The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-01-24
Selfrt Stury.
"oNLY A NEWSBoY."

Over the head Of the little one whose
sweet, sad, tremulous tones uttered that
sentence, scarce ten years had passed !;
vet, brief as they we're, fearful were the
traces left OF their presence.
Upon the low, expensive, swelling
forehead, darkened by burning sunrays,
heavy wind and rain, and shaded by
tresses of the deepest imaginable hue.
which fell in reckless gracetulness over
the frail shoulders. we're evidences OF
want, anxiety, and suffering sufficient
for three score years. The purely, dell
cate,y carved lips wore lines-deep lines
cut by the unmistskable hand of sor-
row, and the eyes, like southern purple
sess, when wrapped in the wondrous
grandeur of the moonlight. held look
of hopeless lop'ging that would have
been pitis5le even in age.
Many months hal this fragile boy
troddeu the crowded th roughfare. the
poor little unclad feet blistered, bleed
ing from the scorching sun of summer
or biting cold OF winter; trodden it from
the early morning, with weary, throbhing
head and aching limbs, till not one pur-
chaser could be found.
Brayely, without murnur had he
borne The jeers, taunts, blows OF the low
and vulgar and the scorn, reproaches
and bitter unkindness Of the lofty. Or
ten his only sustenance ha6 been soup
of cold water" and q morsel Of bread
vet it was not delivered in the mare OF
the Nazsrene.
Uncomplainingly the heroic spirit bat
tied with the clouds OF despair which
threatened to enfoll him-battled, while
oh, bow feebly, burned in his life's hori
zon homes star Sometimes adown bis
cheek, grown thin and wan from disap-
poin,ment, trial, anguish, would course
iears so wild and bitter, he wondered
that stAe crystal hue was not crimsoned
by his hearts blood hut, with mighty
will, worthy of manhood, they were sud
denly dashed aside She should not be-
hold them she, his beautiful. angel-llke
invalid mother, whose idol, next to he'
Gou, ne was.
Through her veins ran the fatal poi
son Of the destroyer, and with hendlst
ioy be watched the ruin which he knew
wcuId be inevitable. Tue large, sof
ewes. naturally radiant, at times glanced
! with splendor almost unear'hly; th'
lovely roses blossomed npon the ova
natric:an face, till the child believed
! heal b returning to his beloved one; bu
deceiving and valueless were they, as th
beautiful fruit of the still, still sea, an
Itnat form which had gliied through hall
OF wealth and fame,cy nosure OF all eyes
had los: its exquisite roundness, unle'
lit resem bled nearly as much an iDhsblt
ant of the city Of the dead" as the i'v
ing
Sorrows crown of sorrow is remeu
bering happier things"
Dwelling upon the halcyon pss', whe
liov, deep as mortsls know. was hers
chen father, mother. husband, children
about her fondIy, her soul, in its almo
unendurahle grief, had often exclaimed
"My God! my God, Why hast Tho
= for saken me2''
That husband, on far and CORY be
of Tennessee, after the. desperatel.
fought, victorious battle, in all honor e.
changed the beloved gray for the whl
= uniform of the home of him who sale
1--WE will cross over the river and re
. in tho shade of the tree"
Both parents and q lovely dapght
soon after left for the "land of the her
after" and only one stay was left ht
y A stay in the fullest meaning was III
noble, self-lorgetting boy.
By war and horrible injustice this d'
icate woman had Sc ean her elegant hor
and large possessions torn from her,
of powerless to resist Sometimes the mo
s,er granted her a respite from seve
suffering, and at such periods the d
U, light of her miserable tenement roc
was ex inguished only as morning
brightness crept through the dreary W
n. dow.
The slender, wiry fingers, which vi
wont to execute with brilliancy the RI
ishing music OF Mozart and Beethov
. and nestle among the fabrics of Pers
10 now washed and ironed filthy liner
common laborers,
r How could she have prevented
Could she have aewed for livelihoo
Had she done so, the remainder OF
existence would not have lengthel
- into months.
-, Where we're the warm, induen
a hearts, ready, anxious to assist be
nd turning that rate genius for music
). advantage? Alas, many who at