Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-11-12

impossible TO drag my body one unnecessary
step, but was not stprised to receive a lit
tie note one morning from Henry simply
saying-"come to me Martha, aul diving.
followed the boy who was my guide through
numberless streets. and then up and up and
up narrow stairway, until we reached an
attic room, and here exposed to the rays of
the sun all day, and the south heat beating
IN at the window, the air poisoned with the
filth in the street below lay the dying boy.
Oh, now knew why he did not wish me TO
cone to his room to see him. The head of
the narrow bed was close beside the window
and SO small was the room that one could
hardly stand at the foot. He was burning
wirk fever, bis mouth dry and cracked and
his lands seeased on FIRE: sent for physi-
efaa and for his father aad Tire n obtaining
soshe ase batEea his was,ed hands and arms,
and cooled his brow and fps; he sooh OPEN
ed his eyes with sigh, smiled as he saw
theaand closed them again. The doctor
came and shook his head. "How long can
he live!" asked. "Twelye hours perhaps,
afd fossibly little longer" turned my
head away and he left the room. All day
! sal by the bed in that scorching heat. +
vtstcLe6 tre sky for clouds and PRAYED God
for ene shower 10 cool the air; bot all day
lohg Il grew hotter and hottef, the sun
neading IT'S way through clear eky, while
iEe dsing boy tosseO in ..delirnn. OF pa, in
stuPUf death- IKE Ia its power. He would
turr-aIsd whisper. "hurry Martha. I havs
the book, we will soon be in the woods
where We viii bear the wate. fen, and the
winds blow" ah, he was on the farm again;
"but hurry Martha as the birds will all be in
their nests and we canEot hear them siHg TO-
night" And then throwing up his arms he
would scream for water. In vain I poured it
on his head and breast; he only redoubled
his cries and called for Martha in such pitt
ous tones, that wept over him; winding my
arms around his neck, told him again and
again that was with him, until at last he
lookedup and said, so, yes it is you, give
me your hand to help me on, they say that
we will soon be over these hot roads and
tila: it is cool and shady beyond, and the
angels will lead US home. Do you know"
he continued in lower tones, "that they
came last night and famed me with their
wings?" and throwing up his skeleton arms
around me he sank down insensible.
No one came near me all that fearful day,
but the woman he boarded with, who was
the mother of fellow clerk of Henry's,
and from her learned that for months he
had hardly slept at all, but his nights had
been spent pacing to and fro through his
narrow room, and that he had been sick here
a week alone; she had come up twice a day
sko bring him food and water, more she could
BOT do rs she had large family dependent
on her. The sun at last like a. ball of fire
dpgped behind the houses, and derkness
came on, but not breeze stirred, and lean
our of the windew as far as | might, stllsI
gasped in vain for one fresh breath. Grad |
ually the rolling heels and hurrying tread
stopped, and then the night become hedious
with the blasphenies and curses of drunken
men and lost women who had turned out of
the dens below where the light OF day had
driven them, and groano and shouts mingling
with the blows of the midnight brawiers,
and the demoniac laugh OF some insane
reveier rose to that attic window and curdled
my bio cd to think what that young boy must
have suffered lying night after night sick
and alone close to this open doorway to the
lower regions. [ glanced towards the bed
where he lay back on his pillow breathing
heavily, his hair clinging TO his damp FORE
head aud his eyes rolled up under their lids.
between which CLEANED white streak; his
chin was dropped upon his breast and his
lips were red and swollen. | tried in vain
to rouse him from the trance into which he
had fallen; l could bring no color to the
cheek or movement to the cleHched hands,
SO knelt by chair between the window
and the bed in an agony of fear, as the wild
surging Of passion in the street below rose
wilder on the midnight air. Suddenly all was ,,
quiet, and raised my head. Henry still lay
with half closed eyes, but his hands were
loosely clasPed, and as rose he opened his
eyes looking calm and rational. "Martha,"
he said, "are you here?" and looking into my
face continued, 81 have had long terrible
dream, am glad awoke," and noticing the
candle, sit is night-look out of the window
and tell me if The Stars shine" ] told him
that the sky was clear. aThen turn me
cousin. SO can look once more out upon
the stars Iplaced my arm around him and
leaning his head upon my shoulder he gazed
out into the night with fixed untroubled
look, for halt an hour, his eyes glistening
brightly as the stars, and as calm and holy
as the midnight sky was his uplifted face.
"Put me down, Martha, | shall never look
up to the heavens again from eat,h," and he
lay ON his side intently regarding my face,
while my neart was too full for speech,
aud could only tenderly shake the hand
held.
"You have thought Your lot hard one,"
he at length SAID, sin this world, Martha!
felt it two years ago, but did not know
what it was, but now know, you are weary
of toll and strife, and murmur against God.
have felt so too sometimes, for / could see
no justice in the ordering of things, but it is
different now, eternity is shining upon my
mind and see that it is all right. / would
Tell you how, but cannot speak, only re-
| member always, that you are working out
the will of God and trust him for the result
Tell uiuthet how much love herr but do n OF
tell them that ] might have lived ifthey had
not driven me here; struggled hong against
it., but & God knew best-and do not let them
bury me in this hot city" He ceased, ex-
hausied, and lay with closed eyes, each breath
broken by a slight sob-agnn his lips moved
and bent my head TO catch any word.
! "Martha--iricnd-@he but the voice
died cut, and no pulse answered the touch
os my fingers. The city clock told three.
and until morning l watched alone by the
dead. His father came, an1 they buried
him in the city in spite Of all my prayers, far
| from the flowers and woods he loved. 1t is
we'll the dull ear of death cannot hear the
bachanaan riots above it, or the ling
city air penetrate the gravel mound and dis
tress the dreamless sleeper. But he lies
with many others who were crushed by cir
cumstances they could not control, martyrs
to stern necessity. He died because driven
into the service of mammon, where no food
| conld be ahstracted from the strlfes and am