Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-09-04
Alts1eIlanrous
Erc,n chambers, Journnl.
BLIGHTED FLOWERS.

..-L
The facts of the following brief narrative, which
are very few aud Of but melancholy interest, Le-
came known to me in the precise ord. r in
which they ave laid before the reader. They
were forced upon my observation rather than
thought out by me aud they present, to my mind
Mt feast, g tucchiI < picture OF the bitter conflict
industrious poverty is sometimes called upon to
wage with ''tbo thousand nstural shocks which
flesh is heir to-"
q 1t IA ust he now eight or nine years since. in
trAyersinE Il Certain street, which runs for nearly
half q mile in n direct line southwark, | first en-
Young girl Of seventeen, rather above the middle
size, and with a queenlike air and gait which
made her appear taller than she really was. Her
countenauce, pale but healthy, and of a perfectly
regular and classic mould, was charming to look
upon from its undeinable expression of lovHble.
ness and sweet temper. Her tiny feet trippcd
noislessly along the pavement, and q glance from
her black eye sometimes met mine. like a ray o.
light, as, punctually at twenty minutes to nine,
we passed each other near-Uouse, each of
us on our way to the theatre Of our daily opera
lions. She was an embroideress, as soon discov-
cred from n small buckingham containing
some unfinished work, which she occasionally
carried IN hor hand. She set me q worthy exam
nle Of punctudlity, and ! could any day have told
the time to a minute without looking at my watch,
by marking the spot where we passed each other.
learned to look for her regularly, and before |
knew her name, had given her that of Minerva
in acknowledgment Of her efficiency as a mentor,
A year after the commencement of our &C.
puaintance, which never ripened into speech, hap
pening to set out from home one morning a quart
or of an hour before my usual time, | made the
pleasing discovery that my juvenile Minerva had
q young sister, if possible still more beautiful
than herself. The pair were taking an election
ate leave of each other at the crossing Of the New
Road, and the silver accents Of the younger as,
kissing her sister. she laughed out. Good. bye,
Ellen" gave me the first information of the real
name of my pretty mentor. The little Mary-for
so was the younger called, who could not be
more than eleven years of age-was a slender,
frolicsome sylph, with n skin Of the purest car
nation, and a face like that of Sir Joshua's seraph
in the National Gallery, but with larger Orbs and
longer lashes shading them. AS she danced and
leaped before me on her way home again, l could
not but admire the natural ease and grace of every
motion, nor fail to comprehend and symyathiEe
with. the anxious looks of the sisters only parent
their widowed mother, who stood watching the re
turn of the young darling at the door of a very
humble two-story dwelling, in the vicinity of thu
New River Head.
Nearly two years passed away, during which
with the exception Of Sundays and holidays, ev
cry recurring morning brought me the graceful
though momentary vision of one or both of tn
charming sisters. Then came an additional pleas
ure-I met them both together every day. TIL
younger had commenced practicing the same de
iicate and ingenious craft of embroidery, and tn
" RNASNNN NJ hhouoNiJ ~ NcAhBohJ aHNSh W.
same employer. 1t was amusing TO mark the de
mure assumption Of womanhood darkening tn
brows of the aerial little spirit, as, with all tn
newborn consequences of responsibility, sh
walked soberly by her sisters side, frame j
hand, and occasionally revealed to passers by
brief glimps of her many,colored handlwork
They were the very picture Of beauty and happi
ness, and happy beyond question must their in
nocent lives have been for many pleasant months
Rut soon the shadow of care began to steal owe
THAR hitherto JQuOua garal and traapa OF anYIpty
perhaps OF tears, to be too plainly visible on the
paling cheeks. All at once l missed them in m
mornings walk, and for several %days--it might /
weeks-saw nothing of them. l was at lengt
startled from my forgetfulness of their very exit
,encc by the sudden apparition of both one Nor
day morning clad in the deepest mourning. | say
the truth at once the mother, who. | had re
marked, was prematurely old and feeble, wa
gone, and the two orphan children we're LETT t.
battle it with the world. NV conjecture was tn
truth, as a neighbor of whom l made some inqui
ries on the subject was not slow to inform me
"Ah, sir" said the good woman, "poor Mrs
D--have had a hard time of it, and she borl
an bred a gentleooman."
asked her If the daughters we're provide
for.
~'Iudeed, sir" continued my informant, "Pr
afeard not. Twas the most unfortunatest thin
in the world, sir, poor Mr.. DIS dying jes
as a did. You see, sir, he war a soldier, a igh
in out in Indy, and his poor wife left at HON
Nj them tNO DOsSOuS U Sdls' le Wau I Nud
you call a common soldier, sir, Blu. some kind
officer like; an in som great battle fought seve
years agone he done fine service I've heard, an
promotion was send out to 'un, but did MT e
there till the poor man was dead of his wounds
The News of he's death cut up his poor wife con
plete, and she han't been herself since. WI
Of all, it seems that because the poor man WI
dead the very day the promotion reached 'un,
did MT die a captain utter all, and so the poe
wilder did MT get 10 PENSION. How they We
4 H. =. r-a.N .LA- aAA all III
Oldest gal is very clever, they say; but Lor' bes
zee faint much to sport three as is to be got OF
o'broiderin'."
Thus enlightened on the subject of their privat
history, it was with very different feelings | aftel
wards regarded these unfortunate children. b
reft OF both parents, and cast upon a world wit
the ways of which they were utterly unacquain
ed, and in which they might be doomed to tt
most painful struggles even to procure a bare SUI
%sistence, one treasure was yet lie. them-it WI
the treasure of each others 1--we. So far as tn
depth of this feeling could be estimated from tt
looks and actions Of both, it was all in q
to each. But the sacred bond that bound thel
was destined to be rudely rent asunder. The col
winds of autumn began to visit too roughly ii
fair pale face of the younger girl, and the unmi
taxable indications OF consumption made their al
pearance; the barassing cough, the hectic cheel
the deepsettled pain in the side, the failing breatl
Against these dread forerunners it was vain ion
to contend and the poor child had to remain d
home in her solitary sick'chamber, while the 10Y
ing sister toiled harder than ever to provide,
possible, the means Of comfort and restoration t
ieslih. All the world knows the ending of sue
u hopeless strife as this. 1t is sometimes the vii
of Heaven that the path of virtue, like that 0
glory, leads but to the grave. SO it was in tn
present instance the blossom o! this fair yOunI
life withered away, and the grass fringed lips o
the ehild's early tomb closed over the liieless rel
les ere spring had drawn upon the year.
Sorrow bad craven legible traces upon the brow
of my hapless mentor when j saw her again
How different now was the vision that greeted my
daily sight from that Of former yearsl The wan
that admits not Of idle wailipg compelled her still
to pursue her daily course Of labor, and she pur
sued it with the same conslaucy and punctuality
as she had ever done. But tue exquisitely chisel
led face. the majestic gait, the elastic step-the
beauty and glory Of youth. mistaken because unl
assaulted by death and sorrow where were they
Alas! all the bewitching charms Of her former
being had gone down into the praye of her motLsr