Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-03-09

, such as this to cheer him, Johnny perserv
: ed; young as he was, he understood th,
, necessity. But how often during the fou
, weary weeks that succeeded, did the memo
ry of the Saturday night he had spent a
: home come up before his mental vision
The fresh loaf Of rye bread, backed in ho
nor Of his arrival, and eaten for supper
with maple molasses-the very molasse.
he had helped to boil on shares with far
mcr Thrify's boys in the Spring. What
feast they had Then the long evening
afterwards, when the blaze of the hickory
fire lighted up the timbcrs of the old cabin,
with mellow glow, and mother looked SC
cheerful and smiled SO kindly, as she sal
spinning in its warmth and light And
how even father had helped to pop corn in
the iron pot.
All that was time long TO be remem.
bercd and he had ample opportunity to
draw comparisons, for he often thought his
master cared more for his cattle than he
f'r him, and it is quite probable he did ;
for while they were warmly housed, he was
necdlessly ly exposed, and his comfort utter
ly disregardcd. If there was brush to
cut, or fence to make, or any outdoor Ia
bor to perform, wet, cold or windy day.
was sure to be selected, while in fue weath.
cr, the wood was required to be chopped,
and generally speaking, all the work that
could be done under shelter. Yet, we
dare say, Farmer Watkins never thought
of the inhumanity Of this, or the advan-
tage he would himself derive by arranging
it otherwise
john Cole had been living out, perhaps
year. He had not grown much in this
period his frame had always been slight,
and his sunkcn checks, and wasted limbs,
spoke ofthc hard usage and suffering of
his present situation. The family bad
many delicacics for themselves, but the
tcorA bay they knew never was used to
such things, and they were Indifferent as
to what his fare chanccd to be. He gene
rally managed to satisfy the cravings of
hunger on the coarse food given him, but
that was all. About this time it happened
that the farmer was digging ditch, and
as he was afraid winter would set in before
it was completed, johnny and himself
were at work upon it early and late, not.
withstanding the wind whistled, and it
was SO cold they could hardly handle the
tools. While thus employed, it chanced
that they got wet to the skin with a drizz-
ling rain, and on returning to the house,
the farmer changed his clothes, drank some
hot mulled cider, and spent the remainder
of the evening in his high backed chair
before comfortable fire while the boy
was sent TO grease Il wagon in an open
shed, and at night crept to his straw pal
let, shaking as though in an ague f.. The
next morning lie was in high fever, and
with many :" wonder Of what got into
him. but without one word of sympathy,
or any other manifestation of good will, be
was sent home to his mother Late in the
evening Of the same day, compassionate
physician was surprised TO see a wo-
man enter his Office her garments wet
and travel-stained, and, with streaming
eyes, she besought him to come and see
her son.
"My Johnny, my johnny, sir" she
cried, che has been raving wild all day,
aud we are afraid he will die"
Mstaking the cause of the good mans
hesitation, she added with fresh burs. Of
gr,ef, cob | will work my fingers to the
bone to pay you, sir, if you will only come.
We live in the Gap"
\ few inquiries were all that was neces-
sary to learn the state Of the case. The
benevolent doctor took the woman in his
vehicle, and proceeded, over a mountain
Gus road of six miles to see his patient
But vain was the help of man; Johnny
continued delirious; it was work, work, al
ways at work and piiiful was it to hear
his complaints Of being cold and tired,
while his heart broken parent hung over
him, aud denied herself necessaries of life
to minister to his wants After being il
about a fortnight, he awoke one evening
apparently free from fever His ex-
preston was natural, but he seemed so
weak he could not speak. His mother,
with heart ovcrhowing with joy at the
change she imagined favorable, bent over
him. With great effort he placed his
arms about her neck she kissed his pale
lips; a smile Of strange meaning passed
over his face, and ere she could unwind
tha. loving clasp, her little Johnny was no
more. lie had gone where the wicked .
cease from troubling, and the weary are at
rest; but her hopes were blasted; her house
was left unto her desolate; and as she
watched, through the long hours of night,
beside the dead body, it was to Or Faith .
cr who art in Heaven her angushed heart
poured itself out in prayer Think of this,
yc rich who morning and evening breathe
the same petition by your own hearth
stones. Think of it, ye who have authori-
ty to oppress Do not deprive the poor
man or woman of the " eve lamb" that is
their sole possession and remember that
He whose ear is ever open to the cry Of the
distressed has power to avengc their cause.
LzwlsnuR5, UNIoS Co. PENN.
L.