Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-06-27
RUTH HAVEN.
BY FRANCES LEE.

Torn, lay careiuiIy Wfappeu IN pIauketS,
in the lap of little girl who sat in
low chair on the stone hearth of hugo
fire place. Such fire place as we never
see in these degenerate times, one Of
those which tradition tells us used to be
supplied with logs of wood SO large that
yoke of oxen was required to back
them into their place on the stout fire.
dogs. The gill was no more than six
years old, yet she held the baby and
carefully managed it as adroitly as a
practiced muse.
While with much pride and feeling
Of great importance, she thus kept watch
and ward in the kitchen, there was q
subdued sound of sorrowfut weeping in
the square front room where the father
sat with his group of stricken little ones.
some of them too young to know what
made this sad stir in the house, and why
their mother slept so long.
The room was filed with friendly
neighbors, who had come with willing
hearts and hands to help in this time of
sore need. The minister was there, dig
nified and reverend, solemnly speaking
the words Of burial for the dead and
sympathy for the living.
The father bowed his head upon his
hand in speechless grief and the older
of the children sobbed aloud, while the
little ones looked wonderingly about
them, chewing their hat strings, and cry
ing by fits because the others dill.
Mean time there lay the little new
conner, scowling and sucking its fist, Who'll
~ nsensible and indifferent to the woe
i had unconsciously brought.
81 don't see what poor Mr.. Sabin will
DO with such family Of little ones, es-
pecially with the baby" said one pity
ing neighbor to another.
. 1t would scsm mercy if the baby
had been taken with its mother, but we
ought not TO Judge of such things" said
the other wiping her eyes.
"You are right; to be sure we ought
not, but one can't help thinking what an
est;mabIe. valuable life was sacrificed for
a weakly baby that hardly appears worth
raising" observed third.
The women could not see, rs we, liv-
ing eighty years after, can see, that the
mothers life was to be completed and
rounded fully and beautifully in the COM
ing lifo of the little one.
g can't sleep for thinking Of poor
Mr.. Sabin and his children" said good
Mrs. Haven to her husband, the deacon,
in the middle of the following night.
The deacon stopped snoring and turn
cd over.
"Yes, it is hard and mysterious Prov
idence TO the bereaved family and great
affection to them. l hope they may be
able to submit with patient resignation
to The hand of the Lord; and that this
stroke may be sanctifed to their spiritual
and eternal good" said he with feeling.
"Mr. Sabin is a real, sincere Chris
tian, as we have reason to believe, and |
trust be may be sustained and consoled
and made better by this trial Of bis faith !;
bat husband, | keep thinking the Lord
may mean to help him to bear his heavy
burden through us. Here we are, with
ont chick or child in the world to care
for, and plenty to do with, by his favor /;
and keep thinking, perhaps it is our
duty 10 make home for one Of those
motherless children" replied Mrs. Ha-
ven, speaking from the depths of her
warm heart.
Wife, believe you are right, and
you have been kept wake:ul that the
thought might be put into your mind !;
even as King Ahasuerus was not permit
ted to sleep that he might discover the
wrong which had been done to Morde
cal. The boys are some of them old
enough already to be of some help to
rue, choring around; or if you would
prefer one of the girls, | am just as free
to consent to that. The Oldest one cod
save you some steps already, and she will
be growing older every day. The Sa-
bin children are of good stock, and | am
not afraid to warrant they will turn out
well, and be credit TO whoever takes
them IN hand.
Having thus settled It, the deacon was
preparing to take another nap, when his
wife aroused him again.
{" don't feel that we should be com
ing up to our whole duty in taking one
that could be of some help to us. The
elder children will be easier for Mr.. Sa-
bin TO look after and find places for them,
and | feel that we ought to relieve him
of some Of the most helpless if we
wouldn't shirk from the work of the
Lord"
Deacon Haven roused himself. al
am afraid wife that would be taking too
much upon yourself; but wouldn't dare
to stand in the way of what you think
to be right about it."
And so the matter was decided, and
the next morning tho baby was brought
over to her new home, and become Ruth
Haven.
Little Ruth grew daily in winning
grace and loveliness. Before she was
six months old, her adopted parents VOID
sooner have parted with all their posses
sions than with her.
As she grew older, the promise Of
her infancy was more than fulfilled, and
ut early womanhood she was the most
raS O onins,,ucal.sc. ~ uuTtu u!tuL l.
ainly. Al length, the pubic feeling
ki.b ,iot Nh b,o.,l -. l. m