Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-09-11
he said, "This gentleman, Nancy,


travelled and endured much in the
cause of our common Master. A vio-
lent rheumatism, induced by colds
contracted among the new settlements
of the West, where he was employed
in preaching the gospel to the poor,
has reduced him to his present con,
dition. This lady, his wife, has pious
ly sustained him. But she is old and
feeble now as you may see"
Then turning to a group with sill,
yer locks and threadbarc coats he con-
tinued:
"These men are soldiers of the Re
velution. They were sons Of rich
men. They went out in tEeir young
strength to defend then oppressed
country. They endured hardships,
tolls and sufferings, such as we hardly
deem it possible for men to endure
and live. They returned home at the
close Of the war, manned in their
limbs, and with broken constitutions,
to find their patrimonies destroyed
by fire, or their property otherwise
flched and wrested from them. And
these worthy men live in poverty and
neglect, in the land for the prosperity
Of which they sacrificed their all.
These venerable ladies are the wives
of these patriots, and the widows of
others who have gone to their reward.
They could tell you tales that would
thrill your heart and make it better.
This is the celebrated DR.. B., who
saved hundreds OF lives during the
spotted epidemic. But his great sue
cess reused the animosity of his medi-
cal brethren, who succeeded in ruinin 9
his practice, and when blindness came
upon him he was forgotten by those
whom he had delivered from death.
This lovely creature is his only child
and she motherless. She leads him
daily by the hand, and earns the food
she sets before him. Yet her learn
ing and accomplishments are wonder
ful, and she is the author of those ex-
quiste poems which appear occasional
ly in the magazines. These children
were made orphans in infancy by the
Asiatic cholera, and their sad hearts
have seldom been cheered by smile
OF their palates regaled by delicious
food. Now dry your eyes, and lead
on to the drawingroom.
She obeyed, and Notwithstanding
her emotions, the humping of coarse
shoes and rafting of sticks, crutches
and wooden legs, behind her, well
nigh drew her into another iudecorous
laugh.
TO divert her attention, she glanced
over the table. There stood the dish
es for which her husband had stipulat
ed, in the shade of two monstrouS
homeiy looking meat pies, and two
enormous platters of baked meat anc
: vegetables, looking like mountain:
amid the delicate viands that she haC
prepared to do the table honors; but
her husband, after a short thanksgiv
ing to the bountiful God. addressed
the company with-"Now, my bre'h
ren, help yourselves and one another
to whatever you deem preferable.
will wait upon the Children
A hearty, jovial meal was made, th'
minister setting the example. Th'
old soldiers became garrulous, an(
each recounted some wonderful O
!, thrilling adventure of the Revolution
ary war; and the old ladies told tale
, of privation and suffering, and inter
, woven with them the histories of tath
ers, brothers or lovers, who died fo
liberty.
, Mrs. n was sobbing convul
sively, when her husband come round
. and, touching her on the shoulder
whispered,
"My, love, shall we have dancing {?
That word, with its ludicrous as
a sociations, fairly threw her into hys
terics, and she laughed and wept a
once.
= When she had become quiescent
Mr.. N thus addressed the CON
: pany:-
81 fear, my friends, you will thin
my wife a frivolous, inconsistent crea
ture, and therefore Iapologize for hel
J.. We were married only last fall, an
have attended several gay partie
q which our rich neighbors gave in hor
or of our nuptia]s, and my wife though
it would be genteel TO give Dime
in return. l consented on condition
q -one of which was that l should il
hao,t f1,