The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-04-04

take the chessmen and show them to her
Perhaps she may buy them, though God
knows [ would almost as soon sell myself,
if it was not for the hope of getting you
something nice to eat, and some medicine
for your cough. And if l take the men,
it won't look as if went for charity,
Robert"
do as you like, Mary, though | have
no hope of your success. We have SO Of
ten been disappointed d-"
ooh, don't give way, Robert! | am
sure better days will come. No. no, dom.
shake your head and look SO sorrowfui--,
better DAYS for you, | mean, and you will
do we'll again. Now, now. don't despair
so!' and with a confidence she scarcely
felt herself, she strove to instil healthier
tone into her husbands less sanguine
heart.
There mus, BE- something very holy
in your confidence. dear Mary, for ii has
had the power to keep me up for many
months; for, without your trustful spirit,
| should have given way long ago. God
bless you for ~
Dom talk so, Robert, or you will
break nv heart If don't sell these beau
tiful figures TO do you good, ! will never
part with Them. Oh, do not give up yeti
hope little longer; do, do, for my sake.
and-But where is he, where's the child!
Is be asleep!" she inquired, suddenly RI
sing from her seat and going to the bed.
He cried al first when you went out,
and asked for dinner" said the husband,
mournfullv, as the mother knelt down and
kissed the lips Of her sleeping child; 'but
| had not strength to get out and reach
the bread, poor child! So told him some
little stories to divert his mind, and said
that he should see all the chessmen to-
night; and then his little eyes grew heavy,
and he laid his head upon my lap, and
fell asleep, talking of the soldiers! Oh.
what a blessed thing is sleep to the POOR
and hungry, for, by it, they..can cheat the
craving stomach of a meal or two. See
dear. he is awaker'
But we must hasten on, and will but
merely direct the readers mental eve once
more 10 that abode of sickness, want, and
cold; bat where, such is the humIliating
effect of art and beauty, there was such
innate love and delicacy of soul Upon the
further extremity Of an old table,
drawn close to the bed, ranged in double
files, stand the mimic armies of the chess
board; and on the nearer end, the rem
nant of stale loaf, jug of warm milk
and water, and knife to part the limited
allowance of their food. Father, mother,
and child are seated on the bed, with
pleasure gazing on the carved array, and
one, in infantine ecstacy, holding out his
hand to clutch the tempting toys, and as
th 81
and drinking, each in turn from the self
same jug, the harmless dilutent; while
the wind & rain howled and beat against
the lonely tenement, and the ftful blaze
from the alternate flush and fall of the
wood embers gives momentrry light Of
the past-making the raging winter
that BEATS without, and the desolation
broodng within, appear more terrible.
True TO her appointment on the follow
ing morning, the mechanics wife with her
priced chessmen carefully folded in separ-
ate papers, and enveloped in white nap
kin, repaired TO the mansion of Mr.. Ches-
terfeld, and was instantly introduced to
the benevolent mistress. Mrs. Chesterfield
with the tact that women only know, soon
cleaned from the poor wife the concise
history of their long privations, touching
with innocent pride on her husbands skill
and ended by displaying before the amazed
eyes of the lady the proofs Of it she had
brought. ]
Mrs. Chesterfield was no mean Judge of
art, and gazed with admiration and sur
prise on the costume, execution, and fault
less symmetry of every figure, enhanced
by the ivory whiteness and beautiful tex
ture of the wood In which they were
wrought; and calling her husband, partici-
pated with him in his lavish delight and
encomlums-while the poor woman una
bic TO suppress her joy that her husbands
merits were at last appreciated, sobbed a.
louc from the excess of pleasure.
"Ihese are, indeed, superior speci-
mems of artr' observed Mr.. Chesterfield,
after a rigid scrutiny of every piece
w hat does your husband require for
then?'
''Oh, sir!" replied Mary, speaking thro'
her tears, Il am very anxious to sell them
Just now, and | would take very little
My husband said he would sell them for
shilling piece, if you would mt think it
too dear; and there's the board he made
long ago."
"a shilling piece. Impossible! My
poor woman, You must be dreamingi"l
''Nell, then, sir, what YOU please; for
my husband is very i'll, and want to buy
him some medicine" she replied, almos,
choking from CONFUSION of feeling.