The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-12-09

"Then I'm sure don't want to CO."
said Sarah, "I'd rather laugh than
weep; / don't like to weep"
"Only when Desdemonia dies, said
her father. $50 / must go alone" |"
And he went out.
The spacious hall was crowded with
an intelligent looking audience, for it
had been rumored that an eloquent
speaker from Western State was ex-
pected to address them. The lecturer
entered and took his seat in the desk.
A gentleman arose and introduced
Judge Winthrop of Wisconsin.
"He don't look like Judge" thought
the audience, as the stranger presented
himself before it. There was no stern
ness-no corpulency-no air of con-
scious majesty in his looks; his age
might have been fifty, his statue was
of middle size, his countenance was
open and agreeable; his eye mild, sad
and intellectual. He surveyed the
assembly for few moments in silence,
while he seemed laboring to subdue
some strong emotion.
"He has forgotten his lesson," whis-
pered man who sat at Mr.. Granger's
elbow.
The lecturer wiped away tear and
in low and agitated tones commenced
speaking. Mr.. Granger's eyes were
wide open; he was rubbing them; he
tried to open them wider; he listened
eagerly.
After some preliminary remarks, the
speaker said:
"Bear with me my friends, 1 am 60
ing to tell you a story. There was a
cottage once in wild and lonely valley;
family lived there-a small but hap
py family-father, mother and child.
They were poor in worldly substance,
but rich in affection, rich in the hope of
Heaven. The father toiled on sterile
soil; the mother piled her hands with
ceaseless industry. They were honest
and contented and never repined at
the lowness of their lot. They wanted
but little of the world, for they were
all the world to each other. Daily the
mother would kneel beside her little son
and with prayers and tears besought
for him the benediction of Heaven.
Daily the father labored TO instil into
his childish mind lessons of wisdom
and virtue. Ten years they had dwelt
there in that cottage; blest in their pow
erty, and watching with pleased and
anxious fondness the unfolding facul-
ties of the living treasure which God
had given them. The boy was mild
tempered, docile and obedient, and re-
paid his parents fondness with all a
child's affection. One wintry morning
in December the father left the house
to GO to the forest for some wood. He
went alone with an AK on his shoulder,
looking back as he shut the gate be-
hind him, with a smile at his wife and
child.
All day they anticipated the hour of
L., tho ,,,aoI
spread; the fire blazed on the hearth
and they stood together at the window
gazing up the path across the field, un-
til darkness dimmed the prospect. Still
he did not come, and alarmed at length,
the wife hurried to neighboring house
and implored some men to go in search
Of him. They went, and by the light
of their lanterns tracked him to the
place where he had been chopping.
His AK was there and some bones, and
scattered around were fragments of his
clothes and locks of hair clotted with
blood. A wild beast had devoured
him. The men returned to the cot and
slowly revealed the dreadful truth.
A heart broke that night, and when
few weeks had passed away, that lit
tie boy was an orphan. At eight years
of age he was thus suddenly severed
from the arms of parental love and left
alone in the world. A neighbor took
him home for little while, but the
child was sick and melancholy, and
became burden, and was carried to
the poor house!'
The speaker paused, and leaning for
ward, covered his face with his hands.
A breathless silence pervaded the as
sembly. ol ,a e
GA year after he was transferred to
the residence of farmer, whom he
was bound to serve until he was of age.
He was never happy and sportive like
other children; the memory of the
past was always with him, and sat
heavy on his heart. When others
laughed he only smiled, he was always
sad, shy, sensitive and sorrowful. The
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