Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1853-01-28
DY sYLyAnUs com, IR.

It was bitter cold nish. on The twenty
fourth Of December. The snow iay deep upon
the frozen earth, and the bright moon, riding
half way UP the heavens, lent a crystalline
lustrc to the scene. In the high road, short
distance from quiet, rcpo sfn3 village, stood
the form Of human being. His garments
~cre scant and tattcrcd, by far Insufficient to
Keep out the biting frost. bis frame Ia ani
trcmblcd like the icc-boIrd bougis of The
weeping willow that grew mean him. and his
face, AS the moonbeams danced upon IT,
exhibited all the fearful foot prints Of the de-
mon, In:empcrince. Poor, wre,chcd aud de-
based. he looked and such, in truth, he was.
Before him, at the end Of neatly fenced
and trelscd enclosure. stood a small cottage.
Twas elegant in it's simple neatncss. & just such
. ono as N humble lover of true comfort and
Joy would seek for home. The tears rolled
down the bloatcd checks of Tie poor ncbrlate
as he gazed upon the cottage, and at length,
as he clasped his hands in agony, he murmured:
20. thou fond home OF my happier days,
thou lookcst like heaven Of the past. Be
meath thy roof Twas married to the idol of my
soul, and within thy peaceful walls God gave
- me two blessed children. Then peace and
plenty were mine, and love and joy were mine
My wifc-God bless her gentle soul--was hap
py then. and my ,childrcn-may hea,c pro.
ecct them-laughcd and played in slcesoTc
pleasure. Gladness smiled upon then, and
thee, as the fool loseth his own salvation Six
years have passed since the demon that took
to my heart drove us from your sheltering roof.
And these six years! O., what misery what
agony. what sorrows, and what degradation
have they not brought to me and my poor, famis
~. Home. health, wealth. peace, JOY and
cup-no. will not blame thee! Twas L. /
Who did it! Year after yeard Ttampered with
thy deadly sting. when I knew that destruc,
tj0p lurked in Thy smiles. But, but and the
poor man raised his eyes to heaven as he spoke.
There Is room on earth for another man--ayq
4Sin 1s Met mari r., . ~. 81. 80. -.
within the Only sp ,rtment of ! miserable nj
and almost broken-down hovel, tsat : woman
and two childen-a boy and girl. The cold
wind found its entrance through hnndfed'
creviccs. and as its biting gusts swept through
The room, the mother and her children
erouched nearer to the few cmbcrs that
still smouldered upon the hearth. The only
furniture were four poor stools. rIcketty table,
and a scanty covered bed; while in one corner.
nearest the fireplace, heap Of straw and
tattcred blankets, which served resting
place for the brother and 81 'tcr. Part Of tai
low candle was burning upon the table. and by
its dim light one might have seen that wretcllcd
xAothes's coantenance. 1t was pale and wan,
and wet with tears. The faces Of her children
Xefq 2OtD UuIheQ ~ uer zap, ana they Sccmed /
56sics Pcseci6I1y under her prsyerful guard |
Anshsp. ees'ass 'zse
At length the sound Of footsteps upon the
snow crust. struck upon the mothers cars, and I
hastily arousng her children, she hurried them
TO their lowly bed, and hardly had they crouch
cd away beneath the thin blankets, when the
door was opened, and the man whom have
already seen before that pretty cottage, entered
the place With trembling. fearful look, the
wife gazed up in her husbands face. and seem
ed ready TO crouch back from his approach,
when the mark of ear-drop upon his check
caught her eye. Could it be- thought she, that
that pearly drop III truth tear. No
perhaps "A snow flake had fallen there and mel
ted.
Once or twice, Thomas wilkins seemed upon
the point of speaking some word to his wife,
but at length he turned slowly away aud silent
ly undrcssed himself. and soon after his weary
limbs had touched ,hc bed he asleep.
Long and earnestly did Mrs. Wilkins gaze
upon the features of her husband alter he had
fallen asleep. There was something strange
in his manncr-somcthing unaccountabie.-
Surely he had not been drinking; for hi; coun-
fenance had none of that vacant, wild, domoni-
ac look that usually rested there. His features
were rather sad and thoughtful, than other
wise; nnd,-O. heavens, Is it pos>iblc--a smile
Sssase of lrd,ars. ...., c.,'7j as If OF
lDxenhen: lie was =
....S about his mouth, AMI ana
Pa. ;ssued from his lips while yet he slePt7