The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-04-22
Alice and the Angels.

And, waking, ind Thy labor done."-LAMB.
We never remember of seeing any no
tics of the dear old legend we are about t,
relate, save in some brief and exquisite linel
of Charles lamb and yet hoy simply anc
aGuintly it confirms our chlidhOod's faith
when heaven seemed so Much nearer L
earth than It has ever been since, and VIZ
verify believed that the angels WATCHED ovel
the good and pure of heart. @ ,
OnSe Upon time there lived, in for of
country place. the name of which has long
since passed into Oblivion, young girl
whom we shall call Alice, with an aged and
bed.rid mother dependent upon her exer
tions for their sole support; and, although
at all periods they Jared hnFdly enough, and
sometimes even wanted for bread, Aiice
never suffered herself to be cast down, ploc.
ing her whole trust in Him who "tenipers
the wind to the shorn lamb" And when
better better days came again, who SO glad
and thankful as that young girl! ...
II may be all very well and picturesque
for poets and artists to picture to themselves
calm, peaceful scenes of rural loveiiness, in
the foreground OF which they generally
place BONE happy village maid, sitting in
the cottage porch at the sunset hour and
singing merriIy at her wheel. even as
bright eyed and glad hearted damsels of our
own times take up their sewing only as a
| pieSsaitt excuse for silence and gentle mu.
sing. But let US not forget that what is
pastire to the few, may be to the many,
weary and never ending toll, engrossing the
day that seems so long, yet not hnlF long
enough for all they have to do, breaking
into the quiet hours set apart by nature for
rest and mingling even with their troubled
dfeams.
Thus 1t was, oftentrties, with our poor he.
roine. And yet she sang, too, but general.
~ bymhs, for fuch sprang most read,Iy to
her lips aud seemed most il farthony with
her lonely and toisome HE; while her aged
mother would lie for hours listening to What
seemed ID her as gush of sweet, prayer.
iul music; and not questi, ming but the songs
of the good upon earth mi 4ht BE- heard and
echoed by the angels in heoven. Poor child!
it was sad to see III toll so hard, but beau
tiful to mnrk thy tilial devotion and untiring
l8se-thy thank ulness to have the work to
do, otherwise both must have starved long
since-thy trust i" Providence that, foi
her sake, he would give thee strength fo.
thy laburious tasks-that would not die; o
better times, the faith that grew oil the
Brighter and purer through trials-thc store
of sweet and plous tkoi!thts that brought
Thee such Pleasant comfort and gave wigs
to many weary hour 6f earthly toll.
For years Alice had contrived to lay by
enough to pay the rent Of their little cot.
tage, ready against the period when it should
become due; but now, ei.het from the wild
ow's long illh IS, or the hardness of the
times; which ever pr, ssed in seasons of ma.
tional or commerciu difficulty most heavily
upon those least able to struggle against It's
additional weight, the day came round and
found her unprepared. 1t SO happened tina,
The old landlord was dead and the success
Bor WAS one Of those stern men who, with.
out being actually hard hearted. have o pc.
culiar creed of their own with regard to Thu
poor, which they dfE never weary of re.
peoting, holdhg poverty to be but as auoth.
er name for idencss, bt even crime; but yet
even he was touched BY her teats and meek,
deprecating words. and GoiiSehted t3 give
her the weeks grace, in which she reckon
ed to have finished and got paid for the
work she then had in the house; and al.
though the girl knew that, in order to effect
this she must work day and night, she latctl
usk no longer delay, and was even grateful
to him for granting her request. "
"It will be lesson to her not to be be
hind hand In future," thought her stern
landlord, when he found himself alone; emo
doubt the girl has been idling Of late. or
spending her money on that pale. .cdlofed
hood she wore (al,hough, so6th to say, moth
ing could have been more becoming to her
delicate complexion,) instead Of having it
ready as usual" And; sleeping or waking,
her grateful thanks haunted him strangely,
almost winning him to gentler thoughts
we say almost, for deep footed Prejudices,
such as his, were hard to otercotne:
Alice rettifned home with light heart.
"Well!" said the widow anxiously;
"All right, mother; with Gods help we
will yet keep the dear old cottage In which
you tell me you were born." # 4
"And hope to die"
"Not yet--not yet, dear mother!" e&-
claimed the girl, passionately. "Whnt
would become Of yodr poor AiiceS if she
were TO lose you'"a 80 ..s tt.fa
"And yet am but burden on your
young life" t.g s...i s a,ra. .s. .,al
.tNo, no-a blessing rather" a>a
Alice was right. labor aid toll only
asks an object--something to love and care
and work for-to make it endufable, and
even sweet: And them kissing Her mother,
But say ing not word Of all she had to do,
the girl took off the well-preserVed hood and
cloak which had given rise to such unjust
animadversions, and putting them carefully
aside, sat down in q hopefri gpifit to her