The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-02-24
CHAPTER v,

drunken, and disspated; the charitable, an
+ those whose "bowels of compassion" ha
long been closed TO the cry Of their need
brethren. Aroupd some hesrths sbone tn
cheering light of fre-glow ond heart-wsrmi
rejoicing in surrounding comforts, and tn
: power of distributing them to those who wer
less happily situated. Others were jocun
with song and laughter; but no remembrance
OF the poor aud suffering was there to moder
ate the laughter, and impart deeper tone o
feeling to the song; and so both sounde,
harsh and cold. and shallow as their owners
Sumo were gi!ded with the lunar rays o
gratitude, rejecting in their softened lustr,
the ardent beams of the sun o. beauty tha
I thsdsailed them into existence. On others
again, brooded a thick gloon of physical COLI
and darkness, and that bitterness of the spiri
which is still worse to bear than these out.
ward evidences OF selfshness, on the one
hand, and improyidence, on the other.
Jack Marvels dead had been decently in.
tered. The horror had been removed from
under the ragged tablecloth on the deal table
the house fumigated; and tile little ones sup
piled for once with as much bread as they
could eat A cheer ul fire burned in the rusty
CRATE, and Jack himself was attired in an old
black suit which had once belonged to Mr..
Sellers, and in which he looked more re-
spectacle than he had done before for many
long day. All this had been effected by
the rich mans kindness; and one would have
expected to have found jacks heart warmed
and cheered, as were the still bare walls of
his miserable dwelling. Yet, as the haggard
looking man sat brooding over the freight,
while his little ones played about the fuor,
there was no genial glow on his features, to
correspond with the improved aspect Of things
around him. In fact, as is common with
poverty that has not lett behind it the dross
Of pride in the furnace of afiicticn, Jack
was wavering between an angry dislike, on
the one hand, to receive these comforts from
man whom he had sworn to himself to hate
and despise, and, on the other species )f
jealous dissatisfaction that more had not been
done for himself and his children.
"Whle he was about it," thought the dis
contented man, "he mightas well have got
me back my bed, and that proud young
madam, his wife, who scarcely deigned to
speak two words when she was here, might
have sent bundle of her cast-off clothing,
to make the children warm and decent. 1t is
gall and poison to receive anything from the
rich, but" and here Jack swore fearful
oath (which was doing the thing, I'd take
care did it handsomely" ,e
He had just arrived at this conclusion when
a loud knock came to the door, breaking in
upon his reflections, and startling him con-
sderably. .
"What fool am" he thought. al dare
say it's only Sam jones, coming in to beg a
light. III teach him to knock, if he hammers
in that way, the Come in!'" he shouted
rudely.
The door was flung wide open, and in
marched-not Sam Jones, as he expected
but two men, bearing between them hamp-
er of very considerable dimensions, and equal
ly weighty with its size; ii one might Judge
by the evident muscular exerlion of its
bearers, as they set it down on the mud floor,
"a right" said one Of them. "This ere
be Mister John Marve's aint it,"
"Yes!" said Jack, shortly.
The men departed; and the little girls, who
had ceased their play to gaze at lhem ran to-
wards their father.
Father, father, big box! Come, look, faith
er!"
Jack hestated--for in the mood in which
he then was he would have scorned to testify
any curiosity, however natural-but the i'm
portunities of the children at length prevail
ed npun him to examine the hamper. 1t was
well corded and directed in clear, decided
feminine hand, which gave him no clue to
tie sender, as he was totally unucqualnted
with the handwriting.
"Father, be quick and open it. Do, pray,
father"
leave me room, then, lasses," said Jack,
beginning to relax in his il-humor at the
touch OF their importunate caresses; for
reckless and desperate as the wretched man
had become, he had ever been fond, uiiec-
tionate lather. leave me a bit of room. -
You, Emma, take hold of this knot Now,
Nj uy, help TO lift the end OF the hamper
there, there's beautes--whie pull the rope
from Under. Now, we have only got to un-
fasten it, and look in."
And glorious sight rewarded their exer-
tions. FIRST came three large bundles o
clothing shirts, stockings, draw.
ers, and so forth, for Jack; and everything
neediul to clothe the little girls from top to
toe, Then followed packet Of tea, another
I of sugar, huge side ol bacon, large meat
pie, piece OF cold roast-beef, and last, moi
! least, a glorious Christmas pudding.
"Father," cried the little girls, as Jack ex
J tracted from the midst of these something
nearly square, wrapped up in pa?er-"Father
what is that"
1t wasa New Testament, out Of which
dropped letter for Jack, superscribed by thu
same hand which had written the direction
on the card. This letter was from Martha,a
our readers will have already anticipated
begging in few words, that he would accep
the hamper and its contents, as Christma
offering of peace and goodwill ! from Mr.
Sellers, who would do himself the pleasur
of calling upon his cousin in the course of
few days. "Do not refuse u.s." it concluded
!, -"the happiness of being of service to yo
and your little girls, at season when all ol
grudges ought to be forgotten, or only serv
as incentives to the exercise of Christian fol