Of this chaied heart?--
do / need such severe trial Must ! see
nv children stlryingl lii more than | can
hear-if all were heaped upon my own head,
! could bow TO the ciiastner but not now
not now {! cannot bear IL. Why should
nv lot he so much more wretched than 9TH
crsl VIM should it be ;" The last SEN
tence was SPOKEN with all the vehemence OF
excited feelings-with all the agony OF a
conscientious heart, when restless murmur-
ings against Providence hurst suddenly from
it. Then. alarmed at her utter want of res
i%gnation, she implored "Oh, Father! save
me from mvself!" A calm came down from
Heaven in answer TO that petition-a ray oil
LIGHT broke in upon the gloom, and a spirit ct
thankfulness arose in her troubled bosom,
that there was an Almighty arm upon which
she might trustfully repose amid the mostbe-
Wildering grieis. Composed by an humble
resignation, she dried her tears, and endeav-
ored TO smooth her aching brow, that 1t might
not reveal to Freddy a tale Of sadness. When
she entered the apartment, to which she
could give the sheltering name of home, she
compared its afiectlonate peace with the NOT
sy spirit of harshness which disturbed. con-
t~inually, the quiet of Mrs. Brooks family
She sank in a chair, and Amy, laughlngly,
clambered in her lap, to indulge in the play
full caresses which Mrs. Franklin had so 1T
tie time to encourage the gay triumph in
her roguish eyes, told very plainly that the
dimpled hands she pressed upon her moth
er's shoulders, were intended to hold her
prisoner as long as possible away from her
work.
81 guess Amy isn't very hungry, or she'd
be thinking whether mother had got any mo-
nev for our breakfast" said Frederick, mod
eslly, by way of suggesting his wants 10 his
mothers notice.
''Run 10 the bakers, Freddy" replied his
mother, with a compassionate smile, as she
handed him her tiny silver treasure.
Away he went, with a "huzZa," and a
step as bounding as if his sixpence would
buy all New York. Mrs. Franklin's eyes
followed him with a belming glance Of sat-
isfaction
'My children do not really suffer-" she
thought ''they are far happier than the un-
fortunate little Brooks. ] have it in my
power TO do much towards showing them the
way TO Heaven. Perhaps these very trials
so discipline my rebellious spirit, as TO make
Inc infinitely more useful TO their young
souls. Why, then, should | repine, if pres
ent care may enhance, in a measureless de-
gree, the happiness of us all in a future
Much of my suffering proceeds from
a want Of true faith in the doings of provi-
dence. | fear, lest | shall be unable to bear
the burden of my present lot, that | shall
sink under the slow, daily, corroding care,
which oftener saps the life Of the strongest
heart, than trials which appear a thousand
fold greater. But the wind is ever tempered
TO the shorn lamb, and | must only s%crutin-
ize my constant motives of action severely,
and do all that seems 10 lie in my power,
leaving the rest TO Him who neither slumhers
nor sleeps. Let me try only to be resigned
at the present moment, and the future will
be strIpt Of its dark coloring.
This healthy train of thought was inter
aupted by the entrance of Freddy, who, IN
high glee, swung his loaf of bread around by
the corners of the napkin that enveloped it,
When the meagre breakfast Of bread and We
ter was over, Mrs. franklin applied herself
diligently TO her sewing, and her busy fin
gers were typical of her thoughts. As she
lifted her failing heart upward, II grew strong
in submission to the will of heaven. Thus
weeks, and months, and even years, went on,
as time wrote its tracery upon her soul, there
might be seen, instead Of a coiroded and
weakened spirit, a strengthened and t%rustful
one. She had never found her burden mare
than she could bear, for her faith increased
until it was unwavering, and, in her Creates
emergencies, a watchful Providence was ev
er near 10 save from absolute despair.
The children grew up, and Frederick re-
paid, by his labors, the devotion Of her who
had wcpt and toiled with an aching bosom
over his infant years. Amy, now a lovely
girl, was the sharer of her cares, and happi
ness and contentment smiled beneath tn,
still humble roof that claimed them. Du
the content there was not that which spring
D from outward things it was far above il
and, therefore, when aught disturbed its ever
flow, there was still a preserving principle
= which gave power to bring back the peac
: that had flown for a time.
1t was not so with our friend Mrs. Brook;
: Her supposition that she might be left a wiz
ow was realized, and to her great moriiic;
t lion she discovered that her managemel
e was not skilful enough 10 take the place
her husbands, and that her energetic plaI
4 ldiltus IlNA SIlllNlOh H4h bbSl lOO .plh
r trained, TO agree always with their motht
t in opinion; Stephen and Tobias preferred
a stand on corners of the street, d~eyoting the
n attention 10 a cigar, and a coarse companio
instead of business. Martha would not VOL
n for her living, when her idle brothers livI
+ at their ease, upon the little property left |
Mr.. Brooks. Poverty frowned upon the
10 in the distance, then gradually approache
Of and her unhappy situation sunk with 1
10 gloom of death upon the worn feelings
Mrs. Brooks. Her little all was soon was
d ed, through the heedlessness of her childre
c, One cold, bitter morning in January, 5
h. hastily threw on her bonnet and cloak, al
~ sought the residence Of her former tenal
n Mrs. franklin, who still lived in the SAL
neighborhood. With a heSita,ing hand 5
is rang the bell that was 10 usher her into I
- presence of one whom she had so coldly
Mt garded, when their positions in life were d
IS. ferent. She was shown into a room wht
Mre ErapElin and har 1auohtnr mora coat,