Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-24
Publisher and Proprietor
AN INDOOR TRAGEDY.

w ell ulKu nan u CtiNuiJ ukO h0WAJ
married couple settled in one of the
western counties Of Pennsylvania. They
had what their neighbors deemed fair
capital with which to begin life--a we'll
stocked though small farm, sound health,
ro5d common sense, and more than
average amount of shrewd intelligence
and culture. Under all this was a sim
cere trust in God, and a jealous, sensi-
tive love for each other, neither OF which
their neighbors knew much about.
American backwoods farmers take a
pride in covering their emotions under a
hide as tough as that of their own beeves.
They had three or four children, and
night after night, over the kitchen fire,
the problem they set themselves to an-
swer was, what is the best thing we can
do with them, and for them; the question
asked daily with such wrenchiBg Of
heart in myriads Of homes, and an
swered so differently. The fear of God
seemed to Jacob and his wife the best
heritage to give them; the next best
plenty of money. To give them the first,
they began by hedging the children s
lives with the system of rules, borrowed
half from the Jewish laws, half from the
theory of their sect. Strict morality, the
keeping Of Sunday as periodical day Of
penitence and wretchedness, the learning
under penalty of dark closets and teach
ings of the chief duty of man; therein
was their religion. Life they we're
shown as a straight and hard path
through a dark valley, with the terrors
of Sinai behind and the traps and pitfalls
of flaming hell on either side. Even
Jacobs wife, Mary, holding her darlings
to her breast, than which no mothers
ever achsd or throbbed with more ten
derness, had no other sermon to preach
to them. 1t never occurred to her or
her husband that it was into just snch
fields Of grain as those about them, under
lust such towering cedars, that Jesus led
his disciples and taught them, by the
sunshine and the rain, the tender mer-
cies Of God. The world grew green
around them, faded again and wrapped
itself in snow, year after year. the river
sang its mysterious song to the woods at
their very door; and overhead the stars
that had declared to the patriarchs of
the old world the infinite secrets of Jeho-
yahi blazoned them forth still, unre-
earded. Day unto day uttered speech,
and night unto night showed forth knowl-
edge of Him, but both farmer and wife
were deaf and blind. God was to be
approached only through dog cared
cstechism, and fields and river were
worth only so much fish and wheat per
year. 1n.g
The chiIdren's salvation being thus
for the next thing to be insured
was money. Husband and wife worked |
and stinted as only Scotch-lrish far
mer's family can work or stint. All
produce that was salable went to the |
the children we're reared on the
refuse, the skim milk, poorest bacon and |
gatery potatoes. Their clothes were |
coarse and patched, their feet bare and
The house grew bsrer year
)y year, the fathers back more bent, his
ace harder, but the balance in bank in.
creased dollar by dollar. As for the
plump, bonny Mary, she had long ago
oined that sisterhood of lean, yellow
skinned, toothless women, who, with
lirty calico dresses and wisps of hair
visited ND behind, are sometimes found
n farm-houses like ghastly megrims, or
daylight spectres OF wasted life.
When churning and scrubbing were
lone, she would sit up until near norm
NO washing and darning their clothes,
bst tbav might look more genteel
han She. dragging her aching body
0 look at them when they slept pray
ng for them with fierce longing TO have
,ower to be God himself-to be able to
,rotect and care for them. The boys
Iad certain strong animal propenslties
nd pbysieal tendencies which required
kill and knowledge to guide or restrain.
)ne had a morbid imagination; another
tendency to alcoholic poisoning
.gsinst which his diet and training IRON
infancy should have defended him. Ihe
iris. left to themselves, were filling their
rains with sickly, false fancies OF lie
nd their work in it. But what time had
lsry 10 read or acquire in any way the
,ower 10 comprehend OF help her chill
Tsa9 There was the scFubbing and
burning 70 be done, the money 20 be
aved. BOYS and girls were sent to col
eges and eeninaries; every advantage
bat education could give them vas
heirs; the only mistake Jacob and his
Tife made in this respect was not 70 edu-
ate themselves as well. The children
lent forward; they sat down and
rubbed.
What is the end Of it all9 The daugh-
ers grew up dyspeptio aud sickly for
he lack Of early proper food; they mar
led and died before middle age, bril-
ant. hard women, and neither Of them
n anv sense religious. One son vent
-. = = 70. -. -,,,.-.ftI Il nour