Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-02-26
MlSCELLANEO
From the N. Y. Tribune.
THE CHEERFUL HEART.


THE CHEERFUL HEART.
81 cannot choose but marvel at the way
In which our lives pass on, from day 10 day
Learning strange lessons in the human heart,
And yet like shadows letting them DEPART"
Miss LAkDoN.
How YEARLY the little news boy plodded along
the deserted streets on that New \ ears Eve !
The cold rain was beating fercely upon him,
and a few tattered garments served to protect
him from its rage. All day long had he been
out amid the storm, and was now returning,
weary and hungry, to his humble home. The
street lamps We're lighted, and as he passed by
them you could see by the CLEAN that his face
was pale and einaciated-could see that, young
as he was something had been there already to
alternate his features, and give him that wan
and desolate look which can be given only by
sonae great aftliction, some plnching want or o.
verwhelming grief. You could tell at a glance
that dark shadow was resting upon his Path
way-a shadow out OF hich there seemed lust
then but little hope of escape. Born amid pow
erty and Indebtedness, and left fathe1less While
yet in his cradle, his life up to that hour had
been nothing but misery-and the whole record
OF that life was written III his pale face ard tat
tered rags Yet, with ali this, as he passed along,
a close observer might have noticed strange
light in his clear Blue eye-an expression of
kindly cheerfulness, such as we may not often
see III this world OF care ard griet-for Gods
blessing was upon hinl---tlle blessing of cheer
full heart. The sorrow of his life, howeversdet,l
and abiding, the gloom upon his pathway, how
ever dark aud fearful, din1ned not the light that
burned SO quietly, aud yet SO steadily within.
Like the V.stal fire of old ii grew not dim, but
threw its rays far cut over the great gloom a.
round hinl-even now the cold storm beat upon
him UNDECIDED There are wal ing dreams that
come upon us sometimes VI hen we least expect
them-brioht dreams of love, and home, and
heaven-beautiful visions of the future, all glo-
rions with its burden Of song and gladness -
and such vision, of such future, now filled
and crowded and blessed the heart Of that for
saken boy. lie was dreaming, as he walked a.
long, Of better days to cone--of the time that
poverty in his pathway should depart, and the
with their presence-of bright home far away
from that great city, upon hose cheerful hearth
the fire should not go out, and where hunger
should never haunt him more. And then into
that dream Of better hfe-into that vision of a
cheerful home far off among the green hills
came pleasant face--the face Of his beloved
mother. He could see her as she sat by the lat
tice at the quiet evening hour reading the sacred
Bible, with the last red rays resting like glory
upon her brow, while the rose-leaf trembled at
the window, and the little violets folded them
selves to sleep Very pleasant was the picture
there passing before the gaze Of that ragged
child, very glorious the panorama of green hills
and bright flowers and singing birds-very beau
titul that humble cottage, halt-coyered by the
clustering toliage-and his heart thrilled and
heaved with strange rapture never known be-
fore, such rapture, such 10y as the stricken poor
can never know, save when some good angel
comes down from the blue heaven and beckons
them away from the haunts Of woe. and want in
which they suffer, to the free air and the blessed
sunshine.
But the dream had passed-the sun had set
the flowers faded, the cottage disappeared Of
all that beautiful vision, so cheering and so glori-
Gus, no trace remained no vestige OF leaf or tree
OR bird ; no letter of his mothers Bible-no love-
light OF his mothers eye. The darkness came
around hun, and he found himself there amid the
storm in the silent streets OF that great and sinful
city. So gathering his garments more closely a.
bout him, he hurried aloog TO his home with a
prayer upon his lip and Gods sunlight in his
heart. Turning into an obscure street, few
steps brought him to the door Of a wretched
dwelling which he entered. Follow now and
behold scene of want and penury, such as may
be found sometimes in this world of ours--a
scene upon which men look with unconcen, but
OH which, thank God the angels gaze with Joy;
home where poverty struggles with brave
heart and is conquered.
Before the fire sat pale, sad woman, upon
whose features the traces of great loveliness
were still visible though sorrow had sharpened
them somewhat, and CHASTITY want done much
to dim their beauty. Upon her high and queenly
brow the blue veins We're clearly visible, as the
blood coursed through them with unwonted ia
pidity. Her large dark eyes We're dim with tears.
Some new sorrow had started airesh the sealed
fountain of her grief-and now as she gazed 81
lently upon the red embers in all the utter ago
ny OF despair, it might seem that hope had gone
forever and God had iprsaken her.
"Mother!N said the boy, as he entered, all
dripping with rain, Il have come at last, and !
am tired and hungry"
''My son my SOM" replied the mot her,
s'there is no morsel of food i'll the house." and
her lip quiyered. s.We must starye we must
starye God help US !" and hertears broke forth
afresh
Thus had it been for many weary month.
With scarcely food sufficient to support life, that
mother and her boy lad struggled, and suffered,
and wept, and prayed-and now that the cold
winter was coming on, nc wonder that herh heart
shuddered and her cheek grew pale at the pros
pect ahead. How could they pass the dreary
days and long nights, the storm and the terrible
cold, without food and raiment, and shelter q
And then. where could they go when the heart
less landlord should thrust them from their pres
ent wgetched dwelling, as he had threatened to
do on the morrow ! Verify the gloom and the
despair we're greet and fearful And yet even