Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-07-26
MISCELLANY.
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TIE LAST HERRING.
" Hoot away despair,
! Never Sield % sorrow
The blacsest sky may wear
A smiling face To- morrow. I

It was Saturday night and the widow of
the Pine cottage sat BY her blazing faggots,
with her Eve tattered children at her side.
endeayoring BY listening to the artlessness
Of their Juvenile rrattle to dissipate the heavy,
gloom that pressed upon her mind A long
year her own hands had provided for her
helpless family, for she had no supporter
she thought she had no friend in all the wide
unfriendly world around That mysterious
providence, the wisdom Of whose ways are
above human comprehension had visited her
with wasting sickness, and her little means
had become exhausted It was now mid
winter, and the snow lay heavy and deep
through the surrounding forests, while
storm seemed gathering in the heavens, and
the driving wind reared through the bending
pines that rocked her puuy mansion:
Theflast herring smoked upon the Goals
before her it was the only article Of food
she possessed ard no wonder if her desolate
state brought uptin her lone bosom all the
anxieties Of mother when she looked upon
her children and no wonder, forlorn as she
was, if she suffered the heart swellings Of
despair to rise, even though she knew that
He whose promise is to tile widow, and to the
orphan, cannot forget his word Providence
had, many years before, taken from her an
elder son, who went away from hiss forest
home to try his fortune on the seas, since
which time she had heard no tidings Of him /;
and in later times she had been, by the hand
of death, deprived Of COMPANION and staff
Ct support il her husband, Yet to this hour
had never lost one opportunity Of minister
ing to the wants Of the miserable and destir
tute.
The indolent may well bear with poverty
while the ability 70 gain sustenanee remains.
The Individual who has but his own wants to
supply may suffer with fortitudeAthe winter
of want; his affections are not wounded, his
heart ii not wrung. The most desolate in
populons cities may hope, for charity has not
quite closed her hand and heart and shut
her eyes on misery, But the industrious
motherAof helpless and depending children,
far from the reach of human charity, has
none Of these to console her And such a
one was the widow ofthe Pine Cottage but
as she bent over the FIRE and took up the last
scanty remnant Of food to spread before her
children, her spirits seemed to brighten up,
as by sone suddea and mysterious impulse,
Cowper's beautiful lines came uncallcd across
her mind:
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
/ But trust hisn for his grace,
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides smiling face.
The smoking ihkrring was scarce laid upon
the table, when gentle rap at the door
and The loud barking Of the dogs attracted
the attention Of the family The children
flew to,oPen it, and a weary traveller, il
tatterea garments, and apparently in indif
ferent health entered and begged lodging
aud morthfuI Of food, e for" said he, :. il
| is now tRenty-four hours since | tasted
hread.1 The widows's heart bled anew, a!
under fresh complication Of distress fol
her sympathies fingered not around her owl
| Preside She hesitated not even now-res
and share Of iii she proffered to the stran
! ger 4 We shalt not be forsaken,n slid she
" or suffer deeper for an act ofcharity."
Theftfayeller drew near the board, bu
/ when lie saw the scanty fare, he raised BIZ
! eyes towards heaven in astonishment-"A AK
/ is this all your store" said he-aand sharl
! Of this do you offer to one yen know not
/ then never saw CHARITY before-but madam
do not wrong your children by giving par
| Of their Inst rncuthfal to stranger '.Ah,'
/ said the poor widow, and the tear drop
/ gushed into her eyes as she said it, 3 | hav
| a boy, somewhere on the Gce Of the Wild
/ world, unless heaven has taken him away
and I Only act towards you as would tina
/ Others should act towards him God VIII
sent mamma from heaven, can provide fer u
as he did for Israel-and how should 1, thi
night, offend HIM, if my son should be
! wanderer. destitute as you, and HE shoult
have provided for him home even as this
were ] to turn 56p unrelieved away
The widow ended, aud the stranger spring
ing from his seat clasped her in his arms
. GOD has indeed provided just such hom
1 for your wandering son and has given hin
wealth tp reward the goodness Of his lene
factress Ny mother, oh my mother r
\ twas her lost son returned to her bosom
from the Indies, abounding in riches III
had chosen this disguise, that be might tn
more completely surprise her and never wa
surprise more perfect, or followed by sweet
er cup 81 JOY. That humble re: idspcsin sk'
forest was exchanged for one c9mfeE the
and indeed beautiful in the valley soa, in
widow lived long With her beag and il the
the enjoyment Of worldly plssssss: aud atthis
delightful employment oefn pointed to- the
day the passer bxei spreads lis branches
iuxurIapt wiLlpMa kove her grave, whilst ne
bread and sEsscital Of this simple and home
listens e Altogether worthless tale
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