The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-07-27

cuc WIS dion5 III TIC NoiAUy anu ouS cOuShs
out to cry. Had the superintendent par
ticularly interested himself in the child, he
would have found out her history, and
probably have sought some communication
with her parents. But setting down her
name as a charity scholar, he forgot that
she was an orphan.
And Mr.. L.? His sympathies had
been strongly enlisted, and he reallyintend-
ed to find out the mystery. But he was a
man of the world, and immersed in its busy
cares. Having placed a sum of money for
her use, in the hands of the director, with
permission to apply to him in any emergen-
cy, he returned to his English homeland
only remembered the blind child at mo-
ments when his own laughing Carrie
climbed into his lap.
One amonga hundred children, Mite
was well educated in all that the blind can
learn. She was taught how to read the
Bible, from which her mother had read to
her by passing her small fingers over the
~curiously raised letters. She learned to
sew, to braid, and to write, strange thoughts
that young head used to frame, for that un-
steady hand to jot down in its crooked
wanderings over the paper. She learned
to sing the sweet hymns of her schoolmates
and to touch for herself the key Of the pi-
ano whose melodies had almost made her
fancy herself in Heaven, only that she had
been told in heaven she should see like
other children! Sometimes, in her dreams
she would find herself on a soft couch, with
strange perfumes and sounds about her,
and would feel warm tears dropping one by
one, on her forehead, while q dear arm
pressed her closely.
"Motherl dear motherl" Mittie would
'icry, and awake-to find no mother
Years had passed-when again a ship
was nearing the forest of masts in New
York harbor. On the deck sat a pale Ia
dy in deep mourning, with traces Of tears
upon her cheeks. Her children chung tt
her, with wonder in their faces.
Oh, beautiful America! the America you
have so often told us about" cried a sweet
voiced girl of twelve. "Mama does i
r look as it did when you went away?"
"Mama did you live in any of these greaI
houses?"
INA. NAL plenty OF pagodas hcre?'
t chimed in the youngest boy, whose eye
had taken in the numerous church spires
| AL spoke at once, but the mother answered
1 neither. Her heart was too full. She had
gone from that shore, a happy bride, ant
hopeful; she was returning a widow brok'
t en- in health and spirits, to place her chill
r dren with her relatives, and then, as she
! believed, to lay her bones in the tomb o.
her kindred. The hope made her hear
' bound, and her pale cheek grew paler, al
| she looked on that shore Of her nativity
for the first time in twenty years.
"Oh, God, could l see all my children
4 before I diel' she faltered.
/. / pass over the scene of her landing ant
; welcome to the house Of brother. ! will
: not stop TO tell you how many wonders tho
: India born children found in America city
customs and sights; for / must hasten t
the end of my story,
at is impossible, sister," said her broth
Q er to the pale lady, one morning, in an
swer TO some expression. "The chile
: could never have reached this country
, VIZ never, as you know, have traced he
p. further than England, md if she had beef
brought here, she could not have failed h
find me, or l her."
;, The widow sighed. Goods will b,
doue!" she murmered. "But it is hard t
, feel that my little helpless innocent-my
eldest born-was sent me 10 perish alone
Often I feel as if it could not be--as if shC
were yet alive, and | should find her a
some day." .HJ
Providentialy, as it proved. the mothe
was led to, search the catalogue of various
institutions for the blind long in vain. A
length she obtained a circular from a dis
tant city, and glanced over it indifferently
so often had she been disappointed. He
heart sprung to her lips as she saw the nam
"Meta w, Hamilton"
Brother" she gasped. extending tn
paper to him.
He looked and shook his head. II an
, afraid you ore expecting to much, my poo
/ sister. Matilda was your darling's name
) and then how should she stray to that cor
! ner of the United States"
But the mothers hope was stronger thar
her fears. She scarcely ate or slept, wea'
though she was, until she reached tn
southern city whose name the catalogu
t had bourne.
: Hamilton? yes we have q pupil by tina
name, replied the blind superintendent, i
} answer to her first question Of tremblin,
eagerness. "But she is an orphan, mad
/ anne" "
r ''Are you sure sir? Oh, l must see he
at once"
, She followed him to the door of a larg
room, where fifty girls sat, bussied wit
/ their books and needlework. The buz {
conversation died as they heard the SCUM
Of strange footsteps-and q hundred sight
less eyes were turned towards the door.
| Near a table, on which lay q bunch 9
r delicate flaments, sat Mite Hamilton
r She had been braiding q bonnet, but he
+ fingers had ceased their work, and burrie
in a sort Of ~reverie, she was the only on
who did not notice the, entrance of a stranp
or.
, "Was there any distinguishing feature
! by which you would recognize your daugt
> ter, my dear madam" asked the gentle
: man.
The mothers eye wandered over tn
i, group, as though she dreaded the confl
!. nation Of her fears to lose her last hope.
"Show me the chldofwhom youspoke,