Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-16
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era.
THE GRINDING HEEL.-No. Q.


The very poor must bear;
iou do not see the silent tears
BY many a mother shed,
As childhood offers up the prayer,
Give us our daily bread.
Caroline Douglas was born in jamaica, in
the palmy days Of its prosperity. Her father
was a native of Scotland Soon after his mar
riage, he bade farewell to the home of his
childhood, that he might increase his fortune
by residence in the West Indies He pur-
chased large property and was successful
in his pursuit Of wealth. Coroline was nur-
tured in the lap Of luxury. Her every wish was
gratifed She was the delight of her parents.
As she could not be educated on the island as
they desired, she was early sent to England,
and there, in the best schools, was thoroughly
taught and her mind we'll disciplined. In ad-
ditioa to her English education, she obtained
such knowledge Of French as enabled her to
write and speak it with as much ease as her
mother tongue. Her taste for music was Gull
tivated and she became fine player on the
piano and the harp. She was also skillfnl with
her pencil
Upon leaving school, Caroline returned to
jamaica and not many years attcrward mar
ried George Mcdonald q young Scotchman in
the employment of Government. His income
was large Consequently Caroline was album
dainty able to crafty her literary taste, and
to relieve herself entirely Of the cares Of house
keeping. One and another precious immortal
was intrustcd to her keeping, till her little
family numbered three daughters and two sons.
She realized more than most mothers the inn
portance of her charge. Though she employed
nurses, she did not intrust her children entire
" to them, but felt that it was both her duty
and her privilege to watch over them. AS they
grew older, she was their teacher. Her time
and thoughts were devoted to their welfare
For several years the sun Of prosperity shone
cheeringly on her pathway but at length
clouds dimmod its brightness. Her husbands
income was gradually reduced, till finally the
mere necessaries of life were all that he could
procure. Paintings and books, and most of
the treasures Of former days, were exchanged
for food and clothing.
Caroline felt that her cup Of sorrow was full
The island was ruined, and her husband and
father were not exempted from its fate But
still deeper sorrow was In store for her. Her
beloved husband, overwhelmed by these sue
cessiye misfortunes, sank upon bed of sick.
ness. With what agony she watched by that
bedside and, oh! what utter desolation filed
her heart when he breathed his last For
weeks she yielded to the bitterness Of her grief
and refused to be comforted She became 80
weak that her friends despaired of her life
The thought that she was rebelling against
God so impressed her, that she resolved to yield
no more to that hopeless dependency but to
exert herself for the support of her family.
will not tell you Of the various attempts she
made to do so, and of her want of success
Friends advised her to remove to the United
States. She collected the fragments Of her
husbands estate, and with few hundred dol
lars came to New York. Here nv acouaint-
ance with her commenced She was lady like,
cultivated and agreeable. Sorrow had indeed
made its Impress on her face, but she was on
that account no less attractive and pleasing.
Mrs Mcdonald concluded to open school
in New York. How | wished could direct her
to some place in the country, where she could
be known and appreciated There is no lone
illness like the loneliness of great city, and mo-
where is it more difficult for q stranger to gath
or school sufficiently large to make it profita-
BILE than there Surrounded, perhaps, BY those
who need just such school, and who, If they
knew you, would bestow upon you their patron
age, as much for their own sake as yours, you
are yet almost unfriended and unknown Soil
tude in the desert must be akin to this. In the
country, you can scarce be alone. The green
fields, the flowing river, the hills, the noun
fains the trees the shrubs the tiny flowers
are all companions for you They cheer your
dropping spirits, and speak to you various
language Country people are not 30 shut
out as city people from all knowledge of their
neighbors and all sympathy with them. No
desolate widow, competent to teach, can 90 into
country village, and open q school, without
meeting kindness and, in ordinary circum-
stances, with success
Mrs Mcdonald took house in New York
and from her small funds furnished il. She
opened school, and it increased till she had
fifteen little girls committed to her charge.
Just as the bud Of hope was expanding there
came a frost chilling frostn Mrs. Me-
Donald was taken i'll, and for three months
was unable to do anything, and her little school
was scattered She had scarcely recommended
teaching, when typhoid fever came into her
family Laura, Jane and Ella successfully
dropped under this fearful disease. Many times
u day the physician visited them, and for weeks
they fingered on the very borders Of the grave
When ! last saw Mrs Mcdonald, che was
yet ministering TO the wants of her invalid
children. She had employed teacher, to keep
up her fragment OF a school She had reserved
money enough to pay her quarters rent, and
was living by taking few boarders What
she should do after May, she could not even
conjecture She was almost in despair She
could not rent house. for she had no money.
and no one would be surety for her My heart
ached for her. had known enough Of want
to be able TO sympathize with her, and was
too poor TO relieve her All could do was to
pity her. and to promise to write to friend in
her behalf
Few, save the poor, feel for the poor The
rich cannot understand their need, and, Oft
tImes their utter helplessncss. They say, none
need starve in America, and yet have known
an American-born woman starve to death, even
in New York
No class needs more sympathy than that
which Mrs. Mcdonald representa- She has not
been trained to grapple with want; her tastes,
her education, her manners ft her for q place
IN refined and cultivated society. Where will
stern poverty place her
The grinding heel V upon her, pressing her
to the earth, crushing every hope, and cruelty
decorating her spirit Every fibre Of her be-