The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-01-02

am here but one, and he's in too," she re-
piled with faint flush. ''Some of the
prison visitors have offered to take care OF
her, but can't live without her. | should
fret myself TO death in Iittle time, and
am not fit TO die. expect 10 have hard
time to live when | get out, but if | don't
do wrong again il will be because of my
baby; pears 10 me God has got hold OF me
there"
Let Us trust that he has-a sure, eternal
hold! Let US hope that this sorrowfu pic
ciolG-this little dropping flower, springing
from sinful love, bedewed with tears of
shame, nurtured in prison gloom, may yet
! instruct the mothers simple heart in the
divine lesson of virtue, and breathe into it
the balm of Gods peace.
This young mother, was afterwards told
was sent here for larceny, for term of two
years She had been a servant girl, and
had stolen from her mistress a diamond
brooch. Whether from The promptings of
evil counsel, or the sudden, wild temptation
of girish vanity or from an insane, nborn
propensity for thievng, S he committed the
crime, know not. At all events the PEN
atty was hard one.
Sure the poor girl was too young TO be
milder means. For all the diamonds in
! Victoria's crown, | would not deprive an
unfortunate sister, so young, and but lately
so innocent, of Gods free ar and sunshine
/ for two long years-condemn her to meet
her time of peril and pain 10 bring forth her
first baby, in prison cell.
But little while ago, a noble lady of
| France, robbed jeweler of set of costly
diamonds, that she might shine peerless at
an imperial ieie,-ald the penalty which
she had suffered (from society, not the law
J is banishment TO her chatean in the coun-
try. There, though rage and modification
may gnaw at her proud heart, her children
will probably forget her shame in their own
| freedom, and bless the exchange from the
tiresome splendor of Partisan high life.
Since the day of my visit, that great mod
ell prison, that imposing caravansary of
crime, with It's hundreds of unhappy in
mates, representatives of almost every Of
fence towards God and man, has for me no
memory so pathetic as that Of the baby born
under its vast roof.
conjecture many things. Did she continue
10 droop and pine, with a strange imPortu-
nate instinct for light and freedom, till one
day sudden darkness swept across the mar
row grated window, and the little faint
sunbeam of Joy that lit the cell was with
drawn for ever? Had the poor picciola
withered among the prison-stones Had
ever a little colin been carried through that
low, dark doorway, and down the long ST.
lent corridor, with no mourner following
Had God so loosened his hold on the moth
ers heart, or ughtenet it2
Or had deliveTauce come otherwise p
Had she gone forth, led by mothers hand
clinging to her mothers side, white, shy,
startled little creature, out into the great,
wide, bewildering worl6l Had nature min
istered kindly to her new.found child, light.
ed her dull eyes with CLEANS of thoughl
and Joy, kindled something like bloom in
her wan cheeks, Furnished her hair with
gold, and quickened her languid pulses
with pure air 2 Had she grown familiar
with the starry sky and the grassy earth p
Had she leaned to play, and to laugh aloud
unlearlul of prison echoes
Must the shadow of that prison follow
mother and child through life, cloud o
shame ard suspicious Or will the world
prove meTciIul and forgetful! VIII virtu
Gus, Christian people give them chance
to live honestly and happily, and so redeem
the past error
Who can tell! But in the memory o
the poor baby in the prison, let US pray
that the unfortunate, the happy, the limo
cert, may learn 10 be wisely chafsable
toward the errors OF youth, ienderly helpfn
toward the friendless and unfortunate, hope
fully ioiiing for the bringing OF the time fo
which the great burdened heart OF the worlo
yearus increasingly. Then nature will FL
the unroofed prison cell with bright sun
shine, and vail The crumbling prison lurre
in green oblivion of ivy.
Then every babe shall be born heir 10 the
full wealth of human love and care-to the
full Joy and freedom of liie-then none shal
rob the least OF Christ's little ones of ii!
best inheritance, It's share in the blessing
uttered ages ago in Judea, for all time, ant
Tor all children of every land and race.
|. Say AMEN.-The first time ltook my ED
est boy to church when he was two year
: old, managed, with, some carresses ant
' frowns and candy TO keep him very still III
: the sermon was half done. By this Tim
his patience was exhausted, aud he climb
cd IN his feet and stood on The seat look