True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-04-24
}. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor.

and WITH difficulty through theparted lips.
A domestic with cautious tread entered the
room. The child fell back upon his pillow
with sigh Of disappointment, the light
faded from his changing features; and with
slow gathering tears he murmured, "Oh,
I thoughtit was papa! Oh, why don't
he come? mamma won'tyou send for him?"
and checking his sobs he looked up to her
with yearning, eager expression peculiar
to the dying. A sharp cry broke involun-
tarily from the wretched parent, and the
wild burst of grief that would not longer
be stayed, for moment. compelled her to
turn from. the bed. It was the first time
since early morning that he had uttered
the words, which, all through that long,
wasting sickness, had expressed his child
ish longings, and the mothers heart SEEM
ed breaking as she caught this pitiful re-
quest. Alas the wide ocean rolled be-
tween the father and his dying child.
The affectionate little fellow saw her
grief; his lip quivered again, and with his
damp brow laying close to her cheek, he
murmured softly, "Don'tcry, dear mamma,
don't cry" till suddenly starting up with
new thought, he said eagerly, "papa will
como homo some time, won't you tell him
Charlie was good boy, and loved him SO
much, oh, SO much" Again his little
strength was exhausted, hefell back rubbing
his tiny hand over his mothers tear-be-
dewed face, as he continued whispering
half unconsciously, "don't cry, my own
sweet mammal"
But the mother wept ou long and bitter
ly without fear of disturbing the loving
child, who lay unconscious alike Of her
tears and caresses. Time passed on count.
ing out the last hours of that brief young
life; and from that death like stupor little
Charlie awoke amid the angels hosts of
heaven.
Convinced at last that it was but the in
animate remains of her precious one on
which she gazed with mournful intensity,
the mother gently Withdrew her arm from
the dear head it had pillowed, and pressing
one long kiss on the marble brow, bowed
her head upon her clasped hands in silent
prayer. Long had she prayed for strength
in her impending trial; with agonized fer
vor had supplicated Him who holds death
and life in His hands to spare her darling,
or enable her to give him up uncomplain-
Eingly to a love deeper, fonder than even
her yearning tenderness, During that
long season of sorrow she had lived over
much of her former life, realizing the sin
fulness of the discomfort she had INDUCED
when surrounded by undeserved blessings;
and the retrospect while it filed her with
shame and remorse, awoke also the better
feelings Of her nature, which had SO long
llain useless and almost extinct beneath the
rankweedsof Of pride and petulence. Hence,
in this hour Of darkness, when her attend
ants, knowing with what passionate fond
ness she had regarded her fair and gentle
boy, expected to see her overwhelmed with
frantic, grief, her sorrow deep and agoni-
zing as it was, was yet tempered with
Christian resignation and hope,
/ The beautiful remains Of the angel Char
| lie were laid in the quiet church yard not
far from her dwelling, and thither would
the bereaved mother often repair to weep
and muse above the hallowed spot
Of fine summer afternoon she would
take her little Emily, now a sprightly,
winning child, whose lisping prattle wiled
many q weary hour; and they would wan
|der through the shady precincts Of the city
Of the dead" J" Or while sitting beside Char
lies grave the mother would talk Of her
j lost angel to the little one, who with her
head leaning on "mamma's" lap, and her
large bright eyes filed with wondering
thoughtfulness, would listen with unwea-
ried interest to the oft told tale. But
when autumn came with changing Skies"
the motheroften deemed itprudentto leave
Emily at home, and her visits to the grave
;lyard were now more sad and suggestive o.
mournful reflections, as she drew near the
4 little mound from which the bright flowers
she hadpIanted were fast fading away.
One afternoon, il was toward the close o
October, her steps we're directed to her 40
customed haunt. Two days had passed
since her last visit, ndthe heavy rain tina
had fallen almost continually during tn,
interim, had robbed the grave yard Of tn
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