The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-02-15
.ONLY Y NEWS BOY.

Over the head of the little one
whose sweet. sad, tremulous tones
uttered that sentence, scarce ten
years had passed yet, brief as they
were. fearful were the traces left of
their presence.
Upon the low, expansive, swelling
forehead, darkened by burning sun
rays, heavy wind and rain, and
shaded bv tresses Of the deepest inn
aginable hue, which fell in reckless
gracefulness over the frail shoulders,
were evidence of want, anxiety, and
suffering sufficient for three score
years. The purely, delicately-curv-
ed lips wore lines-deep lines-cut
by the unmistakable hand OF sor-
row. and the eyes, like southern
purple seas, when wrapped in the
wondrous grandeur of the moon
light. held look of hopeless long
ing that would have been pitiable
even in age.
Many months had this fragile
bow trodden the crowded thorough
fare. the poor little unclad feet bis
tered. bleeding from the scorching
sun of summer or biting cold of
winter: trodden it from the early
morning, with weary throbbing
heard and aching limbs, till not one
purchaser could be found.
Bravely, without a murmur, had
he borne the jeers, taunts, blows of
the low and vulgar, and the scorn,
reproaches, and the bitter unkind-
ness of the lofty. Often his only
sustenance had been "a cup of cold
water" and a morsel of bread; yet
il was not delivered in the name of
the Nazarene.
Uncomplainingly the heroic spirit
battled with the clouds of despair
which threatened to enfold him
battled, while, oh, how feebly, burn
ed in his life's horizon hopes star.
Sometimes adown his cheek, grown
thin and wan from disappointment,
trial. anguish. would course tears so
wild and bitter, he wondered that
their crystal hue was not crimsoned
by his hearts blood but, with a
mighty will, worthy of manhood,
they were suddenly dashed aside.
She should not behold them-she,
his beautiful, angle-like, invalid
whose idol, next to her God, he was.
Through her veins ran the fatal
poison of the destroyer, and with
iiendish JOY he watched the ruin he
knew would be inevitable. The
large, soft eyes, naturally radient, at
times glanced with splendor almost
unearthly; the lovely roses bios
somed upon the oval patrician face;
till the child believed health had
returned to his loved one; but de,
ceiving and valueless were they, as
the beautiful fruit of the still, still
sea and that form which had glided
through halls of wealth and fame
cynosure of all eyes, had lost its ex-
ouisite roundness, until it resembled
nearly as much an inhabitant OF
the "city of the dead as the living
Sorrows crown of sorrow is re-
membering happier things"
Dwelling upon the halcyon past
when JOY, deep as mortals know,
was hers; when father, mother,
husband and children clustered
about her fondly, her soul, in its
most uncomfortable grief, had often
exclaimed:
"My Godl my God. why hast
Thou forsaken ne?"
That husband, on a far and CORY
field of Tennessee, after the desper-
ately fought, victorious battle, in all
honor exchanged the beloved gray
for the white uniform of the home
who said: "We will cross over the
river and rest in the shade of the
trees"
Both parents loving daughter
soon after left for the "land of the
hereafter" and only one stay was
left her. A stay in its fullest mean
ing was that noble, self-forgetting
boy.
BY war and injustice this delicate
woman had seen her elegant home
and large possessions torn from her
all powerless to resist. Sometimes
the monster granted her a respite
from severe suffering, and at such
periods the dim light of her misera-
bile tenement room was extinguish'
ed only rs mornings brightness
crept through the dreary window.
The slender, wiry fingers, which
were wont TO execute with brillian.
cy the ravishing music of Mosar'
and Beethoven, and nestle among
the fabrics of Persia, now washed
and ironed filthy linen for common
laborers.
How could she have prevented
it I? Could she have sewed for 4
livelihood? Had she done so. the re
mainder of her existence would moi
have heightened into months.
Where are the warm, influential
hearts, ready, anxious to assist hel
in turning that rare genius for mu
sic TO advantage? Alas many who
at her board had ''fared sumptu
ously every day, and received from
her rich, lavish benefits, passed hel
with distant or no recognition.
During the terrible revolution
numbers had passed into the silent
land, who, had they lived, would
have been unchangeable; some true
ones were yet OF earth. but so scat.
tered that she knew not where to
find them.
Pride would not listen to her ask.
ing charity, and she suffered on in
sickness.
Her health growing more feeble
daily, starvation seemed almost al
her threshold.
Her child had often besought
her to permit him to go as a news
boy, but the thought Of his doing 81
was cruelty piercing.
Oh, the humiliation Her beauti-
ful, gifted. sensitive darling compell-
ed to traverse the street to earn a
sustenance. Reason triumpbed
over feeling; the "wolfr was almost
entering.
Into the worlds battle. with un-
iiinching heart, rushed the youthful
Soldier his t,a,a,,.r On, ,.,,,..i x,-;,t,