Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-09-26
Sarah Goodwin and her Rows

Sarah Goodwin was the name Of a poor
seamsIress, residing in the city of New
York. She was not wholly friendless,
but those whom she knew, and who would
have aided her in her struggles, were ve>
ry poor, and could not. So she, widow
with four boys, from the ages of four TO
nine years, struggled through winters
cold aud summers heat. providing her
iittle family with bread, and that was all,
Meat and luxuries were denied Sarah
Goodwin aud her boys. The latter were
good children, always in their home after
nIghttuli, and giving their mother every
cent OF the little ea'nIngs as oftcn as they
found work tu do.
Al las: the mother fell sick, and through
a weary illness she had no other atten
dance, save the occasional help of a
neIgh hbor, and the constant aid OF her
poor little boys They We're never from
her side, and it was touching TO behold
their sympathy, their gentle ministrations,
ever yb0dy prophe<ied that they would be
blessed in coming years, for their thou ght-
iul kindness towards their mother.
The widow recovered, but it was now
the heart of bitter winter, and their little
stock OF fuel was nearly gone. AS soon
AS her strength permitted. she walked
through the cold of a cherries day to the
shop OF her employer, and told him her
pitiIul story. But it was hard times; her
illness had made loom for others as desti-
tute as herself; in fine, they had not one
stitch Of work to give her. With a sink
ing heart, but praying to keep her cour>
age up, the poor woman toiled on from
shop to shop until it became late, and
what with tears and the darkness she
could scarcely see her way home.
"1f Mr.. Hart himself had been there !"
she soliloquized. bending to The strong
wind, and drawing her scanty shawl clio,
ser about her form, {" know he would
have given me work"
AS she whispered thus through her
chattering teeth, q tall man, with a long
gray beard. passed BY her, and as he did
so. something fell to the sidewalk, and
laid upon the crusted snow. Sarah paus-
ed; she had heard that noise made by the
little packet, and a mysterious impression
led her to search for it. Oh. joy ! it was
purse, heavy and filed to the brim; vel
low and shining laid the gold in its strong
meshes. as she carried it towards light,
ed window.
MY poor children, they shall want
for food no more," she ej calculated fer,
ventIy; this is gold God put. lit in
my way-he saw l was despairing."
Suddenly, like fash of lightning, il
occurred to Sarah that not one cent OF the
new-touud treasure was honestly hers
But moment she fingered, pressing the
money with her numbed fingers, the sor.
rowful tears chasing each other down hei
thin cheeks, then starting forward to find
the owner OF the purse, she walked hur>
rledly up the stree fearful that the temp
tatlon, should she arrive at her poor room
and see her hungry children, might be
too strong for her integrity.
Opposite the great hotel, and she stood
hesltating what way to take, she saw the
stranger enter. She knew him BY hi:
long, singular beard and timioly cross
ing the street, made her way into The
| billiard hall, and there, bewildered b,
the light, knew not what to say till twic,
asked by servant what she wanted. o
course she could do no more than de-
scribe the stranger by his tall stature anc
strange beard. But he had already gon,
out again; she must call on the morrow
they said, and ask for Mr.. Ashcroft.
The next morning. having eaten moth
ing, for she could not touch farthing 0
the gold. she was admitted into the room
where sat the stranger. He arose as sh,
entered. and gazed with curious air 81
she presented thespnrse. Then he start
! ed with pleased surprise, laid down 81