The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-05-21

Our homo seemed very desolate att
our return from the grave. An otht
night without fire or light was before N
We had had moth ing to eat but bread f.
several days. Neither of us was in a cor
ditiOn to work, and with our present far
and surroundings we should not soon bt
Still we determined to be as brave as DO,
} sible. took q walk to try and shake of
If possible, the gloomy forebodinps whic
oppressed me. When I returned I foun
my mother lying on the lounge in a stat
Of Inconsistencies. gave an aeonizin
scream which aroused her. She opene,
her eyes and fixed them upon m
with gaze shall never forget
Il feared to ask any question
which might cause q relapse, vet l sus
pected her condition was in some wa,
connected with our former visitor. Pei
haps he had brought in q large bill fo
drinks, and had been insulting in hi
language. I could think of no othel
cause, and as my mother was reticen
upon the subject / determined to ask ne
further questions. When my mother wa.
able to sit up could not but observe .
look Of distress about her face which with
all her trials it had never worn before.
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. Obi how my soul sunk
at again encountering its gloom. I sat
and watched the lingering CLEANS of
twilight disappear with an indescribable
anguish, when knock at our door almost
threw me into commissions. 1t was a
gentle one and I did not arouse my mother.
who had sunk into u WORKOUT slumber'
l 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 I determined to resist him if
possible. But how grateful were my
emotions to find in his stead the same
femains 81 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
J our father. Take it, my child, and use
it, for be assured it comes from those who
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 I felt myself trans
ported to the seventh heavenY laughed
and cried alternately. My hysterical sobs
my mother, who had lain uncon-
scious of what had transpired. She
feared had become what she had an
ticipated as the result of our cond ltion,
insane. And it was some time ere could
convince her of what had happened.
Dark though it was, threw on hat and
shawl and was soon around al the nearest
grocery, where I provided candles, for
they were my first thought, with other
The grocer sent his man
laden with Goals and kindling, and it was
not long ere bright fire sent its beams
around our chilly rooms, for it was early
in October, and fires were a necessity tor
comfort. The fire and candle soon put to
flight the ugly phantOms which had
the place since the night of my |
fathers death; yet it could not erase its |
still unpleasant associations.
Our little tea-kettle was brought in and |
began its simmering song. flew rather |
than walked about, candle in hand, for l |
feared single step in the dark, and our
liable, laden with what seemed to us (whO |
had lived for several days upon dry bread)
with luxuries, was soon spread, and we |
seated around it. Our feelings of graft
Jude to our Heavenly Father and to those I
whom He had made instruments Of mercy |
10 US were indescribable. May God
and purify those instruments
through whom His work of delicate kind
ness and true benevolence is carried out!
had been too much absorbed to notice
he contents of the envelope until our
supper was over. Imagine my surprise
when found it had contained 800. My
oy was intense. l could have snatched
he timbrel from Miriam of old, and like
her have wildly danced with gratitude
md joy. How quickly the young heart
eboundsl
We retired early to rest we so much
leeded, but, weary as was, sleep forsook
ny eyelids. I lay there forming plans
or the future. That night fixed the pur-
roses CT my after life, and had energy
md perseverance to carry them out.
NY mother had been brought up in that
school of female heroism where
endurance and accomplishing submission
constituted woman's most glorious and
'ublime virtue, and her life beautifully
her training. I was an active,
girl, whose life-lessons, whilst
hey had made me mature and thoughtful
or my years, had at the same time given
ne little impotence and disgust for this
EXALTED attribute supposed to be inherent
n the true woman. I argued that en-.
lurance could not be so grand q virtue,
where q little energy would soon over
come the necessity of its practice.
After I had arranged and sufficiently |
my plans, toward morning, l
ell into deep, heavy slumber, from
which I did not awake until the sun in
IL his splendor had risen and was shin
ng brightly in my room. I arose, and
Ifter preparing breakfast for my mother |
md myself I put on my bonnet and shawl
md started out to put my first plan in ex-
cution. /
The first plan was to look for another
louse, for the associations clinging
round this one were to me exceedingly
so much 80 that / had made
lp my mind that it should be the frat en-
lurance gotten rid of.
I was not long looking for . house tA-
il found one in quite pleasant neigh
Three rooms were all we could
ford at this time. An old couple, with
'ut children, who owned the house, lived
n the lower rooms, and were glad to find
ve had no such encumbrances. The
ooms were newly papered and white
Washed; to me DO mean consideration.
paid q months rent to secure them at
nee, and fastened home to tell my
mother my arrangements, when I found
Ter almost wringing her hands in frantic
rief. To my esger questionings she only
legged me not to ask her. / found out,
lowever, that her trouble at this time was
aused by our former disagreeable visitor.