Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-06-02
VOLUME II--XUMBER 81.

come in to give me her goodnight kiss. as she
always had. What fears filled ny liule bosom.
was awed and frightened by the strange still
ness Of every Thing and every body. tossed
restessly about. talked aloud 10 keep myself
company. ! said my prayers over aud over a.
gain TO comiou my heau aud keep up my cour.
age. When al last, il seemed as il nv mother
even had lorsaken me, kept up a Stout heart by
whispering, "Jesus loves liule children, he does,
mother says so. am sure he does, mother
read il to me-" d. ...
What world Of authority in "mother says
So" Obi mothers, say careful and iudicous
things, for your words never die. ...
Falling asleep, dreamed of rolling off my
bed, thai. was lied up IN leg of my drawers
and somebody was going 10 dash me in pieces.
With my heart beallng aud ready to break, | a.
woke. Silent, every thing silent. 81 will find
my mother" was The heroic, half waking reso-
luton, as | tumbled out of bed, with my poor
lame foot. My fathers door was reached, be-.
yond the long dark entry, and crept in through
the half open door. By The pale iamp.lIghl, [
could see no one but strange man on the bed
side. My heart ielli then pushed Iue far.
iher IN; on the other side Of the bed sal the dear
object Of my night search.
"My mother! my moiher!" did not cry it
out, but my heart beat with delight. Softly |
moved towards her. She sat down, with her
face bent over the pillow; there was white all
about, and her face was very white too. She
neither heard nor needed me, but had found
her, reached her chVir, and was actually hold
ing on the rounds, when heard strange noise,
groan, deep hard breathing, which lrighten.
ed me. ... I. ... .,..... = .. ..#
"lts all over" whispered the man.
My mothers head dropped upon The pillow,
and she sObbed in agony. 1t was the chamber
OF death. ! clung TO her knee. "Mother, dear
motherl" | whispered, something between ioy,
and sorrow, and terror, "do let me stay with
YOU" She looked around, then taking me up,
casPed ms cSnvusively to her bosom, while
her tears scalded my cheeks.
"My poor, lalherIess boy! Oh God! thy will
be- done! thy will be donel" she exclaimed, as
she laid her cold wet cheek upon my forehead.
Dear, dear mother, love you'll" was all that
knew of the language Of comfort. Then when
exhausted and sinking under the weight of grief
and weariness, they put her to bed, and would
take me away from her, prayed them to let me
lie by her side; 81 would be still, | would not
breahe." ...-..r .....
"Let the child cone," she said to those who
would have thrust me back into the trundIe.bed.
She opened her arms, and nestled close into
her bosom, showing my sympathies by kissing
her night gown, when | could not approach her
face without disturbing her, and by grasping her
arm and circulating "mother, dear molher!"-
Amid her tears and broken prayers, fell asleep,
have always thought since that painful and
dreadful night tie seemed to link me to my
mother, unlike my brothers, nearer and dearer.
My heart, little though it was, had beat close to
hers in the darkest hour. ...... .....a.t
Sad days followed; sad to my mother, sad TO
my brothers, as they began to realize in the fu.
neral pomp and procession, the Affections which
had beiallen them; not sadder to me than the
days when lived alone in The nursery. Now
| could sit by her side and look when | would,
up into her pale, sad face.
"You have great responsibility, certainly,
the bringing of yourlhree boys" said friend
who came TO pay my mother visit Of sympa-
thy; 'butit is not as though you had not enough
10 do with" contrasting the uxures about us
with her own narrow home. ..
81 do not know how that will be-" answered
my mother, with sigh a prophetic sigh il
proved 10 be. ...,.... .' =.
The next painful scene fastened on, an exam.
inalion Of my fathers affairs and settling his es.
tate. No will was discovered, nor was his rea.
son granted long enough to say any thing regar-
ding future provision for his family. On the
last night it was said he attempted to speak, and
looked with unutterable sorrow upon nv mother;
but what laid upon his mind, his lips in vain tried
10 reveal.
twas not long before Mr.. Madison Jones, who
administered on the estate, began to utter short
and significant growls, that things were no bet.
ter than they should be; that il was Just as he
had always said; Philip lived too fast; yes, he
knew from the first how it would be; his family
would be Ieltpoor, left come upon their lriends
Cousin Madison was famous for seeing results
when they appeared; it is not every one who is
thus gifted.
At last IT came out naked enough that my fa
ther was bankrupt. We were poor-absoiute.
ly poor, but for small sum belonging 10 nv
mother, and secured to her in a marriage con-
tract. It's interest had never been touched and
so 1t amounted to something, but little enough,
upon which to bring up three boys. Rich rela.
tions, we had but one, Mr.. Madison Jones, and
he only cousin of my father; rich cousin, who
Prided himself upon his money, and valued 9TH
or people by the same standard. ...-
And now what was my mother to dol The
moment she knew the actual state of things she
began to act. Would she open boarding
house, that general and uncertain alternative for
poor gentlewomen! If possible, no; her time
must be given to her boys. ... ANN. .....
Did she move into the quarter of that small
tenement in back street, behind cousin .Iad-
sons and take in sewing, letting her eldest live
half Of his time at his name-sake's, and sending
the youngest to his grand fathers; or could she
not manage TO keep Them all with herl a.
IA, "lIhat neighborhood is SO bad for the boys
and besides, there isno yard for the boys to work
in" argued my mother. s,.,....,.i =. .....,
4, "a yard! what do you want yard forl" as
ked cousin Madison, testify =, r..q.s. Y