Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-11-12

WEDNESDAY, zNOVEMBE
this is a moment of sore trial, without food
without fuel, let the widow and the Or
phan offer up their fervent prayers TO
His throne.'f The widow knelt down.
with her daughter by her side, and pray
ed to the Most High, the only head of the
church, the one and the only true ooa'
Jehovah, Lord of Hosts.
The storm ragged without-tne Wlhu
howled fearfully around their lonely dwell
ling, and. vet, though hungered' and sore
ly afflicted in mind the widow slept sound
ly, for her faith was strong IN the Lord
CHAPTER H.
"What is youth a smiling sorrow.
Blithe to-day, and sad Tomorrow
Di'N0 MRs. RODlsoN.
The theatre was crowded, beauty and
fashion filed the boxes, and glances from
many bright eye, blending with the
rays from sparkling gems, mingling thelr
light with the glare from numerous lamps,
cave to the whole scene one of rich and
Gorgeous appearance. Wealth was rep
+ Tcsented on this occasion and were the
, moor forgotten Yes! for when does
fashion think of the needy and oppressed
Did those bright eyes but rest Tor a mo-
mcnt on a suffering family, emanciated iron
the want of food-children trembling VIII
cold beneath an old coverlet, and mutter
+ mo for food, in their unquiet sleep; coul'
these bright eyes glanced on such
: scene, would they have beamed as hap
y nv and iovous For the sake of human
y ity we answer, no! The human hear
= is the centre of kind feelings, and 1t is tn
curse of modern system of education NJ Z
q which alone can be attributed ale cold |
). ness and insensibilitVGGh are cngeuder-
IS ed there :, eSith and poverty can never '
but why should wealth despise 1
t? Ask the heart that beats beneath silk G
and satin. and the true answer will be given. !
Among the most gay and fashionable 1
IN this occasion was Alfred Clement !
lie was the only child of wealthy mer- J
,hani who, 80 busily engaged in com
merciai ;.ssssuits left his son to the full I
,nioymes.. d; il means aud time. Upon f
his acti,efr -,... WAS no restraint Alfred, S
howcvtr. w11 "A noble, generous youth '
Although scarcely nineteen, he had al 1
ready attained high academic honOrs.- t
He had none of the vices of the age or I
its follies. lie was fond of sport, still t
more fond of theatres, but his visits to {
them were not made for the purpose OF {
displaying his person in the lObbies, but ,
to hear and appreciate the " cunning" of {
the historic art. Alfred was critic, one {
upon whose judgement older heads would '
rely, and his remarks upon dramatic lite
ratllre, and acting, were ever listened to !
with the most profound attention. If Al
fred had fault, it was one his parent was
alone responsible for, and that was he
had no occupation ; a profession, his father
despised, and a counting house was be-
meath the notice of the son of one of the
wealthiest merchants in the city. Hence
he had to seek for excitement in a busy
round of pleasure, affording, it is true, all
the enjoyment for youth, without any OF
the adVanIages caIcWaUeu 10 Denc1lU hirn
in the great future. This was most
grevious oversight on the part of his only
surviving parent, and one which entailed
all the misery upon his sons head which
we have yet to record
After the performance was over, Alfred
having lost in the crewd those who ac-
companied him to the theatre, started
for home alone. 1t was cold night in
the month of December. Heavy clouds
were careering through the sky, and there
was every Indication of snow storm
The moon, now in its full, ever and anon
darted forth her rays through the vacuum
of the clouds, and made the dreariness of
the streets more visible, Their long, de-
solatc perspective views extending as far
as the eye could reach, were only reieY-
ed by the passing of an occasional wan
derer, and the silence broken by the dis
tant toll of bell, or the more disagreed
BILE howling of discontented dog. AL
though not late, the extreme coldness of
the night kept the citizens within doors,
and those who ventured out were the few
whom the destinations of theatre, or
the ball room had won from their COM
Portable homes and quiet tiresides.
Alfred walked hastily along the streets
wrapped in his cloak, and little needing
the whistling wind, nor did he notice one
or two persons that passed him, in whose
unsteady steps, and thinly clad persons,
plainly told tale of nightly wassail, and
deep debauch. Just as he reached the
corner of Spruce and Fifth streets, he
felt some one pull at his cloak ; turning
suddenly around, to ascertain the cause
he nearly upset the person who had en-
deavored thus to attract his attention, and
fearful of her falling, he caught her in
his arms, and begging her pardon, kindly
asked what she wanted, The individual
he addressed, was girl apparently not
more than fourteen years of age, she was
thinly, though cleanly clad. Her pale
but intellectual countenance, emaclated
form, retiring manner, plainly indicated
that poverty, not crime, was.the cause of
her present, and to Alfred, extraordinary
behavior. In voice of feeble and falter-
ing. she stated that her mother was sick,
and actually dying for the want of food