Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1874-04-11
The Righteous Never FOrsaken.


''Hoot away despair! never yield to SORROW
The backest sky may wear sunny face to-
morrow.
1t was Saturday night, and the
widow Of the Pine cottage sat by her
blazing faggots with her five tattered
children at her side, endeavoring by
listening to the artlessness Of their
juvenile prattle, to dissipate the hea-
w gloom that pressed upon her mind.
For a year, her own feeble hands had
provided for her helpless family, for
she had no supporter; she thought OF
no friend in all the wide, unfriendly
world around-But that mysterious
Providence, the wisdom of whose
ways are above human comprehen-
sion, had visited her with wasting
sickness. and her little means had be-
come exhausted. 1t was now, too,
midwinter, and the snow lay heavy
and deep through all the surrounding
forests, while storms still seemed
gathering in the heavens and the driv-
ing wind roared amidst the bending
pines, and rocked her puny mansion.
The last herring smoked upon the
Goals before her it was the only arti-
Gle of food she possessed, and no won
| der her forlorn desolate state brought
up in her lone bosom all the anXieties
of mother, when she looked upon
her children and no wonder, forlorn
as she was, if she suffered the heart
swellings of despair to rise, even
though she knew that he whose prom
ises is to the widow and to the orphan,
cannot forget his word. Providence
bad many years before, taken from her
| her eldest son, who went from his for
est home, to try his fortune on the
high seas, since which, she heart no
note or tidings of him; and in later
time, had, by the hand of death, de-
prived her of the companion and staff
of her worldly pilgrimage, in the per-
son of her husband. Yet to this hour
she had been upborne, she had not
only been able to provide for her lit
tie flock, but had never lost an oppor-
tunity administering to the wants Of
the miserable and destitute.
The INDECENT may well bear with
poverty while the ability to gain sus-
tenance remains. The individual who
has but his own wants to supply, may
suffer with fortitude the winter of
want his affections are not wounded,
his heart not wrung. The most desc
late in populous cities may hope, for
charity has not quite closed her hand
and heart, and shut her eyes on mis-
cry. But the industrious mother of
helpless and depending childrea-far
from the reach of human charity, has
none of these to console her. And
such an one was the widow of Pine
cottage but as she bent over the fire
and took up the last scanty remnant
offood to spread before her children,
her spirits seemed to brighten up, az
by some sudden and mysterious i'm
, pulse, and Cowper's beautiful lines
came uncalled across her mind
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
, But trust him for his grace,
Behind frowning Providence
He hides a smiling face.
/, The smoked herring was scarcely
laid upon the table, when gentle rap
at the door, and loud barking of a dog
attracted the attention of the family.
The children few to open it, and a
D weary traveller, in tattered garments,
3 and apparently Indifferent health, en-
tered and begged lodging, and 6
:. mouthful of food said he, lit is now
d twenty-four hours since l tasted
bread" The widows heart ble(
anew as under a fresh complication o
distresses; for her sympathies linger
ed not round her freside. She hesi
tated not even now rest and share o
all she bad, she proffered to the stran
ger. 1--WE shall not be forsaken,
:, said she, cor suffer deeper for an ac
il of charity"
The traveller drew near the boar,
but when he saw the scanty fare, b
raised his eyes towards Heaven wit
astonishment-"and is this all you
store 2" said he--"and share of thi
do you offer to one you know not
then never saw l charity before! bu
madam" said be. continuing, "do 70
not wrong your children by giving
mt part of your last mouthful to a stran:
D er." "Ah," said the poor widow, an
the tear drops gushed into her eye
as she said it, 81 have boy, da
q. ling son, somewhere on the face of tt
ng wide world, unless Heaven has take
il him away, and ! only act with yo
IT'S as ! would lave others do TOWARD
nd him. God who sent mamma from He
ng ven can provide for US as be did f
Israel-and how should | this mig
offend him, if my son should be