Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-10-22
Ckoire Iiteratur&
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Sarah Goodwin and Her Boys.

Sarah Goodwin was a name OF poor
seamstress, 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 very poor, and,
could not So she widow with four boys,
from the ages of four to nine years, struggled
through winters cold and summers heat,
providing her little family with bread, and
that was ALL Meat and luxuries were denied
Sarah Goodwin and her boys. The latter
were good children, always in their homes
after nightfall, and giving their mother every
sa4 ssnspf their 1i5s!s 55 eareass as osa as they
AZ last the mother fell sick, aiA through
weary illness she had no other attendance,
save the occasional help of neighbor, and
the constant aid of her poor little boys
They were never from her side, and it was
touching to behold their sympathy, their gen
tie ministrations every body prophesied
that they would be blessed In coming years,
for their thoughtful 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 cheerless day to the shop of her
employer, and told him her pitiful story
But it was hard times her illness had made
room for others as destitute as herself; in
fine, they had not one stitch of work to give
her. With sinking heart, but praying to
keep her courage up, the poor woman toiled
on from shop to shop until it became late,
: and with tears and the darkness she could
scarcely see her home.
, If Mr.. Hart himself had been there she
soliloquized. bending to the strong wind,
and drawing her scanty shawl closer about
L r. > h hou o1vo
work
G AS she whispered thus through her chat
q tering teeth, tall man, with long gray
q beard passed by her, and as he did so, some
r thing fell to the sidewalk, and laid upon the
crusted snow. Sarah paused !; she had heard
theFnose made by the little packet and a
mysterious impression led her to search for
{ it. Oh, joy it was q purse, heavy and filed
to the brim; yellow and shining laid the
81 gold within its strong meshes, as she carried
s. it towards a lighted window.
My poor boys, they shall want food no
&c mere she calculated fervently: this is
gold God put it in my way-he saw | was
despairing.'
y Suddenly, like fash of lightning, tht
thought occurred to Sarah that not one cen
e. of the ew-found treasure was honestly hers
D. But moment she fingered, pressing the mo
= tears chasing down her thin cheeks, then
= = starting forward to find the owner Of The
~ purse, she walked hurriedly up the street
re fearful that the temptation, should she arrive
sc at her poor room and see her hungry chill
y, dren, might prove too strong for her in
IS tegrity.
u Opposite the great hotel, and she stooC
C. hestating what way to take; she saw th'
;e. stranger enter. She knew him by his long
le singular beard; and timidly crossing tn
- street, she made her way into the bilyarC
r hall, and there, bewildered by the light
lc- knew not what to say till twice asked by
lrs servant what she wanted OF course sh
n, tcould do no more than describe the strange
ep by his tall statrue and strange beard. Blu
It he had already gone out again she must cal
nr- on the morrow, they said, and ask for MI
= Ashcroft
The next morning, having eaten nothing
., for she could not touch farthing of the golC
nd she was admitted into the room where sa
he the stranger. He arose as she entered, an
ire gazed with curious air till she presente
nt- the purse. Then he started with please
b;s surprise, laid down his paper, took the gol
h1 and deliberately counted it over.
y 1T is all safe,' he said, you have not tt
!, ken
he Not one pece, SIR she cried cagerl
ne trembling as she spoke.
of You seem poor,' remarked the strange
Let earelessly.
his | am poor she replied.
aor Got a family, l suppose
-Four little boys, sir /: l am widow
.s ls's Humph, humph, SO I supposed-tha
the the old story
aim Ask Mr. Hart, the tailor cried the ,
Gale dow stepping forward a little, he knows j
he we'll he knows if am poor, am honest
dis A bright red spot burnt on her cheeks
n,', she spoke, and she forced back the tears