Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-06
THE OVERLOOKING CUP,

A company of Southern ladies were once as
sembled In a friends parlor, when the CONVEX
sation CHANGED to turn on earthly affection
Each had her story of peculiar trial and be-
reavement TO relate, except one real badlook-
ing woman, whose lustreless eye and detected
air showed that she was prey to the deepest
melancholy. Suddenly 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 lady who well knew her story.
" tell the ladies what you call trouble
81 will, if you desire, she replied, " for
have seen it. My parents possessed compe-
tence, and my girIhood was surrounded by all
the comforts of life. / seldom knew an un-
gratified wish. l wes always gay and light
hearted, and married at nineteen one loved
more than all the world beside. Our home was
retired, but the sunlight never fell on a loveler
one, or on happier household. Years rolled
on peacefully. Five children set around our
table, and little curly head still nestled in my
boso,n. One night about sundown, one of those
fierce black storms came on which are SO COM
mon In our southern climate. For many hours
the rain poured down necessarily. Morning
dawned, still the elements raved. The whole
savannah seemed ahoat. The little stream
near our dwelling became a raging torrent.
Before we were aware of it our house was sur
rounded by water. L managed, with my babe
to reach a little spot, on which a few wide
spreading trees were standing, whose dense
foliage afforded some prOtec ton, whiio my hus
band 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 tkat
acIS not tTOHbis.
Presently my sons ssw their danger, and
the struggle for life became the only consider
alton. They were brave loving boys rs ever
blessed a mothers heart, and watched their
efforts to escape with such agony as only moth
e-s can feel. They were so far off L could not
speak to them, but l could see them closing
nearer and nearer to each other as the little
islands grew smaller and smaller.
The sullcn river ragged around tho 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 Inc, then pointed upward. /
know it was farewell signal, and you, moth
erS, cannot imagine my anguish l saw them
all perish, and yet-that icas not trouble.
hugged my babe close to my heart and
when the water rose to my feet, L climbed into
the low branches of the tree and so kept re-
tiring from it, until an All powerful Hand
stayed the waves, that they should come no
further. was saved. All my worldly posses
sions were swept away; all my earthly hopes
biighted-yet that tOas not troubke.
My baby was all that had left on earth
L labOred night and day to support him and
myself, and sought to train him in the right
way; but as he grew older, evil companions
won him away from me. lie ceased to care
for his mothers counsels; he would sneer at
her sntreaties and agonized 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 scaffold
My Heavenly Father had filled my cup of sor-
row before, but now it ran over. That araS
trouble, ladies, such as 1 hope His mercy will
spare you from ever experiencing.
There was no dry eye among her listeners,
and the warmest sympathy was expressed for
the bereaved mother, whose sad history has
taught them a useful lessOn.-Neac Bruns-
aricAer.