Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-11-05
The Oyerhowing Cup.

A company of Southern ladies were one
day assembled in a friends parlor, when
the conversation chaneed to turn on earth
ly afiiction. Each had her story of pecu-
liar trial and bereayements to relate, except
one pale, sad looking woman, whose lust
reless eye and detected air showed that she
was prey to the deepest melancholy
Suddenly arousing herself, she said in a
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 troub-
le."
81 will, if you DESIRE" she replied, ''for
have seen it. Ny parents possessed a
competence, and my girlhood was sur
rounded by all the comforts of life. sell
dom knew an unqualified wish, and was
always gay and light-hearted. l married
at nineteen one loved more than all the
world besides. Our home was retired, but
the sunlight never fell on lovelier one, or
on happier household. 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 Southern eli
mate. For many hours the rain poured
down necessarily. Morning dawned, still
the elements rayed. The whole of Savan-
nah seemed afoat. The little stream near
our dwelling became raging torrent
Before we were aware of it our house was
surrounded by water; managed with my
babe to reach little elevated spot, on
which few wide spreading trees were
standing, whose dense foliage affords some
protection, while my husband and SONS
strove to save what they could of our prop
erty. At last a fearful surge swept away
my husband and he never rose again
Ladies-no one loved husband more
but that was not trouble.
presently my sons saw their danger,
the struggle for life became the only con-
sideration. They were brave, loving boys
as ever blessed a mothers heart, and l
watched their efforts to escape with such
agony as only mothers can feel. They
were SO far off 1 could not speak to them,
but l could see them closing nearer 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 and
masses of rubbish, all went floating past
us. Ny boys waved their hands to me,
then pointed upwards. l knew it was a
farewell signal, and you, mothers cannot
imagine my anguish. l saw them all per-
ish, and yet-that was not trouble.
81 Rugged my little baby to my heart,
and when the water rose to my feet, l
climbed into the low branches of the tree,
and so kept retiring before it. until an All
powerful Hand stayed the waves, that they
should come no farther. / was saved
All my worldly possessions were swept
away; all my earthly hopes blighted-yet
that was not trouble
"My baby was all 1 had left on earth
1 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 ceas-
ed to care for his mothers counsels: he
would sneer at her entreaties and agonize-
ing 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 fellow being and
ended his own upon the scafold. My
Heavenly Father had filled my cup of sor-
row before, hut now it ran over. That was
trouble; ladies, such as l hope His mercy
will spare you from ever experiencing"
There was no dry eye among her listen
ers, and the warmest sympathy was ex-
pressed for the bereaved mother, whose sad
history has taught them useful lesson.