Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-03-30


their long and silent abode Would tina: had
buried them in infancy
well remember n cold, stormy and /
d reary eve, in the winter Of lS2t. Two
Of nv BOYS had been OFT that day hsHng;
the two eldest had accompanied their iath-
or 10 the town; and sat ~ home, over The
nearly expiring embers, cndeavoring to
prepare something for my youngest son.
who was stretched upon the low bed beside /
me, nearly gone with the scarlet fever,
Nv tears fell fas, a. MS low moaning voice |
reached my ear; rose 10 assist him. bat
noticed n mortal paieness hac ccmc over
his face. staggered towards tho bed
Ono grasp for breath. and then i, was all
over with him for over. How long lay
insensib!e, know not .bu, when | revived
found mvsolf in another apartment. -
The candle burnt feebiy in its socket
The fire was entirely extinguished, and
beside me. in thu ha bilnents of the grave,
stretched upon 4 plank across Nv" chairs,
lay nv son--now cold and slIon, corpse.
arose and entered tho other room; nei
ther M husband nor my BOYS had return
ed. The storm howied wildly without
tho rain beat violently gainst the window.
and ,hc.o was, alono il that droary cot
the corpse of my darling boy. Somo
nci ghbofs had accidentally entered whist
| was inscnsiblc, and ibid him out for his
long ressing-place. \ few armslull OF
wood they bad also kindly left me and
some provisions.
An hour elapsed orc heard any SOUND
without, save the storm. Voices wero then
heard approaching tho cottage, ana III
few moments my husband ani two eldest
sons stood before mo dripping with ram.
and shall write il !-ail Of them beast
ly intoxicated cannot; oh, cannot de-
scribe tho torrors of that fatal night; tho
heartess contempt and noglec. of my boys.
whom | had loved with Al. moihors
! kindness. Where - yoar nurseilng Sam'
| dcma ndod my husband. casting an eye to-
wards tho bod. handed him tho lamp.
and pointed to the other room. lie took
it, ana staggered towards the door. Upon
/ opening il, tho pale, inanima,e corpse OF
| MS son me, his eye. With an cxclama-
ton Of terror be sank upon the floor lno
hon b5ona h2s'1 10 c q. The om,ci,,od
coun,enanco Of their brother, aud then
burst forth into a wild and childish sob
intoxicated though they were. their hearts
| llf'u ioN SioS0d o'CA C'oi. S~tStot'
feeling.
! But tho morning brough. new horrors.
| Oh how can | writo it and yot nv
heart has become SO bur,hencd with grief.
that feel | mus, give Won, 10 my tale of
woo. The boat in which my two sons
went fishing, was found upset a few rods
below tho house, and both of them were
drowned beside it, with their fishing tack
| ling n their hands. What sceno for a
mother, Deprived in one short nigh. Of
,hrco children +; and these three the dear
~. t. - N1, moor heat, i:~i. had
hitherto borno up under all tho accumuia-
ting ills with which was afflicted, now
gave way. No tear, no sob escaped m,
but n low, broodins melancholy settled up
on my mind. DAYS AMI weeks passed
away. was iuscnsblc alike 10 harshncss
and to pity. Even tho iron hearted, rum
selling Christian, who came to soc M, ap-
pearcd touched with my s!tI7.on; and
was heard to docarc, that if be was not
commanded to look af,or his family. ha
would never sell any moro run, 20 my has.
band.
said before, DAYS and wcoks pissed
away, and still hecdcd not the scenes
which wcro Transporting around me-. Whom
| woke to returning consciousness. | found
mysef in another dwelling. much more
comfortable, and my husband seated be-
side me. anxiously regarding nc. He had
been so shocked at the death of our chill
.ren, oil Of which had arisen from his
beastly thirst for rum. that no sworo he
| would mover take glass again. Daring
the six weeks Of my sickness. no had rei-
riouslv KEEP, his word. Several of his for
NOR friends had hoard of his reform. and
had como forward to assis. him. They
procured him situation in n largo esIab
ishmont in tho village; md we had reno
we'd from the matched cottage down by the
river side, to 4 small and noat dwelling.
nearly opposite my former residence.
| we'll remember tho emilo that played
over my husbands iino features as aWoko
from tina. living death. 1t was like the
smile which | had ofton soon in our young
DAYS of innocence and hope. Oh what
a cheerful sensation il sen; 10 my heart
Il atoncd al once for tho errors and abuse
Of wears. and arose from my bed with
liehtness of STEP to which was stranger.
Ny husband flung his arms around me-
IL will drink no moro rum, my dear Ma
rv," he observed; Il will treat yo,, better
than ever did before. have been harsh
and unfecling monster TO you; yet now
intend to reform" Amen responded
with my whole heart.
| was standing. the first morning after
my rccoyary looking cut of tho front " in