The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-07-27
fProm The Little piierm.l
rrlr,Ie, 81 ths bind elrl.
pYMARY RyINo

OlQ YOU ever tnAnk Zoo lot your eyes
dear children? Those two bright, clear,
happy eyes. that he hrs given to drink in
the pleasant sunshine, the beauty OF the
flowers, the glory Of the rainbow, and the
sweetness of your dear mothers smile!-
Listen now, to the story OF child to whom
He never gave eyes to look upon any of
these beautiful things.
It was on a sunshine morning-some-
where in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
that a gentleman, whom sea-sickness had
imprisoned in his state room since the first
roll Of the ship, took courage from a cup OF
coffee and the ealmness Of the sea to crawl
upon the deck. As be stood at the head OF
the narrow stairway, clutching a rope to
support his tottering steps, be heard a glad
ehild's laugh. Looking up, he saw a little
tgirl, about five years old at her ease,on the
turning aud rolling floor. trying to Jump
the rope with a kuotted end of ship rig
ging. which had been given her by an old
sailor. The brisk breeze had frightened
her checks, and curled her flowing hair
Mr.. L. thought Of his own little daughter
over the ocean, and his eyes flled-
"Come to me my dearl" he kindly cal.
led, reaching his hand towards the child.
She stopped her play, looked up as tho
half frightened, half astonished; and then
began carefully to creep toward the out
stretched hand. He lifted her to his lap
t and kissed her coral lips.
"Whose little girl are you?" he inquired.
, am nobody's little girl" she replied
in a touching tone. "only God takes care
! Of me-and sometimes Captain -"
"How, where is your mama?"
MAMA is in Burramputer; I'm not her
little girl any more" Here a tear rolled
down her cheek. am going to New
York" she said, "to be u%rcle's little girl,
But New York is great way Of, isn't ii
= sir?"
!. mot a very long way. my child-you
. will soon see your uncle?"
81 can't see, sir" she said softly.
. Mr.. l.. started, and looked down into
. those bright, dark, intelligent eyes. Alas
it was too truei they were darkened win
y dows. through which the soul could never
look!
'Mittiel hey, Mittiel" cried a bluff voice
o as the captains vanished hat appeared be
n hind the mast. "Eh, birdie, what new mes
have you found?"
With a start and a bound, Mite jumped
v into his rough arms, and laid her cheek OF
d tho shaggy coat sleeve.
v "So-ho shipmate." continued the cap
n tain addressing Mr.. L., "you are aloft a
last. Nothing like a stiG or wester TO
taking the starch out of you landsfolk;''an
he laughed.
"But this little girl, Captain L., how
: happens she to be alone on the wide work.
of waters?"
"Can't say" returned the captain with
8 dubious shake Of his shining hat. "She's
stray waif that I picked up on the Liver
pool docks. Don't know her belongings
she was labelled for New York it seems
= Her pame-what's the balance Of it, sea
bird9" he asked.
"Mittie Wythe Hamilton" lisped thu
child, who had already found her way
back to her bit ofrope; and sat against tn
ships railing. tossing up her hands at ever,
new dash Of spray. ~ was named for un
; Gle Wythe, and he told mama to send me-
: Her face clouded for an instant. then bright
ened again in the sunshine.
d "Poor blind pet! so far as I can make
out her story from one thing and another
she is the child Of missionaries in India
Poor creature. dare say she was getting nc
o good in that heathenish land; so it seem!
-, thoy put her in charge Of an English lady
: whose name I've forgotten, who set out tc
10 join her husband somewhere in Canada
But she sickened and died before. the BARI
Sally reached England, and the poor thing
was left friendless and helpless. What the
Captain and mate were thinking Of, l dom
v know; but they put the child on dry land.
with the balance Of the passengers, and sci
sail without so much as looking up a New
York packet. Alone in Liverpool-and it,
n no place for a blind child, sir, to say moth.
ingof one that's got eyes-I found her, anus
\. ing herself pretty muchas you see her now
with bits of chips at the corner of a ship
: yard! How the creature had lived, I can
4 say. I'll believe after this, shipmate, there,
d a God in the sky, who, as she says, keep.
Is watch over children; fhe don't over u,
grown up %sinnersl II seems that she never
wanted for a berth or a mess. I want K
y go to New York. she would say to every
stranger who spoke to her. / could'n
have left the little thing but I don't know
where I'm taking her. If l can't anchor
a her safely, I'll keep her for first mate ofthc
If Down: hey, sea-bird?"
|. What could you do with her in tina
terrible storm off Cape Clear? l shuddel
to recollect that nightl"
"Well, sir, while you were lying fiat OF
q you back, and the rest of us were hauling
, and pulling hither and thither, working TO
O dear life against the winds and waves, tn,
pretty creature was rolling about the cabiI
n floor. clapping her hands as though she was
in an applo-tree swing, and found 1t capita
funl When I tumbled down to my locke
n for FIVE minutes rest, / found her on heI
knees, in her night-wrap, saying Gu
Father and I felt sure no storm woulC
n sink the ship with her on itl'
Poor mother Of Mittiel how her hear
was wrung at sending her blind, trusty
u child from her armsl But her brother il
America had written, telling her that h,
would provide for Mittie; poor signifies!
Mltsle, who could learn little in that unoiv
AZ il'zed land, so with many tears and prayers
that missionary mother had packed Nit
IA ue's small trunk and placed her in tn,
- AAnA ~ l.