Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-05-05

oil comfort are SO abundant!
Thus passed away the long years, till the
little Elizabeth was seven years of age, and
then the mother Of the child sank under her
excuses, and was buried beside her husband.
Here now was an opening for some favor Of
Fortune; and had the orphan fallen among
those who were disposed TO deal kindly with
her, another and a brighter fate would have
been hers, than that which we have recorded.
But thorny path seemed marked out for the
triendless child, and the family into which
she was adopted as q servant, though it fur
nished her with comfortable food, clothing
and lodging, yet dealt with her most rigor-
ously. In the deepest and most repulsive
sense of the term, she became its servant;
and it soon became evident that Mrs. Wes-
toms only object in admitting Elizabeth into
the outer court Of her family, for beyond
that, the child never penetrated, was to per-
form the drudgery of the house-work, and to
be in truth a mere kitchen s%cullion,
Physical labor, and that which was excess
sively severe, was imposed upon her, regard
less Of her ability to perform, fault-fnding,
reproaches and blows were experienced by
her, both when she did i'll, and when she did
well. The means of education were sparing-
ly afforded her, and even the slight chance to
improve, grudgingly given her. benefited her
hut little; for she went from the kitchen to
the school room so wearisd, that her mind
was sluggish aud refused 10 act; recreations,
needed by her physical nature for its proper
development, and companionship with chill
dren OF her own or any age, were wholly de-
MED her; none save those in similar clrcum-
stances wished 10 associate with her, and
with these she was forbidden intercourse F.;
none loved or caressed her, for the poor girls
appearance was unprepossessing, and there
ever dwelt on her smileless face an express
sion Of gloom and detection, which the super
fetal mistook for ~sullenness. Often did she
watch the merry gambols of the children of
the family where she dwelt, and listen 10 the
music OF their laughter, as they frollcked to-
gether; and though deemed by her stern mis-
tress incapable Of reflection or serious thought
yet her heart became heavier in her bosom,
and a deeper sadness settled upon her spirit,
as the contrast between her sad lot, and their
bright one, forced itself upon her.
Thust the poor girl grew up to womanhood.
UnIoved, uncared-for, untaught, without edu-
cation, without friends, without happiness
in the present, or hope in the future, she liv-
ed on till her sixteenth year. Her spirit, ma
turally sad, and far from buoyant, was bowed
to the very earth and the strong feelings
which accompany a melancholy temperament
were so repfessed in her own heart, that the
channel they wrought in her bosom became
deeper for the restraint. The low estimate
of herself and her mental and moral powers,
which was constantly made in her presence
by those for whom she toiled, became at last
her W valuation of her abilities, so that
there was not a human being than whom she
did not feel humber. Thus lowly in her
views of herself, and easily abashed, she
scarcely dared raise her eyes to the counte-
nances Of those with whom she spake, accus-
toned TO scorn, contempt and ridicule, she
felt surprised and grateful when she escaped
them uncheered and unencouraged, she had
no aim in life, no plan 10 carry out, no bright
visions of the future, to seek to convert into
realities.
Alas, they know not what they do, who
surround the young spirit with the atmos-
phere of unkindness! They cannot know
how the iron hand of cruelty laid upon the
opening mind and heart will dwarf their
growth, and stunt their capabilities. They
are ignorant of the woe they work, who with
hold the voice of love, and the word OF kind
ness, from the youthful nature that pants for
them, as the hart panteth for water!
The time for which Elizabeth was bound
to the service of Mrs. Weston's family ex-
PRED when she was sixteen years old. Then
again there was a change in her life. Mrs.
Weston had bound herself by a written prom
Use to give the girl a trade at the expiration
of the term Of service; but it was alledged
that Elizabeth was too stupid TO acquire a
trade under any circumstances, although no
means had ever been afforded her, and as
there was no one to see the orphan rlghted,
she was placed in the weaving-room of one
of the factories of the town, and told that here
after she was TO look out for herself. This
was certainly a change for the better and
after the first few days had familiarized EIiz-
abeih to the din of the machinery, TO its whirl-
ing, whizzing, ineessant motion, which was
now upward and downward, then hilher and
thither, circling and zigzag, and had become
accustomed 10 the strange sights and sounds
and smells, that greeted her senses, she reali-
Zed that her situation was more favorable than
it had been.
But new trials here awaited her. Her life
of seclusion from society, and her tiInidity,
made her appearance uncouth in the eyes oil
her tellow-opeTativcs, and she was soon the
butt of their ridicule; and the stolidity with
which at first she perceived this, and which
she had been taught by experience to assume
under such circumstances, and afterwards, as
the jokes became broader and the ridicult
more unsparing, the resentment she mani,
tested, created dislike 10 her, and made heI
enemies. Stories Of petty wrong-doings, o.
lalsehood, deception and theft, some of then
true, and some ill-founded, which proceeded
in the outset from Mrs. Weston's family
who, it was urged, ought 10 know Eliza
beth'-these were bye and bye, circulated il
the factory, with alterations and additions
and as they lost nothing in the progress frou
mouth to mouth, and the detected, unknown
f t%aciturn girl had no defender, what little re
putation she at first possessed, was soon de
stroyed by the foul Islander. Her downcas
look, her uncouthness, taciturnity, fondnes.
} for solitude, and the gloom that ever huns
2 over her face like a dark cloud, though they
mould hut hava unlisted ,y,rr,I,, a.. -.