The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-03-27
DRIFTING - SADLY DRIFTING.
Tossed About ON tho Ocean OF Life.

She was fragmcnt-n bit OF wreck
or seaweed, drifting about on n great
ocean, which sometimes bore her calmly
forward, and again ronred and nvcG
around her and took malicious pleasure
in dashing her against the cruel rocks.
A girl OF twelve or thirtecn-ragged
forlorn, wicked, and drifting on and or
md knowing not where, even il she
cared. Sinthere; poverty there; wretch
edness and misery there. Everything
there in her heart and MUD but n bright
hope. II she had ever seen ono happy
hour in her life it was some hour when
she sat in tho sun without fear OF the
foot OF brutal father or the fist OF O
drunken mother. II Rhe Ind ever
thought to shade her eyes and peer into
the future, as some starving, drifting
sailor might draw himself up and scan
the CLASSY sea for sight OF sail, she had
seen nothing bnt darkness-not Quo
single hope that she would ever bc better
fed or better loved.
Hearts which beat under rags some.
times almost cease their beating to think
OF tho future. Eyes peer into tho mist
shutting down over tho path-shadows
spring up and mako tho way darker, and
sigh and curse sets the heart FREQ to
beat again.
1t is awfui!
It is terrible for men and women and
children, each with n soul to be judged
and punished and rewarded, to iloat on
the ocean OF uncertainty-to drift near
to green shores--to be carried by some
current almost to the base OF n beacon
light-to feel tho sandy beach under
their feet, and then bO carried to sea
again, with night shutting down to hide
them from rescue. Every city is such
a sen. Every such sea has its bits OF
floating wreck and cruel rocks and reef.
Matted hair, rugged garments, the
Playmate Ct tho vile and M offspring OF
tho wicked and dcpnved, she heard Il
hundred curses to one kind wor.l. There
was no one on thegreen shNroto cast her
n line. There was no one at tho beacon
light to understand her heart. There
werc scars where sticks and clubs had
forced to obey. There was hunger and
woe and wickedness, and the tiny splin.
ter, shivered from some great hill, was
toy for the vagrant currents mud Cccen.
trio oddies and roaring whirlpools which
bcsct the sea OF vice.
Her oiIense was not great, yet why
send her backt to basement den to starvc
aud to receive furtherscarsf Good food
might bring her good thoughts. Better
treatment might make her heart better.
Imprisonment might be salvation.
When the audience went ont hand
had dipped down into the bubbling,
seething ocean and lifted mp the bit OF
wreck. It was tired OF floating. The
trcacherous reefs and jagged rocks were
bruisiug and reducing it. 1t may drift
again, but it will bo stronger, aud its
path may be more clearly marked.
The sun shone dimly through the GU
rious old windows, whose pRnes look
down into the courtroom. The shadows
danced across the floor and played over
tho wall. There were dark shadows and
light shadows. By.and.bye, when the
sun shonc stronger and brighter, the
shadows joined hands aud held firmly to
the wall in curious lines. Agray haired
old man, looking up from hisreverie, saw
that the shadows formed words. He read:
"If ye shall save one soul, your re.
ward shall be eternal !"
Wasn't it strangel