Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-08-18
Written for the wheeling IntelIigenccr
Sketches from Life.

A niece of black Grape and white ribbon was
fauttering IN the breeze from the door knob of
dwelling house in - street not long since, which
arrested the attention of persons they passed
to their morning business. "whois dead at M's''?
said the one 10 his companion. "Itis only child''
remarked the other, carelessy.
was standing not far distant, and heard every
word distinctly. The answer fell upon my heart
like lead. The enquiry at once prompted itself
Can that man be Father?-has he ever expert
enced the well-spring of affection which parent
has for his olSpring2-has he watched, day by
day, the unfolding of those germs of thought and
tie develop ement ofthat character which parent
ever watches with jealous eyeund intense devo-
tion?-hns he ever heard the tiny voice weconl-
ing "Papa" to his ome, the pattering little ieet
as they hastenIto his embrace?-has lie ever spent
SleeplesS nights and weary hours in watching by
the little couch where lay the infant form of his
vigilance and care!'
No! no! He is not apparent. Else those care
less, thoughtlesS, cold and ICY words he never
could have uttered. Ali he knowS!not how Oft
en- that fond mother, with aching head and
crushed heart, has sprung from her seePless
COUCH as she thought she heard the cry of the lit
tie one, whose stiff corpse is in the loom below,
strike upon her ear. He knows not how often,
during the period of that weary night, the agOn-
lied father has endeavored 10 sOotl the poor mo-
ther 10 sleep, and striven 10 calm her troubled
mind. He knows not how often tlat fond mother
has taken the night lamp in her hand, aud when
the house was all asleep, with noiseess step and
in her night clothes and with bare feet has wended
her way through the cold and silent chambers
and hall, to the room where the little corpse lay
in its calm repose, to see that all was right. On
tip toe she glides to its side; unseen by the watch
ers lifts the white napkin which coVetS its marble
features, and, pressing kiss upon its rigid lips,
places her hand upon its fair brow and StaEts as
the icy clliness of death sends thrill TO her mo-
theirs heart. Long she kneels there by its side,
gazing upon the fixed loveness of those little ten-
lures. Again and again she makes motion TO
Ieave-again and again she returns to take one
last, fond, lingering look. And why? "H is
but a cAiLd"' Yes, tits but childj and because
it is her child, her flesh and her blood-because
she has watched oyerit and nurtured it and cher
ished it-has anticipated its slightest wish and
shared in is every ioy-kept the midnight vigil o.
yer its little cradle, centering upon it her love,
and joy ard hope-it is because of this. and more,
nret and parents heart can alone know, which
can solve the solution of the problem,
Go, thoughtless man! and ask the sorrow -stric-
ken Father what spot Of earth is most cher ished
by him, and he will tell you the grave of that lit
tie one. Go ask the sobbing, broken hearted mo-
Their who has just committed the remains Of her
daring'one to the nav ofthe Unsuitable grave, she
will tell you the heart must answer for language is
inadequate.
Oh! then, sympathise with the bereaved parents.
Speak kindly TO them and treat them tenderly, and
say not, when you witness the token Of mourning
and deatlr, at is only a child,' but remember
that a parents heart can alone appreciate-a pa
rents soul alone know, how deep are the wutels
of its af1liction.
ISLAND HoME, august, 1858.
EFFECT OF THE HEAT IN New YoRk.-The heat
is making terrible havoc among the exposed and
unacclimated cmigrant Iaborers in New York
The New York Tribune publishes a list of two
hundred and twenty persons who had died from
the heat from Tuesday to Sunday, of which ninety
occurred on Saturday alone. This, the Tribune
says, surpasses the yellow fever and cholera in
the measure of fatality among those attacked. A
mong the victims a compoSt2r in the Herald
Office, who fell from xhauStion while he
working at his case, and shortly died. The papers
ale generally using their influence to induce those
who have the control of the Iaborng classes to al
low them rest during the middle of the day, and
an avoidance of undue exposure. The papers
also notice rumors of the prevalence Of great
mortality among the servants at the st. Nicholas
Hotel, caused by overwork, and confinement in
close underground apartments. The matter np-
pears to have been kept so quiet that the papers
are unable to state full particulars.
MORTALITY IN TIE ATLANTIC ClrIEs.-The in
tense Leaf of the past week has had its effect in
very materially increasing the mortality in the c
ties. The following is a comparative statement of
the mortality of New York, Boston, Philadelphia
! and Baltimore