The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-04-02

To the Editor of the National Era:
The reign of this cold winter, thank God, is
broken. Thank God, say, because l know
how many invalds and poor, looking forth,
coming forth, to feel the warm sunshine, to see
how good old mother Earth unveils herself
more and more to them, say out of their hearts
that they have suffered not little in these last
two months. "Oh, am glad winter is gonel
Here at F, here in this "Paper.mill vii
lage," where every house is well.glazed, we'll
plastered, well papered, and well painted, we
have of course, in all the winter, seen no real
suffering from the cold, although there have
been days when mercury went down to thirty.
six, in our sheltered east piazza when men
froze their noses going from this to the other
villages; when the snow was driven in clouds
through the sky, and the doves that ventured
forth were driven, their wings bent sharply this
way and that, along with it; when the white
smoke went careering toward heaven; when,
as we looked out upon the tokens of stinging
cold, our hearts ached for the poor in the large
towns, and we said, "What can they do there
are so many of theml" But we have not seen
one thinly-clad, hungry man, woman, or child.
all winter long.
Early in the cold season, one of the physi-
clans came with his sleigh to our gate, and
went to other gates, to tell Us and others of a
poor family, mile or two out of the village,
who would suffer if they were not attended to,
for they had insufficiency of bedding, food, and
clothing. Well, he got ed.quilts, gowns, pet
ticoats, wadded sacks, jackets, pants, boots,
shoes, rolls of fannel -four, meat, &C., &C., & c.,
g sleighful, and carried it ali up TO them. And,
one pleasant day last week, when Mr. D.,
his wife, and /, rode up to Webster Lake, to
see how the gents and boys who &C there, take
their pickerel, keep their fires, and eat their
dinners to see, with our own eyes, all the
methods and processes that have attractions to
take them there, and keep them there, even
when the days were stingngly cold ; we passed
the house of this poor family-a low, narrow
wood-coored house, standing up little above
the roadside; and saw that, before the sunny
south door, three or four little children were
playing and stepping about--one in Jacket
that came down largely over his stout thighs
one little girl, with bright plaid sack over her
frock-" and one, that little thing with the red
dress on, that was Sues" said Mr.. c.
laughing to see the comfort, to see, moreover,
how like little old woman TIE child was. in
the froek that came down to her toddlnr feet.
Apr61,os Of Webster Lake and pickerei catch.
ing-frst of pickeral catching. 1t is the Feb
ruary, pastime of our brothers, nephews, and
kind neighbors, so that they, the pickerel, come
to our door delicately beautiful, ready dressed
for the frying or baking pan. We have two
now, which we shall have for our dinner to-day;
and ! wish that you, dear Editor-you who
every week make me grateful that ron &c your
work so nobly, the. you send us so noble a
sheet-might be here to taste them, if you love
them, as ! am almost sure You do if you
would love to be here now, not only to taste
our pickerel, but also to see how your midsum-
mer acquaintance, the Winnipseogee branch
of the Merrimack, rises daily and hourly, and
takes upon itself the noisy Importance of big
river.
Apropos of Webster Lake. Once that part of
F., where it lies, was part of Andover,
and people called the beautiful sheet, I" "Ando-
yer Pond" Now 1t Is in F., and people
call it Webster Lake, because il was Websters
frequent resort when he was here. He had a
large, handsome boat built for its waters, and
a boat.house built to cover it. In F., as
you know, is the old homestead of the Web.
sters and the greatest of them all, Daniel.
came here to the old place oftener and oftener'
rss the press of many cares, coupled with that
of many years, made him more and more
aweary as the hopes and projects of his large
brain fell like bubbles one after another. sho1r.
ing him then just what they were, and must in
their nature be to the soul in it's nature show.
ing him just what he had been pursuing. and
the folly of the pursuit. The station was