The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-10-19
The rssr.


The approach OF winter, heralded though It
be by few smiling days, ymust remind US of
duties to perform as well rs pleas ures to en-
Joy. In all the great cities winter brings prl-
walton, and often suffering, to large numbers
Of the community. Already, in the more
Northern towns, we see cases mentioned which
appeal 20 the compassion Of every benevolent
heart New York contemporary says that
on ono of the late cold mornings, when the
streets were full OF great-eoated, shawled
gloved aud booted men, hurrying with their
red faces to their warm counting houses and
| stores. il observed q pretty young girl OF the
lander age of nine or ten, win her bare rect
| aud arms. aud an old sack on her thinly clad
| sboulders. into which she was thrustibg the
bits of straw and dirty paper which she raked
| ont Of the cutters. 1t is added that nobody
stopped to gaze at the strange sight; but 1t was
no. q strange one, and that IL the reason why
uobodys hair stood on end at seeing 1t, though
to see that young creature employed in such
manner, earning her poor breakfast, doubt
less, and then to see the we'll dressed crowd
rush past without speaking to her, and to see
the great Tract Society's house, and the Foreign
Missionary rooms, aud the stately printing
houses for the dissem nation of imaginary
blessings among comfortable laborers in a
sunny cline. and the palatial mansions into
which robbers and murderers are put, are
enough to startle the dullest soul with these
amazing mysteries OF human life.
Though such wide con trasts cannot be found
except in large cities, yet the children of want
and suffering may be found everywhere. and
amid scenes of general content and gladness,
dark spots of corroding poverty are here and
there observable The pangs and horrors
Of that condition are always increased by
the rigors of the approaching season. To
tho man whose means are sufficient for his
support winter comes not only disrobed Of
its terrors but is one of the most inyigorating
and happy seasons of the year. Basking in
the warmth of his comfortable fire, the rat
thing of the storm without only adds new
comfort to his sense Of enjoyment. The snow
covered earth affords a pleasant variety 10 his
eve and the long winter nights are beguiled
nv the concert or the drama. And yet there
are those whose poor novels are Swallowed by
his own palace, who would rejoice to eat the
crumbs that fall from the rich mans table )
women and children who shiver in their thin
AT tire, and whose misery is but Knocked by the
scanty blaze upon their hearths. Such are
ths extreme and bitter contrasts OF human
life The music of the yiol aud the dance, the
smile of salts faction and the shout Of merrl-
ment in one habitation, and in another only
dismal voices OF human woe aud squalid
sights of human wretchedress. 1t would
seem, indeed from the indifference sometimes
manifested TO such spectacles by the wealthy,
that they are entirely ignorant OF their ex-
ist-nce and that as 4 celebrated writer has
said, the same principle pervades the Unequal
tiles of social life, exists in the laws OF
Physical Science; they who stand on the lofty
emiuence-the high places of the world-are
deafened by the atmosphere itself, and can
scarcely hear the sound of the explosions
which alarm the quiet OF the plains.
We rejoice that in our own city associations
exist for The relief of the poor and afflicted,
and that the warm and ready charity OF our
citizens has never been invoked in vain. Win
ter, locking up nature in its icy bands, has
never yet arrested their genial sympathies.-
We know that they will do their duty now,
and we only make these remarks that they
may be fully prepared to respond to the calls
which will soon be made upon them by our
benevolent associations for the winter cam
paign.