Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-12-07
CbuitR Iitrruturr.
THR MOSS SIDE.


THE MOSS SIDE.
Gilbert Ainslie was poor man, and he
had been poor man all the days of bis
life, which were not few, for his thin hair
was now waxing grey. He had been born
and bred on a small moorand farm which
he now occupied and hoped to die there,
as his ancestors had done before him, leav
ing family just above the more bitter
wants Of the world. Labor, bard and un-
remitting, had been his lot in life; but he
had never rcpined and through all the
mist, and gloom, and storms that assailed
him, he lived in that calm and resigned |
eontentment which unconsciously cheers
the hearth.stone of the blameless poor
With his own hands he ploughed, sowed,
and reaped his often scanty harvest, assis-
ted, as they grew up, by three sons, who,
even in boyhood were happy to work along
with their father in the fields. The thral-
dom in which he lived, served only to give
his character a shade Of gravity, to make
his smiles fewer, but 10 more heart felt
to calm his soul at grace before and after
meals; and kindle it in morning and eve
ming prayers.
His wife was meek and thoughtful, yet
gladstone and gay withal, her heaven was
her house, and her gentIer and weaker
hands helped to bar the door against want.
OF ten children that had been born to them,
they lost three and as they had clothed
and educated them respectfully, so did they
give them funeral. OF the seven that
survived, two sons were farm servants in
the neighborhood, while three daughters
and two sons remained at home, growing
or grown up, a small, hard-working fam
lily.
In this cottage, Gilbert's youngest child,
girl about niue years of age, had been ly-
ing for n week in fever. 1t was now Sat-
urday evening; and the ninth day of the
disease. Was she to live or die 1t SEEM
ed as if very few hours were between the
innocent creature and heaven. All the
symptoms were those of approaching death
The parents knew we'll the change that
comes over the human face, whether it be
infancy, youth, or prime, just before the
departure Of the spirit and as they stood
together by Margarets bed, it seemed to
them the fatal shadow had fallen upon her
features. The surgeon of the parish lived
some miles distant, but they expected him
every moment, and many a wistful look
was directed by fearful eyes along the moor.
The daughter who was out at service came
anxiously home on this night, the only one
that could be allowed her, for the poor
must work in their grief and servants must
do their duty to those whose bread they
eat, even when nature is sick-sick at
heart. Another of the daughters came in
from the potatoo field beyond the brae, with
what was to be their frugal supper.
The calm, noiseless spirit was in and a
round the house, while death seemed deal
ing with one who, few days ago, was like
light upon the floor, and the sound Of mu
sic that always breathcd up when mos
wanted glad and joyous in common tall
sweet, silvery, and mournful, when
Joined in hymn or psalm. One after tn
other, they continued going up to the bed
side, and then coming away, sobbing or 81
lent, to see their merry little sister VIII
used to keep dancing like butterfly in
meadow field, now tossing restlessly on he
bed, aud scarcely sensible to the words {
endearment whispered around her, or tn
selves, on her burning forehead. ..
Do you think the child is dying? sal
Gilbert with a calm voice to the surgeo
who had just arrived from another sick be
over the misty range of hills, and had bee
looking steadfastly for some minutes o
the little patient. The humane man kne'
the family well in the midst of whol
he was standing, and replied, 'while ther
is life there is hope, but my pretty Ii
tie Margaret is, fear, in the last extrem
ty.' There was no loud lamentations
these words-all had before known, thoug
they would not confess it to themselve
what they were now told-and though Il
certainty that was in the words of the ski
ful man, made their hearts beat for a littl
with sicker throbbings, made their pa
faces paler, and brought from some eyes
greater gush of tears, yet death had be-
before in that house, and in this case car
as he always had, in awe, but not terrt
There were wandering and wavering a
dreamy delirous phantasies in the brain
the innocent child-but the few words s
indistinctly uttered were affecting, not n
ding to the heart, for it was plain that
thought herself herding the sheep in {
green pastures, and sitting wrapped in
plaid upon the long and sunny side of
Berknowe. She was too much exhaus
there was too little life-too little bre;
to form u tune; but some of her wo
seemed to form favorite old songs; and
last her mother wept and turned aside
face, when the child, whose eyes were 81
and her lips almost still, breathed out tn
lines of the 22d psalm.
" The Lords my shepherd, will not WI
lie makes me down 10 lie,
In pastures green, he leadeth me
The quiet waters by"
The child was now left with none
her mother by the bed side, for it was
tobe best so. And Gilbert and his fan
sat down around the kitchen fire awhil
silence. In about quarter of an hour t
began to rise calmly, and 60 each to hi
lotted work One of the daughters v
forth with the pail to milk the cow,
another began to set the table in the I
die of the room for supper, covering it
white cloth Gilbert viewed the u
household arrangement with graC
smile on his cheek, as he said to the
geou. You will partake of our fare
your days trayel and toll Of humanity
In n ahOrt silent hale 49, Al !. -.