The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-06
From the Sabbath School Vsiter.
ESTHER THE MISSIONARY.

her blue cape and bonnet.
"Is it not rather warm, my dear ~
asked her mother.
"Ono, mother, and I will come back
when the great clock strikes six, at sup
per time do let me 60" And lite
Esther looked so earnestly, so beseech'
ingly, that her mother could not refuse
her so she told Esther that she might
90. Then Esther locked very happy,
and away she flew to the nursery, and
took her little bag, already filled with
something that was very heavy, and
trudged down the green kill upon which
her fathers house was situated. She
neither looked to the right hand nor the
left. OF the yellow butterflies lighting
here and there upon the flowers, or the
birds skipping from branch to branch
upon the trees, Esther took no notice,
as if bird or butterfly never lived and
yet little girls love to watch them, sport
ing among the green things of earth.
She crossed the street at the foot of the
hill, and then she disappeared down a
very disagreeabe looking lane, filled
with huts of various sizes, where very
slovenly, ugly looking people lived, some
black, some white. What had the good
and gentle little Esther to do down there?
What would her careful mother say, to
find her in such company How sur
prised would her father be, to see his
tenderly educated little daughter play
ing with the children of the lane !
Precisel y at six o'clock was Esther
seen returning up the hill, ready to sit
down with her parents and brothers at
the evening meal. Her face was GER
tainly flushed, and she looked wearied
but she bore a serious expression as if
she had not been in any naughty frolic;
and there was something so calm and
placid, too, on her countenance, it would
seem as if she could not have been in
any mischief if she did go down among
the boys and girls of the lane.
So this did all happen, not only one
day, but two and three days, and whole
week together. Precisely at a certain
time did Esther leave the garden, or
playhouse, or books, Or whatever part
of the house she happened to be in, and
asked her mother to take her little walk
down the hill ; and precisely at six, did
the front gate open to admit the little
girl--She was such an obedient, excel
lent child, that her mother felt she could
trust her any where; neither did she
ever wish to refuse her simple request,
like this At last her mother began to
wonder about little Esther's ever return
ing walk down the hill.
"Where do you 60, my dear ?" ask
ed her mother, looking at her earnestly.
"Only little way from the bottom
of the hill" replied Esther, blushing
deeply.
81 hope you do not go any where,
where l should disapprove of your
going, Esther" said her mother, sober
ly.
Mother, I do not do any. thing that
you or father would dis pprove Of" an
swered the child, and very small tear
drop glistened in her mild, blue eye.
Mrs. Lovel felt that she would not,
and yet there was surely something pc,
cul ar in Esthsr's walks, which She
began to think, perhaps, ough to be
attended to. And it happened in this
wise. One afternoon, Mr. Lovel came
IN to take his little daughter to walk
with him.
Where is Esther ;" asked he. His
wife told him Esther had just gone down
the hill, aud then told him how she went
daily. He went out, and as he stood at
the front dor he caught glimpse of
her, turning down the alne. Very quick
then did Mr.. Lovel pursue his little
Esther, and he thought he should reprove
her very sharply for going among the
children who lived there He saw her
enter low, i'll look ng house, and she
disappeared from his sight To that
house did he direct his hasty and anx-
ious steps.
There was an untidy woman washing
near the door
I" Is little Esther Lovel here!" asked
the father, looking in at the window. The
woman started at the sound of the gentle
mans voice, and drew her hands from the
suds.
To be sure she is, she's larnin' the
children TO read -
Mr.. Lovel inquired little farther into
the matter, and then the woman took him
to the back door and what did Mr.. Low
ell see? There sat his daughter on
high bench, with small negro tov be.
side her, TO whom she was pointing out
the letters and words of her Testament.
Three other children, one white and two
coIored girls, were seated on the stone
step, not far oil, attentvely bending over
their books,--books which Mr.. Lovel
Immediately recognized as belonging TO
Esther's library. What was Et6er's
surprise too when she looked up and be-
held her father
Esther, how came you here, my
child +" askedth the parent, affected by the
sight.