Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-11-05
THE OVERLOOKING CUP.

conversation chanced to turn on earthly af-
Fiction. Each had her story of peculiar
trial and bereavements to relate except one
pale, sad looking woman, whose lustreless
eye and detected air showed that she was
the prey to the deepest melancholy. Sud-
denly arousing herself, she said in hollow
voice:
Not one of you 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 trouble
: will if you desire, she replied, for
have seen it. My parents possessed a COM
petence, and my girlhood was surrounded
by all the comforts of life. seldom knew
an ungratifed wish, and was always gay
and lght-hearted. | married at nineteen
one | loved more than all the world beside
Our home was retired, but the sunlight
never fell on a lovelier one, or on happi-
er household. Years rolled on peacefully
Five children sat around our table, and a
little curly head still nestled in my bosom.
One night about sundown one of those
fierce, black storms came on, which are so
common in our southern climate For
many hours the rain poured down inces-
sanity. Morning dawncd, still the elements
raved. The whole savannah seemed afoat
The little stream near our dwelling became
a raging torrent Before we were aware of
it our house was surrounded BY water;
managed with my babe to reach little
spot on which few wide spreading trees
were standing, whose dense foliage afforded
some protection, while my husband and
sons strove to save what they could of our
property. At last fearful surge swept
away my husband, and he never rose again.
Ladies, no one loved husband more-but
that ards not trouble.
Presently my sons saw their danger,
and the struggles for life became the only
consideration. They were brave, loving
boys as ever blessed 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 ] seen them closing nearer and nearer
to each other as their little island grew
smaller and smaller
The sullen river ragged 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 farewell signal,
and you, mothers, cannot imagine my an
guish. | saw them all perish, and vet
that aeaS nat troaGe.
| hugged my baby to my heart, and
when the water rose to my feet | climbed
into the low branches of the tree, and kept
retiring before it, till an All powerful Hand
stayed the waves, that they should come no
further. | vas saved. An my worldly
possessions were swept away, all my earthly
hopes blighted--yet that ,cas not 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 COM
panionS won him away from me. He
ceased to care for his mothers counsels !;
he would sneer at her entreaties and ago
nizing prayers. He left my humble roof
that he might be unrestrained in the pur-
suit of evil and at last, when heated with
wine one night, he took the life of fellow
being, and ended his own upon the scafold.
My Heavenly Father had filled my cup of
sorrow before, but now it ran over. That
pas trouble, ladies, such as | hope His
mercy will spare you from ever experienc-
ing
There was not dry eye among her lis
tenefs, and the warmest sympathy was ex-
pressed for the bereaved mother, whose sad
history has taught them useful lesson.
R9~A son of Col. j. j. Winter, of Clarks-
burg, Va, returned home the other day after
an absence of three years. His father had
some difficulty in recognizing him, and after
he had made himself known, the father step
ped to the door of an adjoining room and
calling to two of bis daughters, informed them
that gentleman desired to see them. Upon
entering the room, the young ladies did not
at first recognize their brother, but almost
instantly the eldest recognized him and sank
instantly to the floor, dead. Being somewhat
delicate the joyous surprise of thus unex-
pectedy meeting her long-absent brother. to