The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-03-09

roses; such as he had s0mslimes had in sum
mer tins. lie claped his hands with pleas
uFe, cold and hungry as be was,--ioF he
was child that loved al beautiful things. 4
There was man moving about among the
foliage--a handsoms, btrong looking man
Who IN few minutes kseended short
flight Of steps with lamp = bis hand, and
aIlIwas dark again.
The little girl raised h3rssIf and wept
softly. ~ this Is home, why didn't mother
give rs some breadl,
ADOn't wake m0tbef--fhs other people !
will tell us Il IL is bonse,D said that the
boy. and be Ted her round 70 The door be
had discovered, and raped upon it with bis
little bennmbed hands. twss opened By
gentle looking. fair-faeed woman, who look
cd oot into the night, aud then moved to
close II again.
'.Piess. ma'am, Is this homer' asked the
little boy.
"childreni--why. bless me. little Onssl--
who are yout"
This Is Ely. and l am Hueh."
"Why, poor little thiagss--you must be
lost-wbat made Yen suppose this was yoar
homely
mother brought Us here and went to
sleep, ma'am."
She stepped in, and reappeared with the
bearer Of the light among the flowers, the
superintendent Of the place. "Where 10
yopr mother, my little mani" asked he
kindly.
ain the room that's got no doors to it,
answered the child.
"Come and show me;" and taking up a
glsss lantern. he followed the child, while
his wife led the little girl on the pavement,
now slippery with the new fallen snow.
P"lease don't wake mother-we always
let her sleep after her feVer;" said little
Hugh. The superintendent held his Ian
tern above the rigid figure, and then passed
his hand on the placid but ashy face. He
started back with a suppressed ejaculation,
and his wife shuddered and grew pale. The
weary was, indeed, at rest.
"Take the little ones in:" said the hus
band, gently, and in silence they were led
into the house.
"Oh, Hugh, s'nt this goodl' exclaimed
the little girl, stretching the stiff med ing-
ers of her tiDny hands before the glowing
grate.and gazing round the pretty room, with
its bright carpet, its little boob shelves and
workstand, and its soft shaded lamp shin
ing upon rosy BABY asleep in the era
die.
Ample slices of white bread, covered with
sugar, were supplied to the hungry little
strangers; and as the boy received his, he
looked up exultingly from the low stool on
which he was seated before the fire, and ex.
claimed, THAT'S what mother said-the
Lord would provides"
! When their hunger was appeased, their
| kind aptartainsy oa ntlv Onautiouod 1hann
1 bout their mother, and, with fearful eyes,
she heard their artless story of toll and sick
ness. and pitiless oppression, and utter des-
titution. She had spread little pallet for
them, and now arranged their clean bat
well-worn garments for the night.
won't mother comeF they asked.
"Mother will lie in another room, darl-
ings!" was the answer.
"Then who'll hear US say our prayersr'
"The Lord has provided me.''
They knelt at her knee, and the boy re-
peated wi folded hands and upturned face
sweetly worded prayer, that must hav,
been framed for his childish lips, in tn,
depths Of suffering, loving, trusting moth
er's heart.
Early the following morning, a wei
known lady. whose daily wont it was t
make pilgrimage tbither Of maternal love
and remembrance, summoned the snperin
tendent for admittance into the cemetry. -
He described briefly and feelingly to he
the scenes of the preceding night. Th
body had been carried for an inquest int
the turret with which the greenhouse wa
; Econnected, and there the lady followed him
The place was set round with costly vase
and statues,-ornaments of the "city Of tn
dead" removed for protection from the win
ter weather. and on bier in the midst, de
Gently covered by white drapery, and wit
the scarcely less white countenance, sc
rene and holy in its repose, lay the corpse
I looking like the recumbent efigy of beal
tiful saint.
The children were already there, attent
: ed by their kind protectress, preparing hel
n self for sorrowful task-fhat Of impartin
. TO them the first ideas of death. A sma
'' Bible, which had been found in the bosoT
:, lay at the head of the corpse. The Lac
u took it up. Ona blank leaf was neat
n written, "To Ellen, as a memorial Of OF
: marriage-eve., HUeH." Inside was de
icately wrought book-mark with funer
y device, and the inscription-"sacred TO th
memory Of my beloved husband, who died
e sea, lS3-" On other blank leaves wei
written with pencil, as it recently and wit
e tremulous hand, the texts-"l know thu
e my Redeemer liveth. - Leave thy fathe
o less chiliren to me;" and the one whic
seemed to have been most deeply impresst
!. upon the fevered brain Of the writer--"Tt
ID Lord will provide" The lady's tears fe
'f upon the book, and she stopped TO kiss Il
the little fair faces raised to hers.
e "Mother used to cry, too" said Ely.
The superinteBdent's wife pointed tc
" little circlet Of dark hair, held together BY
ID thread of silk on one Of the lifeless finger
!, "Thai's fathers har,' said the boy; "mot
10 er cut it out of her gold ring when she we
'e to sell it, after she got the fever. 9
weren't we hungry then!"
L "Lord! thou knowst why such thin
should bel" said the lady, lifting her tear
as eyes.
4 "Do you know the Lord.' asked the
id tie girl, taking hold OF her dress.
ID 81 trust so, my child--but why do J
i. ask!" and the lady caressingiy parted
1t soft curls on the little open brow.
at Another did" she still said; s.wbat did |
9, say last night, Hugh!"
W "The Lord will provide"
yh The lady looked earnestly moment II
te the clear, Innocent eyes, and then clasE
= the chlId in her arms. "G'sd forbid"
k exclaimed "that Christian mother sho
s- be mistaken in her faith and hopei
st take this little lamb to my own bosom!
a Still pressing the child to her, she cross
la the building. and drew aside the covering