The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1857-01-31
THE ILLE6TriMA re.

THE ILLESTTiMATE.
1ll.clad poverty, numbed with cola, alond
was out that winter night, as the white snow
fecced the frost-hardened ground. But never
mind earths cold bosom, the rich mans hearth
doth warm him and makes him merry, how
ever blows the wind or rages the storm. Shiver,
shiyer on, beggar poorl 10 have no hearts
Hungry stomach and chilly skin belong % susA
as you. Kindly impulse nor feeling are thine I
Starvation and sensc-dulling cold alone belong
to you S4f
Winter night hast thou no tongue to tell
how spiritless poverty cowcrs beneath thy
frozen breath, and vaiuly tries to warm its icy
blood in tattered ragsp Canst thou not enter
the summercd mir Of carths favored children,
and teach a lesson to themf
Through the crnnching suow trudgcd .
weary boNwith aln,s-basket upon his shiverl
ing arm. From his figure he Seened not over
ten years old; but his face was 20 wan and
sad that it was difficult to tell How many years
bligh,s the beggar child had seen. Summer
clothes were still upon hm tattered wooden
comforter was the only winter article he wore.
Light enough still remained, with the SHOWS
reflection, to discern every outline of chimney
and housetop against the milky sky. IA gay
carriage rolled noisclessly Oil, with d beautiful
girl well wrapped in fur and cape, whilst the
snow was dashed from the rapid wheels like
white dust She saw the weary, thin clad boy,
as he stepped with his head bent aside to the
take burdened blast, to gaze on tho smoking
horses as they plunged through the fast deep
ening crust. Tho window was lot down. She
threw coin to tho boy it sunk from her
warm hand deep into the snow. II might
have bought bread and cheering faggot but
tho smltten child never cot it the snow closed
over it, whilst the blast grew keener Trndge.
trudge on, weary boy, life is q God.lcssbn !
Fire and lamplght CLEANED through Window
pane and wde-opcn door, as the gny girl leapcd
from the carriage step health glowing as
warmly from her bright cheek The snow
melted as it fell from her upturned face; on
the beggar.boy it would have lain as upon .
corpse life-blood had ceased to warmit. Alas;
for the beggar-poor! 10
From lowly cot to palace house, tho snow
lay nnbroken-not u sound broke on the night;
the very wateh-dogs were hid in some plac6
secure from cold. The wind alone was abroad,
howng its wintry dirge through tree and
hedge. Still the snow fell and drilted in ridge
like hcaps-landma and road-cut were oil
gone. None could tell where thu boor or rich
mans grounds began or ended !; like the grave,
their claims were one lisi
The beggar-boy toiled on through drift and
dark ere he returned more weary ns the night
gathered on. Thus it is ever with the humble
poor their lond lghtens not though Life
lessons! No light, nor warming hearth
things TINT make house a home--werc there to
welcome the wandering boy. "
lie placed his basket upon bench. A wick
still struggled TO light the wrctched apartment,
as it flickered in the deep socket An old
woman lhy asleep ~ the corner covered with
rug and rags. The boy approached, and
touched the iace with his cold ingcrs--they
were colder than the blood Of stnrvet are!
| The chill aroused her. Another light VIVA
| placed in tho socket, and u few dried leaves
with shnyings were put beneath some rotten
and wnterscaked bark, to wnrm the frozen
| fragments that unwilling charity had given;
and thus wrinklcd age and wasted youth-lile
| broke iust 5i{S
| The clock Ind just struck two, as / wns
summoned to the house Of Mrs. t.. The
same carriage that in tho evening had borne
the beautiful grid, awitcd ut my door, with its
impatient horses snortng against the frosted air!
III II lew minutes, entered the house. Mrs.
+ met me in The hall; her faco was tcadly
| pale, and her manner much excited. Her, Of
times, singular nervousness had struck me,
Mt my former visits, whenever her daughter
allied. She now informed ME that her darling
Emily was very i'll with high fever. In
The young girl lay with her head turned
aside upon the pillow, her golden brown hair
scattered in wild profusion upon It's white
! cover, whilst tho nurse was gently moisteninr
The palm Of her outstretched huna. The pulse
we're beating wildly at the wrist and temples,
which were scorchng hot fever heat glowcti
from her lnstrous eyes As kept my finger
on the pulse, and watched The expression Of
my young patients countcnnnoe, something
seemed to whispcr--it was not frou any regi-
lar reasoning OF the symptoms--tlint mind had
much to IN this overacton of matter. Whilst
the uurse held the candle to her face tho traces
Of dried tears showed on her snlfuscd check
:. Ileartachc surely is herr said to my-
self
The mother watched my countcnancc witbs
painful solicitude. A faint harshncss Of OK.
preston gave certain rigidity to her features,
which were still very beautiful There was
something in the whole appearance of my pa-
tient that excited my curiosity in the casc.
Some eight or ten hsurs had only passed sinca
she had thrown tho snow-clainlcd aims to the
bcggnr boy, and now fever Mas running riot
''houS" WV uitCI III ilST uUuys
Silently seating myself at the billie, after
administering cooling draught, Watchcd fol
the changes that might ensue.
The snow continued 10 fall, and was driven
cllnking against the window easement. "A
comfortable fire burned on the hearth, casting
long shadows on the floor and walls. rio
young girl dozed but now and then started
from her short, feycrcd sleep, with eyes widely
open. Once or twice a deep sob escaped lcSt
lips, and few words, nnintelligible to ilc ear,
were uttered After q time she sluntcred
more calmly. placed my finger gently ol,
wrist; the pulse had lost much Of its increased
strength and frequency. was now satisfied
that tliis sudden incursion Of fever originated
from some violent mental cause
Her mother sat near The fire, its blaze lirl,t,
ing up every feature Of her onco beautiful iacc,,
which still remained very pale. In all my in
tercourse with Mrs. T, / never had SO pros
ilonged an opportunity ofexamining inletail tho
expression Of her countenance The longer
gazcd on her, the more satisfied l became tl,at
she had not passed through life without i
history. 0t
A few vague rumors had iloated around rel
ative to her history; that u strange desertion
Of her husband had taken place, and that nd
WIS afterwards found drnWund il, ., r;,.. ,,h,..