True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-20
THE LOST BREAsrPIN.

the lost jewel. Tears or money would moi
briag il back. It vas lost, lost in the
street.-The busy streets Of this over crow
ded city, where it might be picked VI
by some Of the early chifoniers or crushed
in the dirt by some late trampcr. It was
a cause Of grief, but there are deeper
causes, as We shall see BY and by.
Advertise" said the business man.
"Who reads advertisements" said No
faith.
"Try it," said Hope, "Somebody will,
aud you may get back your lost Diam
ond."
Hope was right Somebody does read
advertisements Mo faith to the contrary
notwithstanding The lost jewel had not
been trampled in the dust, and had not
fallen into the hands of the chiffonier. 1t
was in the hands Of one willing to return
it to the owner, and anxious to learn whom
he could make hnppyily restoring the lost
treasure. The offer of reward had no
charms for him; he was himself pure gold,
and not to be charmed by golden offers.
The lost will be restored to its owner
But another lost article, lost by another wo-
man, near the same place, will never be res
tored.
About the same time that the breastpin
was lost in the street, little boy, about
three years old, the last impression Of the
image of his lost father-the fifth token to
his widowed mother, came up from his
play in the street, to his cherries garret
home, and sought for q mothers solace, for
he was sick. Vainly she strovc to put him
of, OR keep him quiet, for to her now every
minute was worth more than hours once
were-she toiled to live and find food for
her children.
It was more than she could do, and when
she found her child was really sick, she
shuddered at the thought of time lost. 1t
was jewels she never would 6nd again. But
that was not the worst loss, the child was
lost. That insidious, loathsome disease,
sm,llpox, that we are constantly importing,
among O. her "not dutiable" articles, had
seized upon that child; and in three days
he was not the sweet, fond, bright eyed
little boy, that every passer-by admired,
but an object Of pity. The mother bent
over him, until she could stand no
longer She was exhausted-sick.
A friend wrote to the Secretary Of a
benevolent institution, begging him to
s'come and see this distressed American
widows family-the mother sick, and child
dying, and four others without food, fire, or
means to live"
Little could the loss ofa breastpin COM
pare with such loss as this, and much less
would the offer of reward bring back the
lost.
He could not 60 that day-what had he
to give if he did 60, but words-his funds
were all gone; and the next morning another
messenger came and said:
'My1ittle brother died last night, my moth
er 10 quite unwell, and we have nothing in
the house to eat-my mother has just paid
out all the money brother earns, for rent,
and she does not know what she is to do;
she has no money to pay for buryiug the
child, and has sent me here to ask you to
assist her once more. She wants to bury
him by the side Of my father, in York Bay
Cemetry."
~ am sorry, but you must tell your
mother that we are out Of money, and still
have great many living children to take
care Of, and don't see any way but fol-
her to let the City pay the funeral expcn.
ses."
There was tear in that boys eye, as
he turned away; for he thought not only Of
the dead brother, but of the living ones
and his mother, and he wondered how all
Of them we're to live. But he went away
sadly, to that desolate garret room, the
home of the dead and the living. The
mother was sensible woman; she yielded
to necessity, and sent at once to the Aims
House for help to bury her child.
The door had hardly closed upon th'
boy, as ho left the Secretary's Office, wher
gentleman came in, pocket book in hand
with these cheerful words on his tongue:
~ have come to leave you little dopa
ton. / had the fortune to find los
breastpin, and the gentleman insisted upor
giving me the reward, which l refused
but finally told him l would take it fO
some Of your poor American widows-an
here is S."
The secretary started up and said, "Franl
give me my hat-Sir, thank you
have place for this--I am glad tha
somebody lost breastpin, with stone j
it, wish somebody else would lose on