The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-11-23
Trust in God.

Many, many years ago, in Il dpSOlate
little cabin in the suburbs of Philadelphia,
sat n lonely widow, surrounded by her
tatherlcss children. Her husband had fal-
len i'm the battles ofhis country, but since
by her own hands without being burden
some to any; and her little oi,pa. though
but poorly fed aud clothed, had never felt
that bitterest ingredient of povcrty-alms-
seeking from the public. But recently
sickness had laid its heavy handu upon her,
and stern want-starvation almost, had
followed closely i'm its footsteps. Yet did
not her faith fail She repeated the words
that so often before hap cheerec her sad
heart, Leave thy fatherless children, and
| will preserve them alive, saith the Lord;'
Il have been young, and now am old, yet
never saw the righteous forsaken. nor
his seed be@ging bread; and her heart
rose in humble yet firm reliance upon
their divine Author.
As her children had eaten nothing all
day, and she was too feeble even to rise
from her bed, she now felt compelled,
though most reluctantly, to send forth the
eldest of her children on his first mission
ofbeggng, to seek from some charitable
stranger few shillngs to buy bread ho-
ping she should soon be again able to earn
Il hy her own efforts. The child, II noble
little fellow of ten years, shrank from
such an errand; but seeing his poor moth
ers look of anguish, he hushed his own re-
little needing, in his grief, what course he
took; but IA higher power, though unsecn,
directed his steps.
AS the child walked mournfullv on,
looking wistfully into the faces of the peo-
PIE he inet. he was too much diShenrtened
~ their cold or indifferent ic0fS> 10 vrnt4
ure to address them. The longer iie prt it
off, the 'NoIe reluctant he WAS t. ask The
Aai'ns 6e feared might be refused, aud
weeping bitterly he hurried on, uHIs
and uuheeded ny he busy throng. Sud-
denly II kind voice spoke to MIN, and look
ing uD, he saw IA mild, benevolent=iook-
ing nrnlieiil,,ii, r'fCSScd in slack, and
wearing tiiree-c0rneueu hat. Taking the
chiid's hand i'm his. and leading him gent
~ onward, the stranger gentleman soon
drew from the li'tI" boy their whole histo-
ry--the itihcrs iaaine ana death, the
mothers struggle to gain a support, her
recent sickness. AMI their subsequent suf-
cringS: and tiivn he bade the child lead
him to his home, though stop ping AT pro-
vision store on The way, to order supply
for tn" poor lanilv. Entering the house,
the q;iick eve OF The STRANGER soon dis
cerne the cause Of The nloshers feeb' e.
ness, and Introducing himself as a physi-
clan quite suited - her case, though not IA
REGULAR practitioner, he offered To tcritc q
pTeseiIpf or, VIII. Il he said he was sure
W ull prove beneficial. Leaving the pa
| per on the table, after saying few kind,
! Ine u..A. words to the moiher, he left the
J lone. promising 20 repeat his Ni&!t in n
:. .i1 te.;s.lrv. ..H .. .......
| When ne wAe gone, The widow 10 'kcd al
| She aap"r, and foundi il m order for hnn-
lred dollars 10 be paid on demand, aud
signed by GIsoRoE WASulSGToN.
! T,,s Is true incident. Such was The
! father nfhis col.ltry, II MIN fearing God
no. les pitiful Ia tne SORROWS Of weeping
rhil. and tiie a,lNie,ies of y widowed
mother, then great i'm the armies of his
country and the councils of the naiion.-
Thus were the widows prayers answered
ami he seed ui It's faithful Christian no.
suffered to beg bredd.'-A mericon Mes
se,,ger. .-. ......