The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-04-24
(For the RBpCpuICaS
New Years Story.
Written after hearing y sermon preached or
''Our Duty to the Puor.'
BY l.ErrlE

blowing hoarsely around the dwelling Of
only two rooms, in one of our western
cities, where lived Il poor, bat ~resrecta-
bic family. They had not always been
SO poor; but failure in business, aud loss
of hard earned money, through an I'M
principled agent. had reduced them 30
much in circumstances; and the hard
winter coming on, after having moved a
distance of hundreds o. miles in hope OF
lettering their condition, and, in so do
ing, spending the greater part of what
little was left them, rendered them una
be to meet the demands Of necessity, OF
this bitter winter. Work is Gcarcc and
poorly remunerated; and, although the
husband does his utmost, he cannot meet
the pressing wants of his little family.
/ His wife. unused to the stinging pangs
of poverty and want, sometimes almost
gives up in despair, for hers has been a
life Of compar itive ease. Though she
has known work, vet has she known
plenty; and never before had come to
her the bitter knowledge that herself
and child must be deprived Of proper
clothing to protect them from the rava-
ges of disease. produced by exposure to
the cold.
Her child must go to school. She i.
bright, and promises u future of intel
lectual worth, if properly educated.
Must she remain at home? She has
herself drank deep draughts of knowl-
edge. Basking in the pure waters OF its
periau springs, she has sung. with her
pan sc tha ho,c 90 p,,r, 49,. ,rt
aud her strain has melted down into
sweet pastoral poetry; and their weird
melody has resounded in the cottages
of the poor, for she has always loved
rural scenes, and from the low matched
roof Of the peasants home often drew
living soul pictures, with which to vivify
Imagination. Then would she soar away
mid the clouds and stars. and glide
through ether blue to the distant plan
cts, with a mind capable of penetrating
the whole, then descend down mid rocks,
and dclls, and shady groves where the
wind harps play; then away among cav
erns wild, where the echoes sleep; and
down into the depths of the coral groves,
with their diadems of sparkling gems.
Then seeking, with true devotion, the
rural freside Of happiness, where love
only looks love in reciprocating eyes:
then lInger by the hearthstonc OF blasted
hopes and ruined ambitions. with con-
soling power: then gently call at afl;c-
tions door and keep the midnight vigil
with weary loving ones. wipipg TIE tear
drop pearl from the Iaourners check {:
then ramble, with guilele.s childhood. in
fairy land and laugh at their i%nnoccn.
sports. All, wander through all the
labyrintliine depths of the pastoral poets
conception and yet she would some
t~ime>.exclaim, "Oh, my mind, how inca
pablei how incapab'e!" Il would
that | did possess the pm ola Lord
the inspiration OLA Milton, how ! wonld
write, tcrite. wRrTEl and p'ur on, my
pent up soul before an aStonished world.
Sometimes my thoughts, my imagination.
my warnings of soul for all that is grand
and beautiful in art and nature. SO over
whelms Inc that, whcu ] seek TO express
myself in words. to sooth the burning
flame that consumes my soul, language
fails Inc, and [ stand in silent awe.
dumb as Il sheep before its shearer.'
Oh, how my soul longs for a higher
sphere, Sometimes visions of fame have
fitted before my longing eyes, and then
as quickly vanished as thoughts too high
for my poor mind to entertain. and !
would bid a truce 10 all such fancics and
try to content myself in the sphere ! WIS
made t~o..occupy. Yet, sometimes, when
l have heard nv little writings praised
by those who did not know they were
my darling fedglings. ! have taken cour-
age. for l would know that it was not
Hattery prompted them" And then she
would speak to me, her bosom friend, of
her mind straying.
But | must hasten, Christmas is Up.
preaching. Already we have felt the
breath of Santa Claus upon our cheek.
Her little darling asks: Ma, will l have
anything this Christmas"
How the mothers heart aches as she
answers: mo, my darling, do not ex-
pect anything; We are too p or; mamma
get you anything now. Us the
first Christmas, dear, but something has
been given you for profit and for pleasure.
l fear | cant even get you shoes to keep
you in school; unless some good man
gives US more work, you will soon have
to stop both school and Sunday-school."
MA, cant / have shoes before the
concerto
81 don't know, my child, l will do my
best"
And the mother sat musing at her
long after she had kissed her dar-
ling off TO school. She revised over and
over again anything she might do to as
'ist in meeting their present wants. She
would even wash or iron to procure
means for the education of her child, but
he is not able. She has asked for plain
but all cry "hard times. hard
~ a..a. 49,. L. gu 1 |