True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-06
geleet Gale,
HENRIETTA's ESCAPE,
AND HOW IT CANE ABOUT.

AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT.
That slight event has sometimes made
or marred the happiness Of lifetime, is a
fact, doubtless familiar to all who have
read or observed much. Mohammed's life
was saved by tho fight Of bird, and
Bruce drew from a spiders perseverance
the energy and resolution to fight his last
triumphant battles. If the destiny Of
those with whom the destiny of nations
are involved, is influenced by what seem
to us such mere trides, it is not difficult to
imagine that the fate Of little people often
hangs upon a circumstance in itself more
trivial and unimportant.
In one of the pleasantest streets Of New
Orleans stands the residence Of Mr.. Davis
Bertram. 1t is only necessary to enter il
to see that every luxury or comfort that
taste could select, or wealth procure, has
been employed to fill and ornament the
rooms and halls, all spacious, airy and ele
CANT. Into the softly shaded apartments
the fresh cool air of morning finds its way
through clustering vires and shadowing
trees, and leaves everywhere traces Of its
wanderings over the perfumed orang'
groves and jessamine flowers around. AL
through the house, in the halls, on th'
verapdah, or in the luxurious drawing
rooms, the light tones and laughter, ant
the little tripping feet of children, MAKE
q never ceasing domestic melody. If an.
visitor, puzzled by the ubiquity Of thes'
household treasures, should take the lib
erty to gather them all in one group, HI
would find that FIVE little Bertrams-"he
little steps," Mrs. Bertram called them
were all that were necessary to keep u
from morning till night chattering AM
pattering, that ended only when sleep ha'
laid its soft calmness over each little TOO
and tongue.
Five prettier children it would hav
been hard to find. And so evidently tn
mother thought, for the most delicate mus
Inns and softest laces and purest linens, Sc
off to the best advantage each little one
If you would like to pay Mrs. Bertran
an unceremonious visit, you need not loo
for her in the drawing-rooms, with thei
elegant curtains, their soft, rich carpets
and comfortable lounges and chairs; Meth
er would you be more likely to find her j
the library, filed, though it is with book
Of every sort, and few exquisite picture
hanging against its walls seemed to invit
you to an intellectual kind Of dream.lift
But Mrs. Bertram is not q reading woman
and besides her FIVE cherubs, that have tn
range Of the house, there is another YER
little cherub that only perpetrated its frs
smile week ago. 1t lies all day in tn
nursery, finging its rosebud Of a fist, an
kissing its equally rosy feet in way tha
seems to Mrs. Bertram, who has seen tn
same phenomenon only five times befor
in her life, always new, curious, interest
ing and delightful.
The nursery had been for the last fe'
years Mrs. Bertram's princidal abidin
place. But she does not look in the leas
worn or harassed. She has a fair an
kind of matronly beauty, and as she bend
over the youngest darling, and tries a
kinds of maternal blandish ments to wi
from it another dawn of smile, you ca
see on her placid brow, and by the trar
quill light Of her eye and her sweet smil'
that cares have touched her lightly.
In another street, but a little distanc
from the one in which Mrs. Bertram live
stands a row Of squalid buildings. In or
of the smallest and most confined room
in the poorest Of the houses sits a woma
busily sewing. The garment she is NAL
ing is evidently not for herself. Poop
who live in such places do not wear line
Of texture so fine, nor laces SO exquisit
" delicate. She sews hurriedly and raj
idly, for she knows that when that hal
gard and stern-looking man, who liz
stretched on the poor pallet they call
bed, rouses from the deep sleep Of intOx
cation, she will have to lay aside the wol
BY which she procures food for both,
administer to the immediate wants Of OF
whose demands are always insisted on wit
the most unfeeling pertinacity.
As her fingers move steadily, she thinl
of her own children, two Of whom are
their graves, and the other two remove
from the degrading influence Of their fat
er'S example, and from the heavy pressu
Of poverty, by the care Of kind relative
who would do the same for the wife if 81
would consent to leave her husband. 81
made the attempt once, but was recallt
70 his side by hearing that he was sufe
ing under a severe attack Of fever, ar
could never be persuaded to leave hi
again. Truly there is love stronger thi
death. h3l5aqd ,a M
But for one Of those trivial mischano
which exercise so great an influence ov
our lives, Mrs. Bertram wonld have bet
In tho place Of the poor tailor with p
needle, instead of living as she did in IL
midst Of all the blessings Of afiueuce al
affection,