Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-05-24
From Darkness to Light.
BY sYLvANus COBB, JR.

The following little episode of rea
life give as | had it from Nancy Fare
wells own lips, and as corroborated b,
another who was an actor in the scene
Allan Farewell who served in the Un
ion Army through the late war, fount
himself not so strong in purse as hi
might have been had he remained al
home He had received no big bounty
and his soldiers pay had not accumulat
ed upon his hands.
The time came when Allan Farewell
was in distress. During his absence in
the army his two little children had beer
sick-very sick-and what with nursing
and doctors bills. and caring for The
farm, his wife, Nancy, had been forced
to run into debt. And after Allan's re
turn he struggled for years before the
debt was lifted off, He paid the last
dollar of his Indebtedness on the first
day of January, 1870, and before Feb
ruary had come he was Frustrated with
fever, which lasted away into the spring.
At the opening of the May-time Nan
cy Farwell, weak and worn, stood by the
side Of her husbands chair and wept.
She had done all she could do. Allan
tried to arise, but his limbs would not
support him.
go, my soul p he gasped, II cannot
send them out So My children beg
ging!"
"But we cannot starve, dear Allan.
There is not a crust in the house, and of
money | have not a penny"
40! this is hard
Allan, do you remember what the peo-
pie said when you went away to the war?
They said if you would go, your family
should never come to want. 1t was pro-
claimed from the platform, and it was
published in all the newspapers. Don't
you remember ?"
Yes" said Allan, 81 remember"
Then why not send for the select
men," They Joined in that promise.
Allan looked up with a frightened ex-
preston.
Nancy" he said, 81 have seen Mr..
Osmond. He was here while you were
out yesterday. He says the town will
help us-he will order any help we may
desire-he will do it cheerfully-"
"O-Allanw
But, Nancy"
But what p
"The moment we receive that benefit,
that moment 10e become PAUPERs !"
What" cried Nancy, starting back
| from her husbands chair.
Yes, dear girl" he repeated mourn
fully, under the laws of our State, the
recipient of pecuniary aid from the town
becomes a pauper. Were Mr.. Osmond,
acting in his capacity as overseer of the
poor, to bring US a barrel of -four as l
asked him, 1 should become pauper,
and should be disfranchised."
What mot loose your right to
vote ?"
AYE, Nancy-even so"
The wife staggered back and sank in
to chair, and covered her face with
her hands.
"If," went on her husband, "we were
in town where there was an organiza-
tion of the comrades of that Grand Old
Army, or, if there were even well-to-do
soldiers in our town, should not want
but there we're very few went to the war
from this far-off place and of these few
| am the only one left"
A PAUPER Loose a freeman g right
to cote !" exclaimed Nancy, following her
own thoughts. You who gave your
life to your country for four long and
weary years who never shrank, and
never quailed, and never complained
You-YoU-to be thus branded and cast
out Do they not know that if you had
remained at home during those four years
and others remained, this want would
never have come upon us? Is this the
way they would keep the promises of
faith and goodwill made to us when 1
and my little ones gave up our husband
and father to the great trial? do not
see how Mr.. Osmond can look you in the
face and tell you the verdict"
Z" 1t is not Osmond's fault, Nancy. 1t
is the law of the State, by which the
town is bound"
"Then that avenue is shut to us p
"Yes. think | would starve first l.
But, for you, my wife-and for our chill
dren,-I cannot see you suffer. The
shame-the brand-will be mine-not
yours"
"Neverl never?" cried the wife.
While we have life 1 will hope. The
end is not yet. We can pray to God for
strength"
And she sank down upon her knees,
and buried her face in her husbands lap.
! And sba nraued And in the ,u;dst &c