Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-11-08
From the Prairie Farmsr.
What VIII the End BE.
by MRS. r. D. GAGE.


Alice Alice -
Nv hat"
Come along here this minute"
Il won't do it.
You won't -
mo | won't"
'l'll see if you won't. my lady; Il
yoa amt here in double quick time
I'll take your very hide of"
Such was the conversation that
greeted my ears to-day, as | sat busy
at my sewing, and the fearful sounds
passing between mo'her AMI child
caused me to lit my head. and look at
the former, who stood at her door not
two rods away.
She was a hard featured woman.
dressed in slovenly attire, AMI stood
with arms akimbo, leaning against
the door, in the womanly occupation
OF smoking a long pipe. She was a
step-mother, and Alice, a slender sick
!y-looking child OF ten. the eldest OF
SIX children-tAe youngest babe. the
only one belonging to this woman,
who had dared to assume the duty OF
mother
She waited few moments for Alice
to obey. and then shrieked out again
You Alice"
There was terror in that cry. and the
child started and replied
"Im coming, | tell YOU
"Well, guess you'd better, you
pest OF young one; if You was my
child, I'd learn YOU how to wait that
way when call you. Go long back
and bring that baby"
The girl had come within reach Of
her angry mother. and as she spoke
the last word, she gave the child
heavy blow on the side of the head
that sent her rceIing, and with wild
cry OF pain and anger she turned bark
to where four or FIVE little children
were playing together, building a lit.
lle town with the sand piles on the
street.
Now. you" shouted a stout boy.
n year or two younger than his sister
what did you strike her lor?"
shut your mouth !" was the re-
sponse.
"Oh, YOU old vixen" said the hov.
in an under tonc-"il was big I'd
I'd-Id Kill her, would"
The little fellow sprang 10 meet his
sister, and pntling his little loving
arms round her. said
Don't cry. Ali, onl I'll help you
take care of Charley. Ill carry him
down to her, aud she may just strike
me as much "a she likes; but dod rot
her il she whips YOU any more III
stone her. | will"
"W hat do you say. you little ras-
cal ;" cried the woman. actually y rous-
cd to action. end picking ua sick.
she flew like demon at the offending
boy, AMI laying about her hastily
scattered the happy group OF lite ones,
who fled a. from tigress. She hurt
Ali agan-she hurt tommy, the brave
but Ultra ned. generous boy. She
belched forth her wrath in profanity
AMI val arily. ill finally. seeing her.
sell watched. she retrcatcd within her
own door. leaving them all crying
and frightened without.
Oh what n scene was this--six
children. precious little children. un-
der the care OF this hycna. Six hu.
man souls developing into men and
women under such guidance.
"What will they be ." Where is
ths father OF those six immoitals -
Where? Smoking his pipe also. a,
the railroad depot, or at the grocery
door. hal; drunk with vile whiskey,
aud talking about elections.
And are these six all in this good
ly state of ours-,hat are thus daily
trained for destruction ?
These six all Mol On the right
hand aud the left. in town and coun'
uy-on farms and in workshops-
with our mothers as well a step-moth
ers-l zee ut such tiaining. "Onlj
here and there one" ] hear some one
exclaim.
Ah only here and there one Bu
If that one spoil, six OF her own, an
comrcls six more to hear her terrible
voice and learn her terrible words
what terrible work is done for tn
world.
Well. how can it be helped E?
Only by couaieracting. Let tn
) Sabbath school teacher. the distifc
school teacher, the neighbour. the pas
ser.by upon the street, all humanity
2 stri,c to undo what these fearful. ig
norant, wicked mothers and father
} are doing. a kind woid. a pleasan
word. good lesson taught, trnl
! dropped, and above all good exam
, pie by sending ont to play with them
c aud cheer them, good children. TO lev
: el and influence and help them ina
: save a part. il not all. AMI who sha'
= be able TO tell how much one such sol
saved may bench; the world.
I
= An Amusing Correspondent &C,
"A FRED. DOUGLASS REFUSES To ALLOW III