The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-01-27

of health, and the fond mother felt n
pang of fear lest it might not be spare
to her; she thought only Of her creates
sorrow, and softly whispered,
"Oh, Eva !! sweet Eva! would tina
your father loved you as I do - Th
little girl smiled in her sleep, snd tn
mother hailed the omen with delight
f" Perhaps he will yet be restored to me
will still trust in God, and in the mean
time strive to fulfill my own duty. Per
haps it was for my spiritual good that
was thus tried, for 1 m ght never have
sought Him in truth, if earth had beer
a path Of roses always. In the ball
room, at the concert and opera, anc
theater, l forgot God; but here a
home, alone, the neglect of my intemper.
ate husband has been the means of lead.
ing me to reflect on my course, and seek
the true riches. / trust am no longer
a butterfly Of fashion, and, oh, Father
restore my husband :"
She sank upon her knees there by the
bedside Of her cherished child, and be-
sought, as she had often done before, the
reformation Of her husband. For hel
child's sake, as well rs her own, che dc.
sired it, that they might train ber to.
gether for heaven. She did not need
bis reformation that he might be more
successful in business, for wealth enough
was theirs already, but she asked it no
less earnestly. True prayer always
leads to the performance of duty, and
as she rose with more spirit -calmness,
she began to reflect upon the scenes of
the past day, with the question, whether
every duty had been accomplished.
suddenly thought flashed across her
mind-did not God, the Great Father,
send it!
She descended to the parlor, after
ilnprinting fond kiss upon the cheek
of her sleeping babe, and rang the bell.
A servant appeared.
" Bring my cloak and hat. wish
to 90 out. And ask Marston to prepare
to attend me with basket of provisions.
John may accompany US to carry it,
and lantern"
The servant was surprised at such
unusual orders from his mistress, who
seldom venturcd forth in the evening
without her husband. He knew not
that, in the hustle of preparation for
New Years Day, she had omitted at
tending to the wants Of poor family,
Of whom she had only on that day heard
Partly as kind of penance for her peg
lect Of duty, and partly from wish to
pass away the evening hours more
pleasantly than when sitting in her
splendid parlor, brooding over her sor-
rows, she resolved to go herself. While
the servant is performing her bidding,
let us 60 before her.
The humble dwelling which we will
now enter, bears no resemblance to the
stately edifce of the Athearns. Pow
erty seems stamped upon this, as wealth
seemed written legibly on that. Ascend
ing the creaking stairs, We enter low,
and not very large room, where sits a
woman of nearly the same age as Mrs.
Athearn-not more than thirty-sewing
as if her life depended upon the rapid
motion of her needle. A few articles of
furniture about her speak of better
days." but every thing, even to the lean
cat far in upon the scarcely warm hearth,
now tell in trumpet tones Of want, and
privation, and misery. The broken
window, with old clothes placed in the
aperture to keep out, if possible, the
fierce blast, is great contrast to the
windows at Mrs. Athearn's home, where
the rich folds of damask curtains permit
no rough breeze to enter. The worn
chairs and table speak of long and hard
usage. In one corner of the room is the
bedstead of the parents, and the trundle-
bed of the two children, who we're sent
to ed, an hour ago, because they cried
with the cold. Every thing which the
tender heart of the mother could sug-
eest and her slender means allow, was
done for their comfort, but she had no
more wood, nor money to buy any, and
her incorporate husband none would
trust. One little child, the youngest,
cried for food, and the frst-born ht,shed
him, saying, Mother has given us all
she had, and she has eaten nothing her
self since morning"
Oh, ye who have enough and to
spare remember that this is, alas no
fauoy sketeh--would that il we're But
around your own doors, perchancc, are
those whose children have begged for
bread tonight, aud the mother, who
loved them as dearly as you love yours,