Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-07-21
WHAT TROUBLE IS.

A company Of Southern ladies' were one day
assembled in friends parlor, when the con-
verSation CHANGED to turn In earthly Affections
Each had her story of peculiar trials and he
reavemen:s 20 relate, except one pale, sad
looking wtiitani whose uSterleSS eve and de-
jeeted air showed that Shc was prey TO the
5ttpcst melancholy. Suddenly arouSing her
Belt she said In h5llow voice
Not one tE you knows what trouble is. ."
VIII you please, Mrs. Gray" said kind
lady who knew her story, tell the ladies' Of
what you call trouble"
"I will, if you DESIRE" she replied, "for
have seen it. My parents possessed a compe-
tence, and my girlhood was surrounded by all
the comforts Of life. | seldom knew an un.
gratified wish, and was always gay and light
hearted. | married, at nineteen, one loved
more than all the world besides. Our home
was retired, but the sunlight never fell on IL
lovelier one, or on a happier household -
Years ruifvd on peacefully Five children yat
around o.1r table, and little Curly head s.!ll
nestled In MY bosom. One night about sun
down, one of those fierce storms SO common
in Southern climates came on. For many
hours the rain poured down inccsSantly.
Morning dawned; still the elements raved
The little stream near our dwelling became n
raging torrent. Before we were aware Of il,
our house was surrounded by water. ! man.
dkeri, with my babe, TO reach little spot on
which Few wide. spreading trees were stand.
ing whose athse Coliage afforded some pro.
lection, while my, hi!sHnnd and SONS struye 10
save what they could o. cur property. At
! lEst a fe6ff!l sItse aHcpt ,a,fay ny hoS6and,
and he never rose again Ladies, no one loved
a husband more-but that was not trouble
| Presently my sons saw their danger the
struggle for llfc became their only considcra.
ton. They welt brave; loving boys, as ever
blessed mothers heart and watched their
efforts to escape with such agony aS only n
mother can feel They were so far off could
not speak to them, but could see them closing
nearer to each other, Us their little island grew
less and less.
THE sulcn river ragged around the huge
trees; dead branches, upturncd trunks, wrecks
OF houses, drowned cattle and masses Of rub.
biSh, all went floating past us. My boys
waved their hands to me and then pointed
upwards. | knew it was farewell signal,
and you, mothers, cannot imagine my anguish.
l saw them all perish, and yet that was not
troable
WI hugHcI my little baby TO my heart, and
when the water rise to my feet climbed in.
to the low branches Of the tree, and so kept
retiring before il until an all-powcrlul hand
stayed the wANrs that they should come no
further. wAs aSred-ail my worldly pos
sessions were swept away-all my earthly
hopes blightcd-yet that was not trouble.
my babe Was all | had left on earth
labored night and day to support him and
myself, and sought to train him to the right
way, but as he grew older, evil companions
won him from me-he ccAsrI tr care for his
mothers counscls, he would sheet at hrt Ell.
treaties and agonzing prayers. lie left my
humble roof that he might be unrestraincd
in the purpose Of evil, and at last when heated
by wine one night, he took the life Of fellow
being, and ended his own on the Scaffold. Ny
Heavenly Father had filled my cup of sorrow
before but now it ran over This Was trouble,
ladies, such as hope Ills mercy will spare
you from ever experiencing"
There was no dry eyes among her listeners,
and the warmest sympathy was expressed for
the bcreavcd mother, whose sad history had
taught them a useful lesson.