The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-04-15

L
ton was certain. During bis stay, for
shame's sake, the wretched parents, alb
stained from accustomed excuses, and
Albert urged then, by all the arguments
/ his afcetionate solcitude could supply to
abandon the city and return with him to
bis country home, there to lead, once
more, true and healthful life. But in
vain. Neither had the courage to attempt
reformation, nor to face the friends Of
their youth in the prematurely old and
wretched state, they refused, utterly, to
60 with him. -...r.e H..
Then, finding his entreaties, vain, he
next besought them to permit him, at least
to take with him the little one, the last
survivor of the trio that had graced their
home in better days. But equally vain
was this attempt. The mother clung to
her child with an impatient, unreasonipg
love that was scarcely above brute in
stinct; and the father, with drunken pride,
that sped the honorable independence of
former and better days, swore that SO
long as she had the shelter of his home,
she need not, and should not eat the
bread of charity.
There was no appeal, and Albert was
forced, reluctantly, to return to his home,
and leave the wretched family to the mis-.
cry be could not alleviate
In one year he again visited the city.
He sought the grocer, to whom be had
from time to tine sent certain stipulated
sums, to purchase necessaries for the fam.
lily, and of him learned that the father
had died in fit of mania a-potu, a N onth
previous; that the landlord had turned
the widow and orphan from the apart
ments for which they had no longer had
the means of payment, and they had
wandered away he knew not whittier.
For many days Albert vainly tried to
discover the lost ones. But they had
mingled with the seething masses Of NOR
al corruption that form the lowest stratum
of city humanity, and all traces of their
identy seemed entirely lost. Chance. or
some forlorn hope, led him to one Of the
benevolent Institutions that are doing so
much for the salvation of the rising gen
Grafton, and the redemption of fallen men
and women, and there, among the band
of neat children, who were lifting their
sweet voices in a grateful hymn, be saw
the lost child, Mary.
The mother also had obtained admit
tance to the Institution, but want and
disease, and excess had nearly completed
their work The bed on which her was
ted frame lay stretched, was that of death.
In few days. she, too; was numbered a.
moug the dead, and having provided for
her decent funeral, and amply remuner-
ated all who had shown her kindness,
Albert departed with the child for his
country home. .
And so little Mary was saved. Years
have passed since she left the city and the
sordid haupts of her childhe She, too
played beneath the trees that had shaded
her mothers infant sports, she grew in
beauty beside that pleasant fresidc, and
happier faith than that of her lost moth
or has crowned her life. She won the
love of good and worthy man = her un-
Gle Albert's eldest son-became an hon.
ored and happy wife, and now a fair
young matrom, she watches the gamtols
of her children beneath the shadowy ma
pies, and in hushed voice, teaches them
the simple and beautiful evening prayer,
and lays them to their quiet rest, thank
full that their tender minds are spared the
fearful influences that surrounded her
childhood. u.