在孤儿院唱歌 Singing in the Orphan Asylum

在孤儿院唱歌

FEW children in Utah have ever heard of an orphan asylum, and it is likely to be a long while before they will see one here, because in our domestic system there are always relatives to take care of those who lose one or both parents. It is, in one sense, a melancholy sight to see a large building, and know that it is an institution of that kind ; it is sad to go through its rooms, and know that all those bright, youthful beings, formed to love and to be loved, are passing days and months in a life that lacks its most needful blessing, family ties. A sense of loneliness, restraint, and longing seems to pervade the whole. They may outgrow the heart-hunger, and go on without it, but that life lacks its best part after all.

在犹他州，很少有孩子听说过孤儿院，他们可能要过很长一段时间才能在这里见到孤儿院，因为在我们的家庭制度中，那些失去父母一方或双亲的人总是有亲戚照顾的。从某种意义上说，看到一幢大楼，知道它是那种机构，是一种令人伤感的景象;令人难过的是，当你走进它的房间，你会发现，所有那些为爱和被爱而生的聪明、年轻的生命，在缺少最需要的祝福——家庭纽带的生命中，日复一日、月复一月地流逝。一种孤独、克制和渴望的感觉似乎弥漫了整个世界。他们长大后也许会摆脱内心的渴望，不再需要它，但生活毕竟缺少它最好的部分。

Again it is a great blessing that the homeless can be gathered in where shelter, warmth, food, clothing, instruction, and guardianship are all provided. All honor and blessing to those noble and gentle spirits that take a mission upon themselves to care for the helpless. There must be a great deal of love and patience in their hearts.

再次，无家可归的人能够聚集在一个提供庇护、温暖、食物、衣服、指导和监护的地方，这是一个巨大的祝福。所有的荣誉和祝福都属于那些高尚而温柔的灵魂，他们肩负着照顾无助者的使命。他们的心里一定充满了爱和耐心。

When I was a little girl, my mother took me with her to visit the Protestant Orphan Asylum in San Francisco. She was one of the founders and directors. The sixty orphans were seated as in school, and a program entertainment was given to show what they had been learning. Articles made by both sexes were shown.

当我还是个小女孩的时候，我妈妈带我去旧金山的新教孤儿收容所。她是创始人和董事之一。这60名孤儿像在学校一样坐在座位上，并举行了一个节目娱乐节目来展示他们所学到的东西。展示了男女制作的物品。

I remember above all others there a girl who sat in a large chair, in which, it was said, she passed day and night. Some dreadful affliction had made her a cripple, and her hair was all gone, so that she wore a soft silk cap over the bandages on her suffering head, and she could not use her hands; but they said she was so good and patient they all loved her, and tried to cheer her sad life.

我记得那儿有一个女孩，她坐在一张大椅子上，据说她日日夜夜都坐在那张椅子上。一场可怕的灾难使她变成了一个瘸子，她的头发也全没了，因此她头上缠着绷带，戴着一顶柔软的丝质帽子。但是他们说她是那么的善良和耐心，他们都爱她，并试图为她悲伤的生活加油。

While we were there, they sang a song about a poor mother alone in the dark with her dying son, while across the street was a mansion brilliantly lighted, where dancing and feasting went on. It was called "The Watcher." O children, think of it!

我们在那里的时候，他们唱了一首关于一个贫穷的母亲和她垂死的儿子在黑暗中独自一人的歌，而街对面是一座灯火辉煌的大厦，那里正在举行舞会和宴会。它被称为“观察者”。啊，孩子们，想想看!

I have known of a case where the only light in the sick room, was from the fire-place. This seemed hard enough. I often went to the asylum, but those visits were all sad recollections. One dear little boy was told that an uncle was coming to take him to his grandparents. He was so sweetly hopeful about it, and the others all thought him so fortunate; but the ship encountered a storm, and the good uncle was drowned. When the news of this second calamity came, no one was willing at first to bear the sad tidings to the ^dear boy. After some months a reliable friend was found who could take him to his own relatives, and that friend was a good old sea captain, going home. Not a woman was on board the ship, but a letter from the "old folks" proved that he reached there all right.

我曾听说过一个案例，病房里唯一的光亮来自壁炉。这似乎已经够难的了。我经常去精神病院，但那些探访都是悲伤的回忆。一个可爱的小男孩听说叔叔要带他去爷爷奶奶家。他对这件事充满了甜蜜的希望，其他人都认为他很幸运。但是船遇到了暴风雨，好心的叔叔淹死了。当第二次灾难的消息传来时，起初没有人愿意把这个不幸的消息告诉亲爱的孩子。几个月后，一个可靠的朋友找到了，他可以带他去见自己的亲戚，这个朋友是一个很好的老船长，要回家了。船上没有一个女人，但是“老人家”写来的一封信证明他做得很好。

Strange to say, no one ever claimed any of the rest, for whole families had been destroyed by the cholera, with the exception of these few children. It must be very sad for any person to feel that he stands alone upon the earth, the last of his family.

奇怪的是，除了这几个孩子之外，没有人认领其他的孩子，因为除了这几个孩子以外，所有的家庭都被霍乱给毁了。对于任何一个人来说，自己孤独地站在地球上——作为家庭的最后一个成员——一定是非常悲伤的。