Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-12

| daughter of his fate and asked for aid, arid
with that noble impulse that ever guides the
: great-hearted, full-souled woman, she resov
: cd to send her father all to save him from
! want. Their business had been prosperous
, and they lived in the first sunshine of gay
: prosperity.
Her husband responded with as full heart
; and in week his splendid stock of goods had
disappeared under the hammer, and the cash
was forwarded to the parents in New ork
and then came the new life in which the heart
grows amid the rushing of wild tempests, and
We feel that life has dignity in it, because we
have humanity in hearts, and can weep
with those that weep, and rejoice with those
that rejoice.
Our patient had the form of u queen, and
her face bore the impress of nobleness and
love--no daughter of the T.yrol was ever more
| lovely. Her husband was a man, and only
needed the rod and the scourge to make him
shine. He sought a position as clerk, their
| servants were dismissed, and she resolved to
learn the art of managing her own house. She
| could play her piano, but could not make bread
| for qer husband and child. She knew not how
! to wash and iron her own garments. She
| had been taught that to do so was vulgar; but
now it was to contribute TO her fathers COM
fort, and send joy to her aged mothers heart,
it became pleasure and a joy.
! George had returned one morning from the
/ store, and found his wife weeping. He spoke
words of comfort TO her, and asked her the
! cause. She responded, in tone of firmness.
| that she was ashamed of her education, and
! had resolved to learn to work 81 will know
how to make bread for my husband in less
than a week." George smiled at his wife's
resolution, and shade of sadneSss passed
over his face. Their life's morning had open
cd bright and cloudless as the rays of early
dawn. One year of life had been all sunshine;
now they were without means, his store clos
ed, his fine house relinquished their parents
wheels of fate revolyed so fast and so rudely
that the stcutest were often crushed in its wild
whirl. Their infant smiled in its wicker era
die Mary said to her husband, ssWe canno.
keep servants and you and our darling may
starve, for aught that can do for you-what
poor creature am l. Why, cannot make
bread!'' When the husband had left for his
business, meditating on the change in their
condition, Mary started for the minister's
house, and frankly told her friC nd her resolu-
ton for all knew by this time their necessities.
They both started for the residence of DR..
P, and it was soon arranged that the Ia
dies would alternate in their visits, and aid
the resolute wife in acquiring knowledge OF
arranging her house, setting her table, and
cooking her food. In few weeks she had
10 of tlo luti
of useful wife. She knew the joy of contrib
uting to her own and her husbands wants, and
no bread was ever sweet to her as that
which Mary set before her husband-made
with her own hands. But year passed, and
her parents sunk under the heavy stroke of
disaster; the current was too deep; it bore
them 10 the grave. Now more than ever Ma
ry felt the bessedness of her good deeds to
her parents and learned that to be useful was
to be happy, to be good was to be like the
angels.
George struggled on with his new position
in life Pride rose up and Knocked him, but
he looked it steadily in the face, till his man.
hood outgrew his early training and learned
the real power of self-dependence. But woe
betide us when all the winds blow calamities
to our hcarthstones, George was seized with
aityphoid Inflammation of the lungs, disease
that sweeps hundreds Of stalwart men in mias- |
matte districts to sudden grave 4; and in a
week the noble Mary was widow and Julia
an orphan.
She thought her cup was full before, but
now it ran over with bitter sorrow, and she |
bowed her head before the blast, and said in |
the deep faith of smitten spirit, ssThy will |
be done, o God,'' The black hearse came, |
the pail covered the form of her husband
With Julia and few humble friends she fol- |
lowed their stay and support to the grave; the
last hymn broke on the silent air the coffin
was lowered the earth fell heavily on the lid;
fainter and fainter grew the sound, and long |
earth-mound covered the body of the noble |
young father.
1t is natural and seems appropriate for the |
young and the old to die; but when the thread |
is cut in full life, and hope, home, wife, child, |
arc all made desolate by the blow, it looks as
though the law of life was reversed in its en-
actment, and great wrong was done Our /
friend now missed the hand on which she had
leaned, and turned herself to find same ray of
light beaming on her destiny she saw no star |
beyond her on the sky-Eerge of her COM
ing days, but she committed her all to the
hands of that great and loving One who stills |
the young ravens cry, and looked up with
cheerful hope.
What now was to be done? The fire had |
dcvoured her fathers wicked gains, gathered |
up by speculation in bread, and the tears and