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


the highway to school, her blue eye as mild as
summer dew-drop, when she lifted towards
me something that glittered, and said, in her
sweet, low voice, "Plcase VIII you go and see
my mother, tonight, Mr. Doctor She sent
you this gold ring-she had no money-and
she cried when she gave it to me, and said it
was one my dear papa gave her when they were
married in New Cork city, and she wanted to
keep it for me, but she will give it to you, sir,
if you will come and see her to-night she is
afraid she win die before tomorrow, and then
she cannot tell you what she wants to; and
she is al alone, too, only little girl, Katy
Wharton, cane over to stay with her while +
came after you; so please do go and see my
dear mother tonight, good Mr.. Doctor"
The ferycnt love and artless simplicity OF the
child had so overcome me, that l had prepared
myself TO start, unconsciously. Ny wife had
risen from her slnmbor, and was listening to
the story cf the child, and when I returned to
the gate with my robes and cutter found lit
tie Julia and my good wife waiting 70 accom-
pany me. Folding them closely in my thick,
q slight snow had fallen and coyerad the dark
brown earth. Ny residence was near a thIcl,
wood, and my track to the dwelling OF the sick
woman led me through a thickly settled part
of the large and fourishing village OF A.
The house was small, and forbidding in its ex-
terror, and when we reached the gate, little
Julia bounded from the sleigh with the elastic
step of . young fa'rn, glided across the yard,
and entered the house in advance or us, and,
rushing to the bedside, she held up the ring
and cried foy, as her tiny arm clasped her sick
mothers neck, while she covered her pale
cheek with fervent kisses. sDear mother,''
she said, in a soft, low voice, 'sdon't cry now,
nor cough any more, for the good doctor has
come now, and the lady has come too, to help
ms TO take care of you;'' and she ran to the
table to bring some drink for which her mother
had moiioned.
Myself and companion stood by the bedside
OF sick and dying woman, who had been
rursed in the halls Of luxury and pride, and |
whose parents had taught her to love self and |
forget all else in the world beside
Come into the apartment, gentle reader, and |
see where the daughter of the rich and proud |
sometimes ends ha~ ! ~-aell room. with
very rich, the broken fragments of splendid |
outfit, given her-by her father when she left
New York for her home in the West.
The whole scene was really comfortless, al
though the hand of taste and pride had evil
IDENTIFY tried in vain to hide the real facts bv
great tact in arrangement, and perfect neat
ness throughout the room. The address of the
lady at once marked her as one who had been
bred in a far higher circle of life than she now
occupied, for she saluted US with that dignified
simplicity that always characterfzes the wo-
man Of good breeding. Our fist duty was to
provide for her comfort, and then receive her
requests, for she was rapidly drawing towards
he close Of her weary pilgrimage.
Ny wife had arranged her couch anew; her
.ough had been quieted by soothing draught,
md she lay resting her failing body, gathering
trength for this last conflict with her fate,
When little Julia rushed up to the bedside and
ssed, in a very earnest tone, "Dear mother,
10 Isaish, and David, and Joseph have TO go
O sorp-house in heaven to get something to
at? or do they have bread enough in heaven.
mother 2" my strange child" said the dy- I
ng mother, ''why do you ask me that ?''- ,
oh, you know the other day, when we were
0 hungry, you made me read to you in the ,
y, =
ou sent me down to the merchants for a lit !
lie flour, and when he sent me back because ,
ad no money, and you cried so, kept think ,
lg about the famine in Samaria, and how Jo- &.
eph's brethren went down into Egypt to buy 4,
orn, and Joseph wept when he saw them, and
ave them something TO eat and 1 knew, be- ;,
ause You said so, that even some good people =
ow could not get bread to cat because it cost
, much, and you said they had to 90 to soup !,
ouses to be fed, and beautiful fine ladies had :
} so there in the great city of Boston last :
ear, and l wondered if people were ever hun \
ry in heaven" The poor child relieved her \
If of all this with great oarnestness. =
a deep crimson flush overspread the face of b
e poor mother, and her eye glanced wildly .
the face Of my wife, as she said to the child: j
No, my dear, children are not hungry there; G
II you must not talk Strangely .,
Great God what thoughts rushed across my
ul at this strange scene! Have we become fr
race of demons, thought I, and do children d
gin 10 doubt the Justice of God7 W
a sudden silence seized the group, and W
rough my soul rushed whole years of an d,
'ish' Children starving in land of bread II
mothers, nurscd in pride and luxury, brought b,
feel the bony fingers of want, and grapple, N
dying-bed, with pale farnines icy touch bt
hat, thought l, shall I hear next2 Surely DE-
mething heart-breal<ing has preceded such %
lin of thought in the mind Of this child =,
nd who can this sick lady be, inquiries the fir
lder, and where did she come from. and gu
losc daughter was she, and had she any mo- fs
er alive; or was she some poor out cast