Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-05-27

parlor, when the conversation hap
pencil to turn on the subject of
earthly affection. Each had her
story of peculiar trial and bereave-
ment to relate except one pale, sad
looking woman, whose lustrous eye
and detected air showed that she
was prey to the deepest melan-
choly. Suddenly arousing herself
she said, in hollow voice,
Not one of you knows what
trouble is
will you please, Mrs. Gray
said the Kind voice of a lady who
well knew her story, tell the la
dies what you call trouble!'
4 will, ifyou DESIRE she replied,
'for l have seen it. My parents
possessed a competence, and my
girlhood was surrounded by ali
the comforts of life. / seldom
knew an unqualified wish, and was
always gay and lighthearted. /
married at nineteen one | loved
more than all the world besides.
Our home was retired, but the sun
light never fell on a lovelier one,
or on a happier household. Years
rolled on peacefully. Five child
rem sat around our table, and lit
tie curly head still nestled in my
bosom. One night, about sun
down, one of those fierce, black
storms came on, which are so COM
mon in our southern climate.
For many hours the rain pour
ed down necessarily. Morning
dawned; still the elements raved.
The whole Savannah seemed to
be afoat. The little stream near
our dwelling became a raging tor
rent. Before we were aware of it
our house was surrounded by wa
ter. l managed with my babe to
reach little elevated spot, on
which a few wide-spreading trees
were standing, whose dense foliage
ofe, me protection, while my
hu I'd sons strove to save
w could of our property.
fearful surge swept
aw. husband, and he never
ros- In. Ladies-no one ever
lov husband more-but that
was not trouble.
Presently my sons saw their
danger, and the struggle for life
became the only consideration.
They were brave, loving boys
as ever blessed a mothers heart,
and / watched their efforts to es-
cape with such agony only as mo-
Their can feel. They were so far
off Jcould not speak to them; but
l could see them closing nearer to
each other, as their little island
grew smaller.
The sullen river ragged around
the huge trees; dead branches, up
turned trunks, wrecks of houses,
drowning cattle, masses of rubbish,
all went floating past US. Ny boys
waved their hands to me, and then
pointed upward. I knew it was a
farewell signal; and you mothers
cannot imagine my anguish. I saw
them all perish, aid yet-that was
not trouble.
4 Rugged my babe close to my
heart, and when the waters rose to
my feet. l climbed into the low
branches of the tree, and so kept
retiring before it, until an AIl-pow-
erful Hand staid the waves that
they should come no further
was saved.
ALI my worldly possessions were
swept away; all my earthly hope
blighted-yet that was not troub
lie. "My babe was all l had left
on earth-I labored night and day
to support him and myself, and
sought to train him in the right
way; but as he grew older, evil
comDanions won him from me-
He ceased to care for his mothers
counsels; he would sneer at her en-
treaties and agonizing prayers
He left my humble roce that hi
might be unrestraiped in the pur
suit of evil; and at last, when heat
ed by wine one night; he took thu
life of fellow being, and ended
his own upon the scaffold. M.
Heavenly Father had filed my cul
of sorrow before; now it ran over
That was trouble, ladies, sucl