The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-07-28
TRUE MEROIsM.


with heroines. | will tell you of one
now. | can paint no beautiful vision,
nor dover her with charms of intellect.
When first knew her she was past thirty,
small, brown, void of grace or beauty
She had married at sixteen f; she had no
education-could read and that was all.
She had child after child, until seven
numbered her dwelling but gladdened her
heart. She had borne and suffered much,
but her great heart was brave still. Her
husband gained, drank and used her cru
ely. Frequently he drove her out on the
lonely hills, and, with her children cow
erlng about her, she spent the night under
the still, cold, Implying stars, calling for
aid on the heaven that was far from her
misery, and praying to her mothers God.
L wondered then howsshe trusted Him
with such blindness, for |, poor waif,
! knew no mothers teachings of pieiy-
mine lay under the lilies
AT length her husband committed
criItie for which he was arraigned before
a court of justice, and his two oldest
children were the principal witnesses Of
his guilt. She knew that their testimony
would be against him, but her parting ad
monition was, ''Tell the truth nothing
bot the truth, God Sees and l shall
trust him it is hard, but it must be
/ truth, the whole truth"
He was convicted, Eut escaped from
! prison-some did say by her connivance.
OF that l know not. l only know that
the upas had been taken from their midst.
Now began her struggle. Alone and
unaided, she looked want and desolation
IN the face, as hero fronts an armed foe
| in battle, and barred arm and heart for the
strife. She was proud, and asked no
favor but employment The children
showed their mothers training, and the
boys worked in any capacity. The eldest
I girl sewed with her mother tie light
! dawned and at last shone steadily, and
her children went regularly to school
/ Now, for the FIRST time she learned to
write her own name from her fourth ctiiid,
a boy she herself had taught to read
They were the proudest family l ever
knew. They felt their own worthine3s
and looked for no sights from superiors
in station. They had been taught to as
soc!ate with the good and respectable, or
remain isolated. Their sphere widened,
/ society extended its hand, and at last
place was granted them. Near this time
/ the fugitive husband returned, and the
/ two long parted met again. She led him
as a stranger to her bedroom, and retiring
| TO her lonely chamber spent the night in
prayer. Like Jacob of old, she struggled;
and like him she also triuniphed
! L L i
TO man and womanhood, held places Of
trust and honor, and when her last hour
came, the soul passed to its rest, while a
triumphant sotg was issuing from her
lips.
| met heroine this morning. a very
homely old creature, but nevertheless one
Of Hfe's bravest soldiers.
''Stop the car, madam, please stop it !"
Ii was u woman's cry, as she ran after the
street car of which ! CHANGED to be the
only occupant, and the cry was so plead
ing wrang the bell at once, though she
was still far off The driver stopped his
mule, looked back, ard seeing a woman
freighted with huge basket, prepared
tG drive on 'ELet her wait for the next
one," he said carelessiy. "Pease wait, +"
l pleaded ''a minute may lie a great
deal TO her, With a smile he nodded
assent, and in a few seconds, painting
with the speed she had made, and her
heavy load, she was at the door. She
sat down and wiped her weather stained
face with her coarss apron, thanking me
in broken English for my kindness. What
a trifling kindness it was, and yet how
grateful she seemed for il, as she broke
into an explanation of why she was SO
hurried.
She lived far out In the suburbs, owned
three COWS, MIXED and sold the milk !;
she worked market garden, assisted by
son of fifteen. She had four other chill
dren, the youngest five years old, "and
she was only year old when | lost my
man," she added, seeing | was an inter-
ested listener. 81 have bought half a
square of ground, something is still due
on it, and | went TO pay note this morn
ing" Chow early do you rise every
morning p | asked. CAT four, madam !;
its weary work, what with digging and
watering the garden, carrying the vegeta-
bles, milking the cows, and the odd jobs
of house, my feet are often so sore that
l can't sleep when lie down bnt the
clothes to buy and the little mouths &c
feed is good spur to drive me-" slie con
cluded with a laugh.
care none of them able to help?"
asked! "Oh, yes, my girl helps, but she
goes to school; you see" "And whC
makes the clothes 2" | asked. 81 sew a
night sometimes, and when | sit down tt
rest, but summer is here how, and WI
won't want so many clothes"
have given the synopsis of the story
she gave me in detail. There was hero
ism, and here In this worn, withered
horuely woman, was spirit beautiful il
9 Its strength, sublime in its patience. No
t one word of cnmnlaint: no whining owe