The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-11-28
NUMBER 10.

description. In the niiOsI oI the gay anu
glorious assembly are the father, the
mother, the patriarch bowed with years,
and she who has been the nurse OF gener-
ations, partaking of the genera! JOY and
and congratulation, nor murmurlng that,
while such scene engages and employs
their faculties, the wheels of time do not
more rapidly bring on the promised period
oftranslation to another and more enduring
heaven.
An anonymous modern writer has
beautifully said: "There are moments in
existence which comprise the power OF
years, as thousands Of roses are contained
in few drops Of their essence" Tho
remark is no more beautiful than just L
once witnessed an incident, which made
me feel It's truth, though long before the
sentiment itself was written. In one OF
the largest villages in the easterly part OF
Connecticut u woman was LETT a widow
with ten children, ali but one of whom
were under twenty years of age. The
family had once enjoyed competence,
and looked forward TO years OF ease and
plenty Toward the close of the revolu-
tionary war, the father, thinking 10 make
pi oftable speculation, disposed of large
and profitable stock in trade, and received
in payment what, at the time, was called
cast, but which turned out shortly after
to be worthless paper-bills or the old
continental currency" These bills were
laid up in his desk, and soon began to de-
preciate in value. The deterioration went
on from day to day and in few months the
bubble burst; and the fund, which had
| been boarded to educate family, would
not buy them a break fast. At this mo-
ment the father died.
| will not trace the history of this fam
lily through its days of destitution and
poverty 1t is sufficient TO state that the
children were scattered In various direc-
tions, and engaged in various employments
till a. length all were gone, and the moth
er left alone, dependent on friends for
bedroom, and on the labor of her hands
for her own subsistence-a precarious de-
pendence, for to other misfortunes had
succeeded the loss of health. In process
of time, one of the sons, having completed
his apprenticeship, hired a house for his
mother, and lived with her, while he fol-
| lowed the occupation of a shoemaker
Thanksgiving Day came; and with ii re-
turned an opportunity to indulge In Its
peculiar rites, which they had not enjoyed
for ten years. The two youngest boys,
who lived at distance from each other
and from the parent, came HOME to keep
TtunklgiCing.
The festive preparations were complete.
The table was spread. Around It stood
mother and three sons, who had not been
assembled together before within the re-
membrance of the youngest Of the group.
The grateful and pious mother lifted her
heart and voice to the widows God, and
uttered blessing on that kindness which
had not broken the bruised reed, and that
goodness which had remembered all her
sorrows, and permitted her once more to
see so many Of her orphan children assem-
bled around her Her expressions of
gratitude were not finished, when the tide
| of affection and thanksgiving, which swell
| ed the heart, overpowered the physical
| faculties. Her bosom heaved with strong
convulsions, her utterance was choked, the
lips could not relieve by words the emo
tions which filed the soul; she faitered,
and would have fallen, but that the elder
son caught and sustained her in his arms.
| Tears at length came to her relief, and the
earthquake of the soul was succeeded by
those grateful and affectionate sensations
which can find no parallel but in moth
er's heart.
1t is more than forty years since this
incident took place. The scene is now as
fresh and bright to my imagination as il
was at the moment of its occurrence. Eter-
nifty cannot obliterate its impression from
my memory; and, if it could, would not
accept Immortality on that condition; for
| that widow was MY MOTHER.
| NkN a Gan.