Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-12-29


the WALL. / was not as yet thank heaven
r hardened to look upon suffering unmoved
and instinctively felt an interest in the
F little stranger from the momeht | saw
her. and thy interest va. greatly enhanced
when noticed that She timidlS shrahk
from observation, and seemed intently
watching for some one. | dgvined at
oite that she was an angel Hf mercy
sent by soiie lonely suffering tiiother, to
persuade Home sotie drunken reyeler
froth this miserable den of death. Draw
ing thy chaif closely to the stdte, and
speaking kindly as Possible, I asked her
to cothe to me-"
Don't please don't whipm sir" said
the little thing sobbing. eel
No, my dear, wish to help YOU
What are you here for, this cold night?''
Please sir, to find pa
=" can't see him, sir, but ma told me
TO come and tell him that she was dying"
/ /" Your mother dying +? Where does
your mother live? When did, your pa
so away from home I"
90 I a great while ago, sir; I don't
know how long. But am going back
We've got no fife, aud nothing to eat, and
ma is cold" i'leiH
Wait little 6ne," slid /. ana sitting
her down behind the stoSe,I pushed into
the foom adjoining, where few minutes
before had seen Dodge enter, and where
found that personagaengageG in assist
ing bleafed and bloated individual to
dress. ~
Mr.. Dodge, saidst, there is little
girl in the bar room who has colie to get
her father" T'7
Tell her to 80 home.s said the drum.
Ken wretch whom Dodge was assisting In
dressing. aI ans w.f,e
That toice |" ,r f.--s -..--,.
MOI was mistaken Time and in
temperance had not been able wholly to
change. | had heard it when it inspired
happier feelings. hut could hot be mis-.
taken. 1t was the same voice still. The
drunken wretch-who | afterwards as
certained had been dead drunk for three
days-was George Dane.
The true situation Of affairs flashed
upon my mind at once. l pictured to
myself, Alice the wife of wretched
drunkard, suffering, perhaps starving, at
thus very moment, and so near. | took
the little girl in my arms and walked out
into the cold night aif.
o. me will be so glad; she's so cold
and hungry; will you please, sir, give me
something to carry ma to eat?"
II fastened back, aud filling my pock-
cts with cakes and crackers, returning
and taking tie child in my arms, pushed
through the snow in the direction indica
ted by the child, to her home. And such
a home O, that man should fall so low
All was dark. still. and cod. Not a
breath to tell that human being inhab.
tied the place-h6 feeling CT warmth
nothing but cold; dark silence. But the
child ran to one corner IF the miserable
hut, exclaiming -
O. ma, ma, wake up The man has
brought you something to eat; ma; won't
y6u wake p, and she sobbed as if Her lit
tie heart would break. Size continued
talking in this strain to her mother, ma
king all kinds of eudearing little specifies
to wake her, and telling her that they
would have SOME supper now. aud INA
don't you want to see your little Alice
any more--ma, the good man has come to
see u.s." She kept talking and sobbing.
while |, by the aid of md ghes and jack
knife, Succeeded In kindling d little fife.
which grew and grew, until the room
was lighted, and some degree of warmth
impaired. 1t was a terrible feeling to
know that was in that wretched abode
with death and my sister! There was
nothing that deserved the name of furni.
tire in the room. Not chair, nor
Stool-not bench even, except q cup.
board In one Corner, to indicate that it
was ever huriIati habitation. Close by
the fire, on nest of straw, was the cold
emaciated form of my dear sister Alice
What d meeting was this, after a Eve
years absence! took her by the hand
it was cold as death. raised her up
and held her to the FIRE, and rubbed my
hands rapidly over her wrists and TEN,
Piles, to restore warmth. Is she dead
o, this must not be Look at mic, Alice.
am your brother come to save ydd. /
could not beaf the thought that she was
dead. a 1000
At length Came the reward Of my la
bors. She bFeathea, faiqtly, it is true,
but life-nd, she was not dead Calmly
| worked on, and slowly. yet surely my
sister was cothing to life. She spoke, but
her mind was evidently wandering:
40. George" she said, Il am SO glad
you have come, and you arc changed. |
| thought should die. | was so cold and
hungry. | sent little Alice after you and
you we're so good not to beat her. | had
such sweet dream. O, George; it is
growing so dark. am dying"
1t is me, Alice-lcUk at me-"
She sw6oned away. exhausted, grasp
| ing for breath. Just Heaven what, she if
should die now? No, | must save her
| went to the door; and got handful of
snow, and by the warmth impaired by
my hands, succeeded in melting it, aud
applying q few drops to her lips, and
bathing her temples, and she again re.
WED.