Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-06-12
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TRUE STORY OF "HARD TIMES" I"

If a country clergyman's daughter is at
all loveable, she is generally the pet of
the parish. Anna Irwin was pre-emlnent-
ly so. Old and young looked upon her
with affection, as Sunday after Sunday
she glided, in her umid, graceful beauty
into the rectory pew, ,and her father might
be pardoned if, even from the chanceI, his
eye sought her loved form, and his ear
the soft tones OF her voice. For sixteen
years she read, studied sang and laughed,
surrounded by fond admiring hearts. But
there came change, day when DIR. lr-
vim preached his last sermon, and laid his
head down in theSold church yard. An
ma went away to New York. 1t is needs
less TO trace the progress of htle>ehangeS,
mislOrtunes, by which she sank, in four
or five years, from music teavher to Ia
king in sewing, and then working at hat
binding. When the 'hard times Of the
last fall fell upon the country, even this
humble resource failed her. She could
End nothing to do, and she had no mon
ey. Ruin had overtaken her few friends
ln the city. Weeks passed. She sold
and pawned most OF her clothing, all 9th
er articles of any value. She was oblig-
ed 10 leave her small but respectable
apartment, and sleep on rag matrass IN
fireless bare gsrrel,g glad Of the privilege.
One fearfully cold night last week she
crept TO that comlortless pallet, foot sore
from whole days fruitless walking IN
search of employment. For five days
she had not tasted food. She had only a
scant, worn rag for covering. Fol- hours
her teeth chauered, and her limbs ached.
She curled herself into every imaginable
position in the vain effort TO obtain amo'
ment's warmth of any portion OF her
frame. And then she thought Of her home,
where each night she had wrapped her
eelC in thick, soft blankets, and lain In
warm, dreamless resi-, ill morning dawn.
She thought of her fathers good night
kiss and blessing. She slept al last, for
she was utterly exhausted, waking 10 sut'
fering every five minutes, tortured by
hideous nightmares, of food turning to
stone, ice in her grasp by grlnnlng faces;
and never for one instant losing the pain
of gold.
In the morning she saw girl, who
with her old mother, had slept, if sleep
il could be called, in the same room, pre-
pairing to go out begging for cold victnals.
Two little girls who lived in The opposite
gaue. also issued forth, and Anna, des-
parirgly, and nearly wild with hunger
and cold, went out after them. She soon
found herself in street where every sur
rounding showed wealth and luxury. She
thought of the more respectable mode OF
begging, To ring at tho front door. and
asking for one of the family, and Tell her
story. But her pride shrank from that
even more than from fitting down the
back steps. And this at length she did.
Il haven't anything said The servant,
who answered her knock.
'Wont you let me warm myself BY the
Ere q whispered Anna.
Il guess not, said the girl. The lady
don't like such people about the Kitchen
and shut the door in her face.
She would have laid down and died on
the cold door stones-willingly. After
Two or three gasps. she stumbled up the
steps, rolled her frost-bitien fingers in her
hin de Baize cape. and went on down
through the broad Avenue. bitter Thoughts
OF man and of God-may He forgive her!
shrieking in her heart. The long rows
of costly houses were 10 her like lorlii-
cations reared by hard. triumphant sell
fshness, to keep her and such as her from
shanns in common comforts, defended by
crueI and unerring weapons. o! what
Pinless tyrants seemed human Law, hu-