Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-01-06

IL was now that her heart began TO quake with
fear. She remembered stories of shepherds lost
IN the snow, mother and child frozen to
death on that very moor,-and, in moment, she
knew she was to die. Bitterly did the poor child
weep, for death was terrible 10 her, WHO, though
poor enjoyed the bright little world of youth anlI
innocence. The skies Of heaven were dearer than
she knew TO her so were the flowers of earth.
she had been happy at her work, happy in Der
Sleep -hapl in the kirk on Sabbath. A thou
sand Thoughts had the solitary child, and in her
own heart was sprHg of happiness, pure and un.
disturbed as any fount that sIlarkles unseen all the
year through IN some quiet nook among the pas
tora hills. But now there was to be an end of all
this, she WINS to he frozen to death-and lie there
till the thaw might come and then her father
would md her body, and carry 1t away to be bu-
ried i'll the kirkyari.
The tears were frozen on her cheeks as soon as
shetland scarcely had her little hands strength
TO clasp them together, as the thought of an over
ruling and mercifu Lord came across her heart.
Then, indeed, the Tears this religious child
calmed and she heard without terror the plover's
waiIlng cry, and the deep boom of the bitern
sounding in the moss. Il will repeat the Lords
Prayer Aud drawing her plaid more closely
round her, she whispered beneath its jueffectu-
nj cover: Our Father which art in Heaven, hal
lowed he thy name,-tby kingdom come, thy
will be done on earth as it is in Heaven Had
human aid been within fifty yards, it could have
not hear her in that bowling darkness But that
low prayer was heard in the centre of eternity
ms that little sinless child was lying in the snow,
beneath the seeing eye of God.
The maiden having prayed TO her Father in
Heaven-then thought of her father on earth
Alas they were not far separated The father
was lying but short distance from the child he
too had sunk down in the drifting snow, after hav-
ing, in less than an hour, exhausted all the strength
of fear, pity, hope, despair ana resignation, that
could rise in fathers heart blindy seeking to
rescue his only child from death, thinking that one
desperate eXcrtion might enable them TO perish in
each others arms. There they lay, within stones
throw of each other, while huge snow-drft was
every moment piIing itself up into more insur-
mountable barrier between the dying parent and
his dying child
There WINS all this while II blazing fire in the
cottage-a white spread table aud beds prepared
Tor them to lie down in peace. Yet was she who
sat therein more to he pted than the old man and
the child stretched upon the snow.
Il Will not go and seek them-that would be
tempting Providence--and wiliully putting out
the lamp Of life. No! will abide here and pray
for their souls
Then, as she knelt down, looked she at the use.
less lire burning away cheeIfully, when all she
loved might be dying Of cod--aDd unable 10 bear
the thought, she shrieked cut prayer, as if she
might pierce the sky up to to the very throne of
God, and send it with her own miserable soul TO
plead before him for the deverance of her child
and husband. She then fell down in blessed for
geiuness of all trouble in the midst of the soli-
tary cheerfulness of that bright-burning hearth -
and the Bible, which she had been trying TO read
" the pauses of her agony, remained casped in
her hand.
Remainder neat tCeek.