Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-07-19

One Of the Sadlglest shades.

One Of the Saddcst Shades.
One OF the saddest shades In the
picture of human suffering, Is the
lot OF a poor orphan. Perhaps, IL
we could but know or see the mis-
cry and the sired looks which linger
on the faces Of the many orphans ia
our large cities, we would feel some
sense Of sympathy for them all. 1t
Is true that some Of them are harder
at heart than are the rough stones
over which they walk; but the ma
jority are the victims Of misery and
misfortune. Cast on the charity Of
cold and unsympathizing world, at
a period OF life when they should
have a mothers loving care and
watchful nature to fashion their
young lives and give them good
counsel; use to the gruff and harsh
treatment of people with hearts in
their bosom that cannot be melted to
pity BY the sufferings of such little
weak creatures, is it then astonish.
ing that so many Of these children
are wicked and acquainted with
vice? Men, who have reached an age
when they should be accountable to
God, to humanity and to themselves
for their actions, are more accus-
toned to be wicked and impure, than
are these little ragged waits whom
they are SO willing to style paupcrs
and beggars. To live In childhood,
yea, we may say In infancy like these
friendless orphans, with no warm
heart to offer it sympathy no soft or
gentle hani to ease the pains Of the
bruised body, and no one to love, is
indeed unfortunate. Whose heart
does not shrink at the thought OF
such misery2 And, yet, there are
men with pockets full Of money,
with farms and bonds and riches
that will last long after their bodies
are Wondering skeletons, who can
walk along and look down upon these
children Of misfortune with sheer
on their cruel face, and a jeer on
their lips. All the misery in the
universe, could not loosen the bars
they have fastened about their ava
ricious hearts. Shame on such per-
sons! They love misery, because it
tightens the bars, and Virgil's deep
question lends force to a deliniation
of their character, "Can such deep
hate fine place in breasts divine ?"
From the bottom OF our heart, we
say, God bless these orphans Their
lives are too full Of disappointment !;
too barren Of happiness, and too un-
mixed with pleasure to be made the
scorn of anybody. Children are al
ways lovable, and when they come
with ragged cloths, pinched and wan
faces, emaciate forms and eyes that
have lost their happy sparkle, --and
plead their poverty and wretched-
ness, they should never be turned
away without some tribute of kind
ness, even IL 10 but kind word of
cheer.
The rough winds of winter, the
warm, oppressive summer days find
them crying for aid and assistance,
and the crowds pass by unheedful
OF their appeals. To their young
hearts the world indeed seems cold
and dreary and ugly. Friends they
have few, often none, while misery
and woe are their silent guests at the
board spread with hard crusts and
pickings. The days will move on
and changes will occur; death will
still the hearts weary throbbings,
and end the aches and pains and I'M
Yes, Death, the least OF
all evils, will do his work well, and
though when they are called no kind
friends may mourn over them, yet
Gods sleepless eye will penetrate the
outward coverings, and the secret
chambers of the hearts OF the or
phan dead will be opened to the gaze
of the great friend of the friendless,
and the fatherless Of the fatherless,
and to himself will he gather the
children of the streets. No longer
will the skies weep at their sad and
sobbing cries.
'Oh! what shall l do when the night
comes down
In Its terrible blackness all over the
town?
Shall lay me down meath the angry
sky,
I'm tho ca1d hard novaxnapf a1nco ~