Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-09-30
The Sufferings of Poverty.

A French provincial paper, the Iadcpcn-
dent de Ia NoseAe, contains the following
narrative, the authenticity Of which it says
is guaranteed
" In a little town Of our department
there lived last year poor family of work
people, The father died. A martyr to la
Dor, he overtasked his strength fatigue
killed him at the age of b ! For all per-
sons sickness is frightfu thing but for
the workman it Is the worst visitation that
can beial him for, having only his labor
TO live by, his resources are stopped To
feed his wife and children he sells in few
months the proceeds often or twenty years
labor, aud when death arrives he leaves
them without an asylum and without bread
Such was the fate of the poor family Of
which we speak When the father died the
chamber was cold aud void Except the
wooden cruciix suspended to the wall near
ly all the furniture had disappeared The
mother, however, did not lose courage. aud
to find food for her children worked day
and night. Alas for the noble hearted wo-
man She was not more fortunate than her
husband At the end of few weeks she
fell dangerously ILL., One morning in the
month of March last a female neighbor
went to her house TO render some little SER
wees required by her position. She found
her dead. Day was Just beginning to break
and she saw two children slumbering in
'heir cradle. Poor children they knew
not the misfortune which had belalen them
The humble woman, kneoliug by the side
OF the corpse, quietly closed the eyes and
covered the face Meanwhile the children
awoke, but she, tenderly kissing them, told
them to sleep again. After little reflec-
ton she said TO herself, will take charge
of the poor things, and God will do The rest
This woman was a mother and as poor as
the widow. Her husband, a laborious and
and intelligent man. was abe io-earn a
small sum during the fine season, but IN
winter he had only petty and uncertain wa
ges to maintain his family. a the hour Of
dinner he went home. HIS wife was
plunged in reflection; she was wondering
how he would receive the poor children of
the widow, and If the idea of allowing them
10 partake Of the sacred bread of his own
children would not terrify him Wife,
said he, embracing her, why are you sad
Has anything happenedP No, nothing
dsturbs my happiness or yours what al-
iects me is the misfortune Of another -
Aud what is that misfortune Explain
Well, our neighbor died IN the night In
so saying she felt her fears increased, and
looked towards the bed in which the chill
dren were, hidden by the curtain. Dead 2
said the man. All ! do not complain ;
it must be a lucky thing for her. But her
children Without doubt they will not die
either of cold or hunger; the hospital is
there to receive them. Nevertheless for
them 10 begin life without any one to love
them is a sad thing. We must love them
as their mother did. All a thought
Hitherto | have been able to give bread to
all, to our three children and to YOU Well
let US hope that shall be happy enough to
be able TO give bread to six Let us adopt
these children, and let us be so adeciionate
to them as to cause them to forget the death
of their mother. What say youl Speak
your silence disputes me- Do you con-
sentl All yes, you consent, for you kiss
me- Well, 90 and seek them There
they are cried the woman drawing the
curtain. Poor people humble Christians
We will not reveal your name. Your mod
esly would be alarmed at the publicity CIV
en- to this heroic act, which seems SO natur-
81 to you. Your recompensc, besides, is
not in this world. God, who inspires so
much charity, can alone recompense il
properly"