Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-01-10
TIE IDIOT BOY.

Those who have heard this touching effusio
ccited by the celebrated tragediao, Mr. Fo
est, will never forget either the pathos wit
Which he renders it, or his simple, affecting i,
reduction to it. Mr.. Forrest thinks the write
ras the brother OF the poet Southey but wht
Yer he was, his maine should be connecte
nth what, whenever published or read, wi
waken the most melancholy and pIeasiu
motions. The remarks following the poe,
re part Of long AID able essay attached t
he lines by 4 writer who signs himself "GIar
ullus:" -.. ........ . as -:
HE IDIOT BOY-WITH SOME COGITA
TIONS THEREON.
1t had pleased God to form poor Ned
4 thing ofldiot mind
Yet to the poor unreas ming boy
God had not been unkind.
Ola Sarah loved her helpless child.
Whom helplessness made dear,
And life was everything to him
Who knew no hope nor fear.
She knew his wants, she understood
Each half artic late call;
For he was everything to her,
And she to him was all.
And so for many year they lived, ..
Nor knew wish beside, ..f'.
But age at length on Sarah came,
And she fell sick and died.
BE tried in vain to 'waken her,
He called her Ger and er;
They told him she was dcad-the words
TO him DO import bore
They closed her eyes and shrouded her
Whilst he stood wond' ring by,
And when thoy bore her to the grave
He followed silently.
They laid her in the narrow house,
And sung the funeral stave
And when the mournlul train dispersed
Hc loitered by the grave.
The rabblc boys that used to jeer
Whene cr thoy SAW poor Ned,
Now stood and watch'd him at the grave,
And not u wrrd was said. a..
They came and went and came again,
And night ut last drew on;
let still he fingered at the place
Till every one had gone
And when he found himself alone
He quick removed the clay,
And raised the coffin in his arms
ana bore II SWllt away.
Straight went he to bis mothers cot
And laid it Oh the floor,
And with the eagerness Joy
llo barred the cottage door,
st once he placed his mothers corpse
Upright within her chair,
And thea he heaped the hearth and blew
The kindling fire with care.
She now was in her wrnted chair,
1t was her wonted place,
And bright tho fire Dlazed and flashed,
Reflected from her iuce.
Then bending down he id feel her hands,
Anon her fuce behold
Why, mother, do you look so pale
And why are you so cold?
And when the neighbors on next morn
Had forced the cottage door,
Old Sarah's corpse was in the chair,
And Neds was on the floor.
1t bad pleased God from this poor boy
His only friend to call,
Yet God was not unkind to him,
For death restored him all !
Inc foregoing stanzas, IN manuscript, [ re
lved from frlend-the author unknown
1t purporting never to have been published
fore. The tale is sad and simple yet no
for even among the acknowledged
ne Of mind the affections often become 81
tcrwoVen with each other that the death o
e one superinduces the death of the other
ther sooner or later. ldlocy is no doubt b.
mankind regarded as 4 great calamity
I'd yet, when viewed with reference to thos
Ids which culminate in ANOTHER world, i
ay be most bene6cent and charitable pro
sion FOR the prevention of moral condition
ON which there could otherwise be no re
However We may admire the simplicity G
leSe lines, and the strength Of the materna
ld Mia! affection they portray, yet if we hav
ny, rational conception of the character Q
od, and the relation existing between Hin
nd the human family, We shall be compelle
take exceptions to the first line of the frs
ANA, IN particular. 1t cannot be possibl
lat It has ever "pleased God' to form an
ne OF an idiot mind. Idiocy is an effect G
1e known or unknown-the intentional or un
ltentlonal-yiolation Of Gods physical 0
prtual laws, or both of them AS contra
from insanity it has reference t
ne general deStitution of the reasoning or or
mary intellectual powers of men, from thei
laplent infancy, teing born so; whereas in
anltty IS rather regarded as only a partls
eNtltutlon, or such a arrangement as may b
ngendercl through dissipation, or menta
NJ physical excesses, aHd sometimes ais
ap'r,nduced by a prcdisposition, throue
cledltary transmission. And as insanlt
nt'satcs offences against the civil law, an
many instances cxoneratcs the crimlnt
,'m all civil and moral responsibility, so
ohhrmed idiot cannot he held morally It
ionslbc Tor his evil acts; and, therefore, n
IAN can iathom the great depth OF the Lord
'ercy, when lie permits an idiot to be Dor
''o the world as the lesser evil, although ur
econclable TO an earthly parent, a brother
sister, or friend.
NJ B f E LLAS!
~ u III 3 r E L i a S