Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-05-21

Still we determined to be as brave as pos.
sible. took walk TO try and shake off,
If possible, the gloomy forebodings which
oppressed me- When returned l found
my mother lying on the lounge In state
Of unconsciousness. / gave an agonizing
scream which aroused her. She opened
her eyes and fixed them upon me
with gaze l shall never forget.
l feared TO ask any questions
which might cause relapse, yet sus-
pected her condition was in some way
connected with our former visitor. Per.
haps he had brought In large bill for
drinks, and had been insulting in his
language. l could think of no other
cause, and as my mother was reticent
upon the subject I determined TO ask no
further questions. When my mother was
able to sit up could not but observe q
look Of distress about her face which with
all her trials il had never worn before. l
tried all my wits TO draw her mind from
the cause Of her distress, but it seemed
without avail. Night, dreaded night, was
coming on again. OH how my soul sunk
at again encountering its gloom. sat
and watched the lingering CLEANS of
twilight disappear with an Undesirable
anguish, when knock at our door almost
threw me into commissions. II was a
gentle one and did not arouse my mother,
who had sunk into u worn-out slumber.
/ softly opened the door, fully expecting
our disagreeable visitor, who determined
should not again intrude upon us. / had,
as have said before, an innate conviction
that this man was villain of no common
order, and determined TO resist him if
possible. But how grateful were my
emotions TO find in his stead the same
kind gentleman who had laid away the
remains of my father. After some kind
inquiries after my mothers health he
handed me an envelope, saying:
"Some friends who take deep interest
In you have desired me TO hand you this,
knowing that your resources must have
been checked by the illness and death Of
Your father. Take IL, my child, and use
1t, for be assured it comes from those who
sympathize deeply with you" He then
quietly closed the door and was gone.
/ went to our only light, the street gas,
and tore open the envelope, when out
rolled number OF bank notes. Need
say that in moment felt myself trans
ported TO the seventh heaven? / laughed
and cried alternately. My hysterical sobs
aroused my mother, who had lain uncon-
scious of what had TRANSFERRED. She
feared had become what she had an.
ticipated as the result of our condition,
insane. And il was some time ere could
convince her of what had happened.
Dark though 1t was, threw on hat and
shawl and was soon around al the nearest
grocery, where l provided candles, for
they were my first thought, with other
necessaries. The grocer sent his man
laden with Goals and kindling, and IL was
not long ere a bright fire sent It's beams
around our chilly rooms, for 1t was early
in October, and fires were necessity tor
comfort. The fire and candle soon put TO
flight the ugly phantoms which had
haunted the place since the night OF my
fathers death; yet 1t could not erase Its
still unpleasant associations.
Our little tea-kettle was brought in and
began It's simmering song. flew rather
than walked about, candle in hand, for
feared single step in the dark, and our
table, laden with what seemed TO us (who
had lived for several days upon dry bread
with luxuries, was soon spread, and we
seated around IL. Our feelings Of graft
tude TO our Heavenly Father and to those
whom He had made instruments OF mercy
10 ns were iHaeserfbabfe. May God
prosper and purify those instruments
through whom His work of delicate kind
ness and true bencvolence Is carried Quit
/ had been too much absorbed To notice
the contents of the envelope until our
supper was over. Imagine my surprise
when found il had contained 800. My
10y was intense / could have snatched
the tim brel from Miriam of old, and like
her have wildly danced with gratitude
and Joy. How quickly the young heart
reboundsi
We retired early to rest we so much
needed, but, weary as was, sleep forsook
my eyelids. l lay there forming plans
for the future. That night fixed the pur-
poses OF my after life, and l had energy
and perseverance to carry them out.
My mother had been brought up in that
shrinking school OF female heroism where
endurance and accomplishing submission
constituted woman's most glorious and
sublime virtue, and her life beautifully
illustrated her training. | was an active,
energetic girl, whose life-lessons, whilst
they had made me mature and thoughtful
for my years, had at The same time given
me little Impotence and disgust for this
exalted attribute supposed to be inherent
in the true womaH. l argued that en-.
durance could not be SO grand virtue,
where little energy would soon over.
come the necessity OF its practice.
After / had arranged and sufficiently
matured my plans, toward morning, l
fell into a deep, heavy slumber, from
which l did not awake until the sun In
all his splendor had risen and was shin
ing brightly in my room. / arose, and
after preparing breakfast for my mother
and myself put on my bonnet and shawl
and started out to put my first plan in ex-
ecution.
The first plan was to look for another
house, for the associations clinging
around this one were to me exceedingly
disagreeable, SO much so that had made
up my mind that 1t should be the first en-
durance gotten rid OF.
! was not long looking for house I'M
Til found one in quite pleasant neigh
borhood. Three rooms were all we could
afford at this time. An old couple, with
out children, who owned the house, lived
in the lower rooms, and were glad to find
we had no such encumbrances. The
rooms were newly.papered and white
washed; to me no mean consideration.