The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-12-27


Mamma" the little girl cried. ooh,
mamma, I'm so hungry; tant I have
somethin' to eat?'
"Yes, darling" the mother replied,
And the cup of milk with the little
bread left was given her. Not satisfied
with this humble apology for meal,
but knowing, ah, to well. there was no
more, she fell asleep. Then the wretch.
ed, heartbroIien mother, utterly pros
trated by the harassing doubts and fears
which had beset, like sharp piercing
thorns to the naked feet of the outcast
her pathway of life tor many months fell
beside her dying babe and groaned aloud
to Almighty God. For the end had now
come; absolute starvation and death
from the cold stared them III the face.
For months this poor woman had fought
the domon of poverty, but at last the
hour of agony, so often thought and
dreamed Of and battled against, had
come, AS long as she maintained her
health she could earn enough to feed
and clothe her little one and herself.
But running q sewing machine night and
day, making garments for which she re-
ceived mere pittance, with the anxiety
about her childs illness, added to all Of
which was terrible cold, caught by ex-
posure while carrying work home in a
storm, had SO undermined her health,
that for over month she had been so
weak and helpless as to be totally unable
to work at anything For q while the
demon was kept from the door by pawn
ing the sewing machine aud every other
article ofany value which she possessed.
Now all was gone; no food was left aud
there were no friends TO whom she could
appeal Sick, nigh unto deaths door
herself, in her great agony, falling pros
trate by the bedside of her dying Little
Forget.me.not, she cried, "Oh, God in
Heaven! My Father! Look down upon
me aud my innocent suffering child.
What shall we do for food tomorrow,
and after TINT? Oh, nerciful Father, l
cannot, cannot beg, spare, oh, spare me;
Though last promised to help the wild
ow and the fatherless. Oh, God l will
try and belieYe and have faith. Help
me, blessed Father, help me, aud if /, in
Thy providence, must die, Thy will be
done; but, oh, save my darling Give
me food for her hunger, and keep her
warm"
Mrs. Robertson, whose heartbroken
and tenderly pathetic appeal none but
God heard, was like thousands OF other
poor unfortunate souls ia this Valley OF
Tribulation. Her experience, sad to re.
late, was only the stereotyned life pic
ture which will continue to be imprinted
upon the pages of time until it shall be
no more.
1t all eau bo compressed in few
American journalistic words. Born and
raised in comfortable circumstances, hel
beauty and accomplishments made heI
q belle In the social sphere in which sht
lived. Falling truly in love with poo
man she married him against the wishes
of her family. Two years after marriag,
her only child, Little Forget-me-not, wa
born. Then the fair rosy horIz IN OF hc
life's prospects was suddenly darkenet
by the clouds of adYersity, aud III
thunder bolts aud storms of multiplied
ty of sorrows environed her. AS Shaks
peare truly says: "Woes never come lik
spies in single numbers but in Who'll
battallons." And she was 10 exception
to the general rule of humanity. He
husband died after long, tedious, ex
pensive illness, leaving her penniless
r with her baby to battle against crue
and heartless world. Her father an
mother died within short time after
f and when her fathers estate was settle
r after his disease there was not enougl
left to pay the debts. None of her rela
+ tives were left but ono older brother, who
r by years of miserly thrift and shrewd
ness, had accumulated large fortune
> But he, she knew too well by youthful
, experience prior to her marriage, pos
sessed heart of stone. His god wa
D the god of dollars and cents, aud durin
r all her troubles she bad never made on
, appeal to him for assistance, for we
I she knew that bitter taunts and sneer
= would be all he would vouohsafe her i
D.. answer TO Ter supplications.
8 The next morning the day befor
- Christmas, dawued clear, cold and SHARP
+. Little Forget-ine-not woke early, an
t began to cry for food. And alas, ther
9 was none; absolutely nothing for her.
r Mamma" she plaintively said, DO
/. is dood, amt ht?"
i "Yes, darling"
f And Hs loves me. don't he?"
7 Yes. my child. You are His. He
j. your Heavenly Father.
"rhen, mamma, why don't bod div
US somethin' to eat2 oh, mamma, man
J ma, I'm SO hungry. Oh, please, pleas
b dit me soinethIn' to eat"
;, What could the poor heartbroke
mother, say2
n MAMMA, dead papa loved me, didn
"a he? That is what made him tall me Ii
- tie Forget-ne-not. amt it1 He said
IS must never, never have any ozzer nan,
and that must meyer fordit him, al
:, he never would fordit me, aud must Q
a ways BE- tailed that Ifhe was here mo-
= and wasn't dead and in heaven. he wou
Al feed me, wouldn't he, me mma7 Oh, 1 a
= so hungry"
lie The poor, tortured mother could stal
A. it no longer The strain now was
as great for her to bear without action
rs some kiud. She did not, could not o