Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-02-17
A Contrast.

Inc sultan OF turkey has presented the
Princess Mathildc DemiGoff with a pray
ing carpet worth $4,000. How very con-
siderate! With what fervid zest will the
well-learned prayers take flight from the
tip of her noble tongue, as her delicate
limbs bend to touch the gemmed emblem
of magnificent piety. and with gentle clasp
of her rosy fingers, she breathes on the
perfumed air languid acceptance of the
favors which divine importantly has so
forced upon her. How easy. as her azure.
tinted eyes are gracefully raised to heaven
and her snowy bosom heaves with the e.
motions Of lavender -colored humilitv--as
she lisps her sweet-scented supplication
with charming disf;ngue nonchalance. as
If the effort were cen too much-how ca
sy, then, to fancy that tiny cherubim lin
ger within the select atmosphere, hoyer-
ing about her lips. or weaving their airy
pinions within the mazes of her flowing
hair, quick to catch and embalm each Jew
eled word as her aristocratic condescension
gives it birth; the while that she reioices,
with gentle high-toned rejoicing. that she
is not as others are. What divine accep-
tance such well-bred devotion must find!
What an exquisite parody is it upon Chris
tian humility!
Without wishing 10 detract from SO char
ming picture of devotion, we know sto-
ry that relates distantly to the same subject.
When Detroit had little claim to the name
of city. and was less able than now topro-
vide for her poor it was customary for ladies'
belonging to the Sunday Schools to search
out the children whose parents were una
bic to provide for them, and furnish them
with clothes, that they might become reg
ular atte endants at Sabbath School. One
of these benevolent ladies' found poor
willow who was miserably off in this
worlds goods, but who was a devoted
Christian, and had brought up her little
boy-an only child of FIVE or six years.
as mother should. OF her she heard the
relation we are about to give.
One cold a::ss0SraFyrigsSt, when the wind
howled Nsashout55.snd drovef tie snow into
her ricFety old tenement at every crevice,
she was obliged to exercise her utmost 10.
genuity to keep herself and her little one
from freezing. So destitute of the COM
mon necessares of life was she that she
had only single blanket and some straw
for bed. In her dire extremity she wrap
ped the blanket around the child and laid
him down 10 sleep by the store. Wood
was not so scarce then as now. and she
determined TO sit np all night and keep the
FIRE burning. as the only resource. This
che did. but as she sat shivering over the
old stove and listening to the bowling
storm without, her heart was panied to
hear the complaints Of the child, which
both blanket and stove failed to keep warm
in the terrible excess of cold that prevailed.
Forgetting her own suderings in her So
hcitude for her little one, she set to work,
and, bringing the whole stock Of straw
from the corner. piled 1t over and around
him, and then, going into another par, of
the house, pulled down an old door that
hung useless on one hinge, and laid it over
him to keep the wind and snow off, one
end on the floor at his feet and the other
resting on the stove hearth above his head.
Having again tucked the straw in at the
sides, she sat down to watch away the
wesry hours. The little fellows COM
plainings gradually ceased, and his tears
were dried as scanty warmth came to
him, and finally the loving watcher was
comforted with the assurance that he was
asleep and happy! But as she sat and lis
tened with shudder to the fierce warning
of the elements without, her ear caught
indistinctly. still small voice stealing
from under the old door. Bending her
head to the spot. she recognized the tones
Of her little innocent at prayer. Ths bur-
den of his sdpplication was. please. God,
have mercy ON them poor little child ems
what havn't got any door to put over 'em
this cold night.-Detroa Free Press.