Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-05-11

lSeu tue greatest Dlessingi--Whul | should pre-
Ter above all o'hers:--A Bag Of CaItorHis
am sorry for your selection, child. Col,
IS desirable, know, inasmuch as il procure,
many comforts; but remember, Maria, Wha
Solomon chose was Ear betler-a bag of tois
dom and an understanding heart
You are always quoting some Old Testament
character, mother. For my part think more
oil some heroes and sages that Scott, and Bul
wer and Dickens have written about.
Mrs. Hopkins sighed over such a thoughlIes.
woman, but discreedy kept her temper and made
no ill-naturcd remark. She always prayed thai
God would lurnher heaulo she knew she could
not
The New Year had already arrived; and Mrs.
Slmpkins demanded Of her indulgenl husband
an X, as she called it, to procure some presents
suited 10 herself and children. As usual, she
obtained il and starting on her shopping expedi.
tlon she forgot all her grievances
But Maria,' called out her mother, you are
not going out with your feet unprotected. this
slippery day;--do come back and put on your
rubbors;-you know you always say you can.
not stand on ice.'
d have not fallen yet, aud don't fear it at all.
| am more afraid Of another kind of a down
lall,' said she playlully as she shut the door.
She would have her own way. Gay she sin.
| ped along down the street, and met with no MS
hap. She found everything 10 her mind, and
her ten dollars were quickly expended upon a
set OF chessmen, fan, loo box and small work
box Tor The oldest daug her. She took them all
IN her mutf and hands, for she could not wait
to have them sent home, so great was her de-
sire 10 display her purchases. Trotting down
the hill, a little distance from her own door. she
slipped, and away flew all the purchases in ey.
cry direction. She tried 10 rise but alas she
had dislocaed her ancle, and in the effort 10
save herself had severely strained her wrist! A
gentleman near assisted her TO rise, and seeing
the difficulty, he procured carriage Instantly
and in moment she was at her own door. The
driver rang violently, and soon the cries of Mrs.
Slmpkins could be heard in all parts of the
house, mingled with reproaches that she omit.
ted TO wear any protectors TO her feet.
Mrs. Hopkins kindly soothed these upbraid
ings which were uttered TOO late. and despotched
messenger for her husband and a physician,
lhe surgeon pronounced her ankle badly frac-
tured aud having set the bone and bandaged the
swollen limb, amidst shreks and groans, which |
only chlorolorm miligaled into insensibilty. |
Mrs. Slmpkins was doomed to suherngs unpre.
medIated and anpropared. Her pain was in.
tense; she was bruised internally; and with
great difficulty could be touched at all. Seep
was banished from her eyes, only as an opiate
procured it, and then it was unrelreshing.
As her mother-in.aw was sitting by her side
gently soothing her distracted feelings. as she
mourned over the loss of slumber, she venured
TO ask her, if she did not find this common bles-
sing, sleep, luxury Of which she had never be.
fore thought
'Oh dear,' murmured the sufferer.--I shall
never, never be so ungratelul for this blessing
again.
Mrs. Smpkns eyes were badly affected and
the light was rendered painful, and of course
excluded from her apartment.
'Ehave been thinking said she one day as
faint ray shot across her bed 'what q blessing is |
light, never thought Of it before, and sight,
loo if | could be as | once was'---
But, said Mrs. Hopkins, Maria, dear, you
will be far better than you ever were, | trust.
You are coming TO yourself, child, to selcreaec-
ton TO gratitude for what you never before pri-
zed.'
Mrs. Simpkins sat or laid with her limb across
the malrass or chair for days. 'lf said she, i |
could only walk ...r- ....'.
Did you ever prize this blessing, Mariap a.
gain inquired the judicious molher--'il belongs
10 the class we call common, child. Would |
you not consider il even the greatest luxury TO /
be able TO step out and breathe the refreshing
air?' ..-..
i never, never can be insensible to this bles-
sing again. said the helpless invalid.
'And now, Maria, pursued Mrs. HOPKINS, 'as
we again review the past year, do not subjects
of gratitude rise in counties numbers before
you? Wouldyou exchange them for California
gold, even if mine were now opened at your
feet.
Dear mother, was thoughtIess and ignorant
of the sources OF true happiness ..
'And it is thus pursued Mrs. Hopkins, 'God
shows us our folly. We are corrected by acci-
dents, we are disciplined by pain, we are made |
grPteiul by privation. This fall which has oc-'
casoned you SO many, many painful hours, i'll
improved may be the greatest blessing which ev-
er beie you. To have our hearts opened 10
new sources of real happiness is worth more
than all that prosperity can give, if she fans US
with wings of gold.
Mrs. Simpkins seems possessed of different
spirit She is kind, grateful and thoughtful;
and if the experience of this sickness does not
wear off as she returns again TO the world, the
year eighteen-hundred and forly-nine is likely |
10 yield more satisfactory happiness than any
previous wear Of her life. We truly wish her
"a happy new year.
If there are any other Mrs. Simpkins's alike
thoughtless of real causes of gratitude, as they
close the past and enter upon the new year may
her experience prove equally beneficial to them
likewise.
A Dangerous Christian.
Somewhere in the land of steady habits lived
man named Zedekiah Brodhead who was