The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-17
The RebUke.


The Rebuke.
He sat his empty kettle on the table, and
threw himself on the homely lounge. He
was a laboring man; his face was brown
with toll. Ali day long he had been out
in the hot sun upon the top of house
stating the roof Sometimes his head was
giddy and his back weak, but he straight
ened himself up with the thoughts of home
and the treasures there. And now at the
sound of his voice dimples break over the
smooth red checks, and loving fingers play
with his curls. He shuts his eyes to frame
the picture of his heart-the picture OF his
wife getting supper-the picture OF his
prattling baby. He feels the cool of the
evening, and all these things comfort him,
vet he is not quite grateful-not wholly,
for to-day he saw another picture that
made him envous rich Sam NARROW rid
ing out with his wife and child-a hand
some two; Sam, portly, contentcd, and
smiling his wife, with u dainty color in
her cheek, and rich garments folded about
her.
"He and / were boys together" the
poor man said to himself, bending to his
work again: "and see how Providence has
blessed him, though he began with almost
nothing. Now he keeps horses and car
rage, lives in beautiful house, has mar
ried a fortune, and with plenty of leisure,
can bring up his one boy just as have
longed to bring up my Tom. |, by marrying
early and poor, have brought burdens upon
Mary's shoulders that must be hard to bear.
Five little ones and only day-laborer
vet ~ and he sighed YEARLY.
All day the heavy heart never left him,
and his fellow-laborers wondered what had
come over their usually merry friend :;
now he had brought that shadow home
with him-the phantom horse and rider,
the envy and care.
"My Mary is 4 handsomer woman than
his wife," he muttered, nursing his misery,
land vet she never knew rest. As for
taking her out for drive he ended the
sentence with bitter laugh.
Moments passed, during which the cloud
grew thicker and heavier. A neighbor
passing by told of strange disease that
had lately appeared in their midst; the
doctors called it diphther'a, she said, and il
was terrible and fatal sickness. Then
the door shut and the voice faded away
but the something dreary did not pass from
the mans heart.
Suddenly there was sound of alarm in
the bright kitchen.
"Harry, come here"
He arose slowly and passed through the
door of plain little parlor.
His wife held the baby in her arms; the
other children were gathered anxiously
about her, looking on.
"What can be the matter with him
He seemed we'll enough till now. But his
lips are blue, and suddenly he ceased play
and hear how he draws his breath Harry,
he IL very sick, and you must go for the
doc tor.
larry started at once; little Herbert
was his idol--a most beautiful and attrac-
tive child, winning and loving-a very
angel in the humble home. 1t was not
long before the physician was in their
midst. His first glance was startling, his
second grave. Herbert was very i'll; the
terrible sickness was upon him in its most
fearful form. All that night they minis
tered to him in his agony, for they felt that
in such struggles the little trail flower
would soon be broken from the stalk,
though shielded by the tenderest care.
And, alas. when morning broke in un-
clOuded brightness, the sweet face of the
babe was set towards it, but it saw no
light; the spirit had gone to its upper home
and left the house desolate.
How long time elapsed, no one knew in
that household, for the hours passed un-
needed; but death came again and again,
and Harry and his wife stood in their lone
home desolate. The strong man was bow
ed to the earth with agony. For time his
reason was threatened. He accused God
he heaped curses upon himself.
81 was envious of another" he cried,
"and see how God has smitten me. o,
give me back my children Only give me
the blessings of my eyes, the jewels Of my
heart, and I'll toll like slave-not only
through the burning hours of the day, but
into the blackness and chill Of midnight.
will live on crust | ask nothing for
comforts-but give me my children, Lord,
for am bereft
His wife, in the midst Of her own grief,
tried to comfort him, but he would not lis
ten to reason. He saw only through the
earth, black with damps and horribly alive
with insect vitality, the beautiful brows OF
his FIVE little children, hidden away from
him forever and ever.
While thus sorrow was fresh upon him,
came letter postmarked England. His
wife opened it, and learned that an uncle,
Of whom they had heard nothing for years,
had died within few months, and left her
husband his heir.
Over the five graves Of his little children
a treasure of gold was ready to be poured.
Harry listened with stony glance. What
was wealth to him now? "Oh, for Just
one loving smile from the blne-eyed baby
Take the treasure, dear Lord, / don't want
it Dow--rather give me few feet of earth
beside my children. Heap up the gold,
i and mt nv little Rarty hasida il. living