The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1859-04-14

lace was haggered-.her eyes were shrun-
ken-her hair dish.velled-her clothes
tattered and unclean.
She was seated upon an old broken
chair, and was mechanically swing ng
to and fro, as if endsavoring to quiet her
infant, which mosned pi,ifully in its
mothers arms. II had been sick from
its birth.and it was now seemingly strug-
CLING TO free itself from the harsh world,
into which it had, but a few months pre-.
vious, been ushercd. There was no tear
in the eye Of the mother, as she gazed up
on the expiring babe. The fountain had
been dried up by the internal fires which
alcohol had kindled and fed. Yet.h
was the picture Of dispair; and we could
not bat fancy, as she sat thus. that her
mind was wandering back to the happy
past, the days Of her infancy and girl
hood, aud her early home. Poor thing
She had given her affections and her
hand to man who had taken the first
steps to iutemperance. She had left
her home full Of buoyant hopes hopes
mover to be realized-to spend life Of
misery with . sot. Broken hearted,
cast out from society Of her former
friends, frowned upon BY the "good so
ciety,' humanity spoken Of as the miser-
able wife of miserable drunkard-with|
no hand to help, no heart to pity-she
very soon became tippler and drunk
ard herself.
BY the side of this woe smitten moth
er kneeled little girl Of five or six
years, down whose sal!ow cheeks tears
we're coursing; and who ever anon ex
claimed, "Poor little Willie, must you
die p 20, mother must Willie die?"
and then kissing the clammy sweat from
little "Willie's brow, covered her face
with he tattered apron and wept.
In the opposite corner Of the chin
ney, and among the ashes which GOV
cred the hearth, sat boy Of about sew
en- years, dragging from the half dead
embers potato, which he broke open
with the remark, "Mother, give this
to little Willie, maybe he's hungry; Il
am hungry, too, and SO is sister but
Willie sick. Give him this potato,
mother"
mo, poor boy" eaid tho mother
willie will never be hungry again. He
will soon be dead"
This remark drew all the children
around the mother and the dying child
The father was sitting upon what was
intended for bedstead, without hat.
shoes or coat, with his hands thrust in
to his pockets, apparently Indifferent
to all that was passing around him. His
head was resting upon his heart, and
his blurred eyes we're fastened upon the
floor, as if he were afraid to Iook up at
the sorrowing group who were watching
the countenance Of the dying infant.
There was moment ofsilence. Not
. sound was heard. Even tho sobs Of
the little girl had ceased. Death was
crossing the novels threshold. The
respirationf T the household seemed sus.
pended; when slight shivering Of the
limbs of the infant, and shrek from
the half conscious mother told all that
the vital spark had fed.
For the FIRST time the father moved Il
Slowly advancing to where his wife was
seated, with quivering lips, he whisper
ed "is Willie dead"
eyes, James, the poor babe is dead T.
was the shocking reply Of the mother,
who still sat, as at first, gazing upon
the face Of her little one.
Without uttering another 7ord, the
long bruta.zed father left the house,
muttering as he left, my God, how
long ?"
At this moment kind hearted lady
came in who had heard, but few min
utes before, Of the dangerous illness of
tho child. She had brought with her
some medicine but her angel visit was
too late. The gentle spirit Of the babe
had fed, and there remained for her
but to comfort the living.-This she
did, while We followed the father. We