Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-07-24
From the Ladies' National Magazine.
THE SEAMSTlIESS.
ny CHARLES J. PETERSON.

CHARLES J. PETERSON.
"Uark"' that rustic Of a dress,
Stiff th lavish comeliness.
Her. comes whose cheek would HUSH
Eut to have her garment brush
'Gainst the girl whose fingers tIiin
WOvr the weary broidery IN,
Hendinp be ak ward from her toll,
Lest her tears the silk might soil.
And in midnight's chill aud murk,
Stitched her life into the work
Shaping from, her bitter thought
Hearts ease aud forget-me-not,
Saiirzing her despair
With the emblem woven there
j. X. LoueH.
The clock had struck midnight. yet still
the seams,ress toied on. though her fin
gers were long since weary. and her heart
sick almost unto death Her candle flick
cred low in its socket. and at last nared up
ss if about to 20 out; she rose and Ut an
other, and she toiled on. The sleet drove
against the window pane, rafting like shot
upon the frosty glass, and the step of the
sleepy watchman without was the sole
sound that echoed in the street; the whole
CITY lay dumb; yet still she toiled on. She
had piece of work which it was neces-
sary to finish by the next day, and so,
though hungry and sick, and spirltless.
she was forced To- toll on.
The tread of the watchman grew faint
er; the tempest deepened; and AZ last the
hour of one struck The scantv fire which
had warmed that miserable apartment. had
expired two hours before; and cold chills
began to steal over the thnly clad inhabi-
tant She cast n wisttul glance at the
dead embers on the hearth, turned over
her work 10 see how much remained. and
s,ghing heavily, resumed her needle
And thus. hour after hour that lonely and
friendless orphan. toiled on.
Left fafIerlcss and motherlcss. she tried
n keep up her heart and. as long her
health lasted. had succeeded. Bat her in
ccssant labors gradually undermined her
strength. Her constitution. ovcrtasked.
g,ve wav She became thin and pale
and sometimes was troubled with a hectic
cough The severe winter. finally, had
brought on a temporary illness. during
which her last penny had been exhausted
and il was not without great exertlons, tor
work was scarce. that she had. on her re-
coverv. obtained something - do. That
which she had in hand was 10 be furnish
eI in an incredibly short time; but any
thing was better than starvation, and she
had thankfully undertaken the task.
The night wore The storm ragged
HerCer ana more ICY. am! i'Ic I'poi ,ii'
shivrred now continually. Sill the piece
Of work was far from finished. Vt last
fears began 10 fall on her lap; at first slow
" and heavily like the first drops Of a
thunder shower: then faster and faster; Il
nally she sobbcd convulsively. She could
no longer sew; her emotion was too great;
so she laid down her work, and gave free
vent to weeping.
..Oh, Father in Ileavent' she cried
lifting her cIaspcd hands above. and look
ing upwards with streaming eyes. Us there
no relief fl ON this! Mus, still suffer and
struggle in body and soul! Better were
dead But mol that is sinful wish: teach
me TO say Thy will be done.
Renewed sobs choked her ut,erance.
and, burving her face in her hands. she
wept with violence that shook the frail
chair in which she was sitting. VI last
The tempest Of her grief gradually died
away: her sobs grew less and less frequent.
and finally were heard only at intervals.
like those of child which had cried II
selfto sleep. Exhausted nature had Civ
en- wav: she slumbered.
And as she slept she dreamed. OH
bless God for dreams. They come TO the
bed of care. and poverty aud anguish
soothing the worn out Strugg'cr. and string
ing the soul anew for the strife Q! the NOR
row. The rich and prosperous know not
what the luxury OF dreaming is. But, in
dreams. the furnished beggar sits at the
full board; the bankrupt torgets his shame.
and surrounds his wife and children once
more with wealth: and the mourner be-
holds again the smile of the loved one.
and clasps the wife or daughter 10 his
throbbing heart.
She dreamed. At first, however. her
dream was not pleasant one. The ac
fual wove itself too much into the ideal:
and her thoughts were still of cold. and
hunger. and WEAKNESS, She fancied her
sci! wandering over a wide common.
which was covered with snow so deep
that at every step. she drew her breath
with more and more difficulty. Yet she
struggled on. M last she could stem the
driving sleet and wade through the gath
ering drifts no longer; and completely ex-
hausted. she sank down against bank.
As she thus dreamed. her head. which
bad rested between her hands on the back
at her chair, fell over against the wall. and
in this easier position. she slept more
peacefully as a smile gradually stole over
her mild features. She started slightly oc-
caslonally. and murmured low words. like
a child FALLING its mother i'm its slumbers
The storm. me eantime had ceased without.
and the wind. lately so violent. now moan
ed low and plaintively; while the musical
chaunt of the watchman crvinr ..tbree
O'Clock and a starligh, morning" sound
ed sweet and cheerful after the roar of,be
spent tempest.
She was dreaming as she smiled The
waste of snow had disappeared. and the /
'cy bank on which she leaned; and in their
place field OF fragrant spring flowers
opened before her sight and she sat on a
so" messy seat The surglng Of waters.
hurrying over pebbles. and the morning
songs OF BIRDS were in her ears. The
oew gilttered among the grass, trembled {
on the leaf of the rose. or pa,,sr.d g., ~.