Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-11-27

The otsfdowing Cup. " HsE
a company of southern ladies' were one
day assembled in friend q parlor, when
the conversation changed to tufned on
earthly afiiction. Each had her story of
peculiar trial and bereayments 20 relate.
e1cept one pale. sad looking Woman y hose
lustrelsss eye and detected air showed
that she was prey 70 the dsepes. mel! ,,l
aneholy. Suddenly arousing herself. she
said IN q hollow voice. .!Not one me oflyou
know what trouble is" -
':Will you please, Mrs, Gray" said the
kind voice Of a lady who well knew her
story, "tell The ladies what you call trou-
ri will. it you So,, desire" !" she replied, "ior
I have seen It. My parents possessed q
competence, aud my girlhood was sur
rounded by all the comforts of life. !
seldom knew an. ungrati6ed wish, and
was always gay aud light. hearted. !
married at nineteen one. I loved more
than all the world besides. Our home
was retired, but the sunlight never fell
on a loyelier one. or on happier hopse,
hold. Years rolled on peacefully. Five
children sat around our table, and little
curly head still nestled in my bosom.
One night about sun down one Of those
fierce black storms came ON, which are so
common in our climate. For mony hours
the rain poured down incessantly. Morn
ing dawned, still the elements rayed.-
The whole Savannh seemed ahoat. The
little stream near our dwelling became q
raging torrent. Before we were aware OF
it our house was surrounded by water: /
managed with my babe to reach q little
spot. on which few wide spreading trees
were standing. whose dense foliage affor-
ded some protection. while my husband
and sons stroye to save what ,they could
Of our property. At last a fearful surge
swept away my husband. and he never
rose again. .,Ladies-no one loved hus.
band more-bu. that ,oas not trouble. 4
Presently my sons saw their danger,
and The struggle for life became the only
considerations, They were brave. loving
boys as ever bleessed a mothers heart,
and ! watched their efforts TO escape with
such agony as only mothers can feel
They were SO far off | could not speak to
them. but l could see them closing near
er and nearer to each other, as their little
island grew smaller and smaller.
"The sullen river ranged around The
huge trees; dead branches. upturned
trunks, wrecks OF houses, drowning cattle,
masses Of rubbish. all went floating past
us. My boys waved their hands. TO me.
then pointed upward. knew it was q
farewell signal. and you. mothers, cannot
imagine my anguish. saw them all
perish, and yet-that roqs not trouble.
II hugged my little baby to my heart,
and when the water rose TO my feet, |
climbed into the low branches Of the tree.
and SO kept retiring before il. until an
All.powerful Hand stayed the waves that
they should come no further. l was saved.
All my worldly possessions were swept
away. all my earthly hopes blighted-yet
that t0ds no trouble.
"My baby was all had left on earth.
| labored night and day to support him
and myself. and sought to train him in the
right way; but as he grew older. evil
companions won him away from me. He
ceased to care for his mothers counsel;
he would sneer at her entreaties and
agonizng prayers. He left my humble
roof that he might be unrestrained in The
pursuit Of evil; and at last. when heated
by wine one night. he took the life Of a
fellow being and ended his own upon the
scaffold. My Heavenly Father had filed
my cup Of sorrow before. but now it ran
over. That ,00s trouble, ladies. such as
hore his mercy will spare you from ever
experiencing"
There was not dry eye among her
listeners. and the warmest sympathy was
expressed for the bereaved mother, whose
sad history has taught them useful less
son.
PLAIN TRurH.-Some one who seems
to understand the subject describes the