American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-02-22
uSha Is a Widow. y

Did YOU notice that sneer, the tone oi
contempt with which those words were
uttered? The Hindoos burn widows OF
the funeral pile of their husbands, anC
we cal them cruel American Chris
tians. with the Bible in their hands, otter
treat widows with moro refined, but les.
real cruelty.
Dead readers, did you ever speak light
ly of widows, and did you ever realize
what the word signifies? a widow one
who has loved and been loved-once the
mistress of pleasant home where clus-
tered the richest blossoms of affection,
where was music and gladness, one who
once had strong arm to lean upon, no
bic manly heart to sympathze in all her
sorrows, and to shield her from every
rough blast. You knew her then; per-
haps YOU often partook of the hospitall-
| ties of that home which she adorned -
How respectfully you werc-hove lovely
she seemed, how lady-like-she was Il
wife then.-she had protector. But
lavs of darkness and sorrow camc-her
husband her earthly all, was laid low.
and she. the tenderly nurture1, the ''pre-
cious one, " and the joy of that now cold
heart. was widow At first you were
all kindness and sympathy, but days and
weeks, and months wore on, and you for
got your frend-did she forget? No.
but she must struggle for bread; she
who had always shrunk from any other
than household care, must care for bust
ness now; she must bargain with you,
and others of your sex, or starye. And
now you strangely forget those other days
and you are noble exception if you do
not take advantage Of her ignorance OF
business, to make good bargain for your
self to her loss
If necessity compels her to be on the
alert against business trickery, then for
sooth she is strong ntjHded roman, and
YOUR bachelor friend is warned against
such designing widows Shame Shame
where is your manhood, your sense of
right and justice? You know better;
yuu know it is almost martyrdom for her
to meet you in the marts of business and
to ia. k of dollars and cents; you know
that the memory OF the past comes upon
her with an almost overwhelming sorrow,
while, as with calm exterior, she seems
to glard the TEMPORAL interest Of herself
and little ones, you know she is gentle,
true, lovin. woman, one whom the Lord
has afflicted one who has too much rea-
sou to think that al eainaliiReSS Is bar
! 4 IL tie dust
resiI ins Do you ever think when
you speak lightly of widows, that your
vile may soon be liable to the same re-
proach. Your wife is not securej the
wife of your friend was no less happy
.han Your own is now; she was no more
self reliant, no more strong minded,
and even now she Shrinks from contact
with the outer world with just as much
leIicacy; bu' steru necessity hecds no
such womoniy feeling.
Beware, then, o man, perhaps profess
cdly hristidn brother, how you forgot the
teachings of the blessed master. Beware
how you emulate the heuthcn. by inflct
.ng torture On the sensitive spirit of a re
fined woman, harder to be borne than the
iaggot aud the fire. Remember that the
Holy One, itrsceirg all, has proclaimed
himself the widows Gol, and that his
cas- is open to every sigh of her pained
heart, aud lie said to you, BY your
lcoris you shall be justified, and by your
words you shall be condemned" 81 eak
respectfully, then, of these afflicted ones.
he LOrd maie Mem widors, not III
waath, but because whom he loveth lie
chastenolh. - Cohg. HerdH.
THE Two ArPRhNTICEs.-Two boys
were appr, ut ed carpenters shop