Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-05-13


deliberately manufactures d kind hus-
band and father into. a devil, and hap
py home into hell, where the victim
can torment his own wife and children
Eu,renched with legislation, and,lea-
gued with unscrupulous demagogues,
they have continued this fearful work a.
gainst all the efforts Of the tongue and
ben. Theirvic,ims have suffercds and
wept, and died in vain. Human and
divine laws have alike been trampled
upon; and to-day awhile preaching NOR
al suasion, they are banding to sustain
the system Of cruelty and wrong at ev-
cry hazard sasg
Moral suasion! Let the stricken
mother go pray upon the slippery deck
of the pirate when blood leaps smoking
from the scuppers. and beg the life of
her boy! Send childhood with a tear
on its check, into the den Of the famish-
ed tigress, and with silvery voice be-
seech the life Of a parent, writhing in
her remorseless fangs! t'gH .e
For tho universe of God, its wealth
and its honors, we would not, in the light
of this day, have the guilt of rumsell-
ing rest heavy on our soul.
One more visit 10 tho miserable tene-
ment Of Watt. All that the law spared
has been carried OF by Watt and pawn
ed at the tavern. Tho Bible Of the
dead wife. her only legacy to her chill
dren, has been stolen from the place
where young Bertha Wait lid il, as a
! priceless Treasure, and sacred with the
heart,drops which had fallen upon tho
worn pages, and sold for rum. 5...l
Little Bernard Watt lay sick unto
death. With many bitter curse, the
father had turned from the door, as Ber-
tha plead that her sick brother might
have u doctor called, aud left for the
tavern. .. ,.... u|
And all within was hushc1 and still
every football as light as the falling
leaf, for fear of disturbing the sick one.
with hot tears upon her cheek, Bertha
leaned upon the scanly couch, the tiny
aud feverish hand clasped conyulsiyely
within her. own, ss if to hold the boy
brother to earth. Though pale and ia.
ding, the features were classically beau
tifuI; but clammy sweat had gather
cd upon The white lrow, rich with the
last kisses of dying mother. The
chubby check had grown thin and touch
ingly pale; the eye had lost its laugh
ter, aud looked languidlyupon the group
around him. The white teeth appeared
through the half closed lips, aud the
rich goldenhairlay back, upon the coarse
blanket pillow On the fourth day, as
tho sun was going down in the west, the
child was passing away.
Through the broken window, q broad
beam Of sunshine, like ray from bliss,
entered aud trembled for a moment up
on the hair, aud then burst like food
upon the pale features of the child. He
turned his face to the sun, and a smile,
sweeter than the sunlight, came over
the wasted and bloodless lips. Upon
that golden pathway the little one was
smiling back upon kindred angels in
Heaven! ts'N@ i''3N' s.y- .''
Bertha, do they always have sun
shine in heaven!-and will my little
flower grow, there, and the birds sing :
and will tho angels you told me about
last night be good and love met
Another is there, she will love you,'
replied the choking Bertha. .f,s
How want to die! You say |
won't hunger there, Bertha, and III
have clothes SO bright, and always feel
happy. Iwon't cry there, Bertha, will
llF as
1 Bertha could not answer from her
swelling heart, but the tears wound their
way down her cheeks and fell like rain
drops upon the glistening locks Of Ber'
nard. nd w,gU.l f .ssl p
enBertha !"-andthe boy looked wild.
Ily out into tho room, and shut his sharp,
thin fingers tightly upon her arm, aud
| in a whisper continued-"Fsther won't
be there to whip US, cause VIC can't
help crying, will he. Oh, | hope Mr.
Hormon won't go there, to sell any rum.
Tho good God don't sell rum, does he I
i Why can't YOU die. too, Bertha, and 60
when the angels come after me :" sobs
only answered the faint prattle OF the
innocent. ..... ....u..I
Bertha, give me some more Of tina!
toast. When get to Heaven III tell
ma how good Minnie Hermon was to
u.s." Bertha looked, and the toast was
gone, and with it tho loaf of bread and
wine which Minnie Hermon had bro't
that morning, as she learned of their
sickness and deslitution. The father
Fhad robbed the dying, aud sold the loal
for two drains. There was not morsel
of food for the boy, and Berlha's heart
almost broke as she thought how crue'
that Bernard should die hungry. 7h'
"Berlha-I'm going to sleep-kiss
me. Good nightl Bright ina, bor'
nard coming. "'.n''
h ,r, ..,. -......,. I;,ooro1 o,or