Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-20
gelettea Mistellang.
AMY JORDAINE;
on,
THE ORPH Ms WIS II.
ny EZRA o. WENDELL.
90, fate ! forbcar the hand Of rage,
For sha L. doomod fo ornhannuo -

For she Is doomed to orphannge.'
None can be regarded as wholly o.
phans, since God, tho Fathnr. forever
lives and cares for all; and Auch as have
lived but long enough 10 receive and re-
member n mothers earliest teachings
though they may be nitcrward bercil
of both their mortal parents, still fine
that much OF their mother fingers OF
earth in the memory OF tie heart, 10 in
nuenee and bless their lives.
Again, the most of Us I've to be or
phans, m one sense; 10 be deprived ol
the presence Of our earthly parents
either by heir death or our absence
from them, when their counsel would
be oar soIace and safeguard and it il
partly from this, our own grieving OK
perience, that we look with such ten.
der sympathy npon the lot Of those who
arc made complete orphans in their
early youth. And in regard even TO those
who have, in childhood, lost but one pa.
rent-the surviving parent marrying
again-though tho parent in-law be
ever so kind and considcratc, we arc apt
to shake our heads, and say: Nothing
can wholly supply the loss To the child;
for the instinct of blood surpasscs the
instinct of moral duty or compassion.
Aud IL is this sympathy for the or
phan and this half prejudice against
the step-parent which leads to many un
just judgments when difficulties arise in
the rc.organized household; aud the
namo Of orphan is permitted to sanc-
ton the orphans misdeeds; while the
name of stepfather and stepmother deaf
ems the worlds hearing to their rightful
claims.
How freshly fall upon our sympathct-
ic cars the moaning lines Of the erratic
orphan, Richard Savage, where he. Ia,
ments Of bis youth, and seems to plead
IL in extenuution of his ways:
mo mothers caro-
Shielded my infant innocence with prayer;
No fathers guardian hand my youth maintained,
Called forth my virtues, or from vice restrained.
Amy Jordaine, tho heroine of this liz.
tie history of orphanage, was but child
of four years, when, with her parents
in the good ship Curlew, she was borne
in childish delight over tho ocean wave
She was their only one, and their love
for the beautiful creature was the more
concentrated; and they felt warm at
tachment for all their fellow -voyagers
because their own bright idol was the
favorito of all on board
They were returning home from q
tour abroad, and their hearts danced
like the waves over their longing home.
ward glances, as they thought OF the
dear familiar frierds and scenes they
hoped soon to meet again.
When within a few days sail of theii
native land, a tempest burst upon them
and tho skill of the seamen and tn,
staunchness of the vessel were taskeC
to the utmost. AT last the alarm of th,
passengers took color from the captain :,
face-which. after the long protractet
butfcts OF the storm, grew white os des
pair could make it, The disable shil
grew unmanagcabIe, and warned b,
her dismantled state, and the cry tha
she was sinking, efforts were made I,
escape in the boats.
Many were lost in that dismal at
tempt, and but few escaped the hungr,
pillows in the subsequent struggle l.
keep afloat. The little child, who ha,
been passed into the hands Of BRAY
: tar, was separated from her parents i
, that black, turbulent, desolate hour, an