Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-01
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SARAH GOODWIN AND HER
BOYS.

4 Sarah Goodwin was the name OF q
poor seamstress residing in the city of
New York. She was not wholly friend |
less. but those whom she knew whol
would have aided her In her struggles.
were very poor and could not. So she
a widow with four boys, from the ages
OF four to nine years, struggled through
winters cold and summers heat, provi
ding her little family with bread, and
that was all. Meat and Injuries we're
denied Sarah Goodwin and her boys
The latter were good children, always in
their home after nightfall. and giving
their little earnings SO often as they
found work to do.
At last the mother fell sick, and thro'
weary illness she had no attendance.
save the occasional help Of neighbor,
and the constant help of her little boys.
They were never from her side, and it
was touching to behold their sympathy,
their gentle minstratiens-ever body
prophesed that they would be blessed in
coming years, for their thoughtful kind.
ness TO their mother.
| The widow recovered, but IL was nov
the heart of bitter winter, and their
little stock of fuel was nearly gone. As
soon as hel strength permitted she walked
through the cold one cherries day. to
the shop Of her employer, and told him
her pitiful story. But it was hard times,
her illness had made room for others as
destitute as herself, in 6ne they had not
one stitch Of work to give her. With
sinking heart, but PRAYING to keep her
courage up, the poor woman toiled from
shop to shop. until it became late, and
with her tears and the darkness, she.
could hardly see her way home.
| If Mr.. Hart himself had been there
she soliloquized, bending to the strong
wind, and drawing her scanty shawl
about her form, / knew he would have
given ME work.
AS she whispered thus through her
chattering teeth, a tall man, with a long
grey beard, passed by her, and as he did
so, something fell to the sidewalk, and
| lay upon the crusted snow.
Sarah paused-she had heard the noise
made by the little article, and mysteri-
Gus impression led her to search for it,
O, joy it was purse, heavy and filed
to the brim, yellow and shining lay the
gold within its strong meshes, as she
carried it toward lighted window.
My poor boys, they shall want food
no more" she CALCULATED fervently; "this
is gold; God put it in my way; he saw |
was despairing."
Suddenly like flash of lightning it
occurred to Sarah that not one cent of
the newly found treasure was honestly
hers. But moment she fingered, press.
ing the money with her nnmbed fingers,
the sorrowful tears coursing down her
thin cheeks, then starting forward to
find the owEer of the purse, she walked
hurriedly up the street, fearful that the
temptation, should she arrive at her room
and see her hungry children, might prove
too strong for her integrity.
Opposite the great hotel, as she stood
hesitating which way to take, she saw
the stranger enter, and timidly crossing
the street, she made her way into the
billiard hail. aud there bewildered by the
Hight, knew not what to say until twice
asked by a servant whasshe wanted. OF
course she could do no more than to
describe him, by his tall stature aud
strange beard. Bnt he had already gone
out again; she must call to morrow, they
said. and ask for Mr.. Ashcroft.
The next morning, having eaten moth
! ing, for she could not touch farthing Of
the gold, she was admitted into the
room where sat the stranger. He arose
as she entered, and gazed with curious
air until she presented the purse. Then
he started with pleased surprise, laid
down the paper, took the gold and coun
ted it over carefully.
It is all safe" he said, you have not
taken"
No; one piece, sir" she said, eagerly
trembling as she spoke.
I" You seem poor remarked the stran
ger, carelessly.
f" | am poor"
/" Got family, I suppose ?"
" -Four little boys, sir / am widow, q
was the reply.
Humph, humph, so I that's
the old story"
Ask MIR. Hart the tailor" said she
stepping forward little; he knows i'll
am poor I am honest"
A bright red spot burned on her cheeks
as she spike, and she was forced to tears.
" Now confess, said the stranger, walk
ing to and fro before the fire, confess
that you expected large reward for
this
Il did think ; perhaps and she
turned with auivering lips to the door.
" Stop, STOP" said the stranger, "you
know you would never have returned the |
purse had you not been expected to be
paid. for it.
! Sirl' said the widow, her tone indig-
nant, her thin form towering, and oh, the
whitening rebuke in her voice and man
ner.
The stranger paused. holding the purse
in his hand, then drawing forth the small
est possible coin that it contained, he I
offered it to her.
For a moment she drew back, but then
remembering that her poor boys were
hungry at home, and in bed because there
was no fire, she burst into tears as she
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