Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-10-28

sell unable 10 md one that told where ram
bows came from. In lieu thereof, he brought
Bruce's Travels; and an unfailing source Of
entertainment it proved. Thus month by
month their little library increased, and their
intellectual craving grew fast by the food ii
fed on. They gathered berries, picked chips,
ran on errands, rose early and worked late, 10
accumulate sIxpenses.
When this is done merely TO obtain animal
indulgences, or for the sake ofpossessing more
than others, there is something degrading in
the seryile process; but when the object is the
pursuit Of knowledge for its own sake, all
creeping things became winged. Beautiful it
Is TO see human souls thus struggling with
poverty and toll, sustained only by those min
istering angels, Hope and mutual Faith -
Those Who have life enough 10 struggle thus,
are all the stronger for the contest. For the
vigorous intellect it is better TO be so placed
than to be born in palaces. Jean Paul says
truly: "Weallh bears far heavier on Talent
than poverty. Under gold mountains and
thrones, who knows how many aspiritual giant
may lie crushed down and buried 2"
Esther and her brother were troubled with
no ambitious conlectures whether or not they
could never become spiritual giants; they sim
ply felt that the acquisition Of knowledge was
present delight. They thought little of hats
and shoes, till father and mother said these
must be bought with portion of their wages !;
but after that, they were doubly careful of
their hats, and often carried their shoes in
their hands. Thus were they, in their uncon-
scious earnestness, living according to laws
which highest reason would prescribe for the
whole social fabric. They worked indus
trousy at manuel labor, but always with a
spiritual end in view and that SPIRITUAL end
was their own recreation. They practced
the most careful economy, but it was neither
mean nor painful, because it was for noble
use, not for the mere sake of accumulation.
Though the poor parents were obliged to
appropriate portion of the children's juye-
nile earnings, there was one little fund that
was sacredly their own. The two chickens
had progeny Of chickens, and these, in pro
cess of time, likewise laid eggs. John picked
up every stray grain of oats he could find, be-
cause he had heard it was a good kind of food
to increase eggs; and busy little Esther saved
all the oyster-shells she could find, TO pound
for the hens in Winter, when there was no
gravel 10 furnish materials for the shells. The
cackling OF a hen was 10 them an important
event. Esther smiled at her knitting as she
heard 1t, and John, as he plucked the weeds,
raised up his head 10 listen. Hens have been
often laughed at for proclaiming all abroad
that another egg is in the world; but Johns
brood had a right TO crow over their mission.
Cacke away 10 thy hearts content, thou
brown little feather-top! Never mind their
jibes and jeers! Thy human superiors often
become world famous by simply obeyiDg an
impulse, which unconsiouSly to themselves
evolves extensive and progressive good and
thn,, he Erct hoo
worked for far higher results than he had the
ability to comprehend. Let him who laughs
at thy cackling, measure, if he can, what
the destiny of Man! II will aid in the culture
stimulate individual thought And if geuer-
osity ained and fearlessly uttered, may not
that individual thought pervade and modify
the entire opinion Of Society? And is not
law the mere record of aggregate opinion
Truly the cackling hen brought no such
thoughts TO simple Esther and her brother
John. To them it merely announced that
another egg was laid, and thereby another
cent gained toward the purchase Of new
book. They talked the stories over by the
light Of the moon, or recited 10 each other IA
vorite passages from Burns and Bloomfield
When the field laborers took their MONDAY
rest, you would be sure TO find John hidden
in the shade oil haystack, devouring book.
His zeal attracted the minister's attention, and
he often stopped to talk with him. One day,
he said 10 the mother, "This boy will make
something extraordinary. He must get an
education. He must go to college ma'am."
'"Bless my heat, might as well think of
sending him to the moon!" she replied. ,i
But Esther heard it, with quick blush of
pleasure and pride; and henceforth the one
absorbing thought OF her life was how to as
sist in sending John to college. Busily she
calculated how much could be earned in two
years by knitting, and binding shoes, and
braiding straw. John listened with rapture to
her plans, but his triumph was checked mid
way by the recollection that his sister could
not go to college with him. "Why. Esther,
you have always been my teacher" he said
''You learn faster than |, and remember bet.
ter. Why don't women go to college2
"They couldn't be lawyers, and ministers,
and judges, if they did," answered Esther.
"Why not2" said John. .iG
Esther's knowledge and reflections on the
subject stopped there. and she simply replied
that women never had done such things.
"Why, yes, they have" said John. "The
Bible says that Deborah was Judge; and
Queen Elizabeth was more than Judge; aad
we read the other day that Isabella OF Spain
knew how 10 direct an army and govern the
state better than her husband, King Ferdinand.
| am sure don't see why women should Mt
go to college"
The boy in the eagerness of brotherly love,
had started ideas which he was too ignorant
to follow. But in his simple questions lies
the germ Of thoughts that will revoiutionize
the world. For as surely as there is a God Of
harmony in the universe, so surely will wo-
man one day become the acknowledged equal
and converter Of man, in every department Of
life; and yet be more truly gentle and aflec-
tonate than she now is.
But Esther was two young to reflect on
such matters, She loved her brother, and she
wanted him TO 60 TO college; and with I'M
questioning diligence she applied her facul
ties 10 the purpose in every way that was left
open for her. She scarcely allowed herself
time to ca, and sleep, and grudged herself ev.
cry article of apparel, SO Jealous was her sis
terly love. Poor girl there was no one TO
teach her the physical laws, and she knows
not that toiling thus perpetually, without ex
erclse for the body, or recreation for the mind
was slow suicide. Month after month she
labored, and seldom spoke of pains in her
side, and confused feelings in her head Even
her favorite luxury OF reading was almost en-
tirely relinquished; and John had little leisure
to read TO her such books as were entertaining
The minister had offered TO hear him recIe
aim and Greek once a week and he was loo