Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-04-12


floor; what is to be done now? | doot we are
clean ruined. Not even the means left to us OWN
ming our morsel omeat And you too Percy puir
thing" stopping and laying his hand on his daugh-
ter's head this disgrace may gar some folks
slight YOU and that would be sair for Won 70 hide
Nae fear othat father" said the daughter " if
Willianl-if any body" continued she, correcting
hcrset "wore TO slight us for msfortunes which
we Couldna help, their scOn wouldna vcy me sair.
Who can blame you for haudng out IA helping
hand to your ain brother? He may be not to blame
neither, puir man; but if aut can be laid at any
Ibodys door, it's to his, and not to yours, father
and the creditors that may take a you have the
morn, are his, and no yours"
Troth, and that's true Peggy" slid Sandy, sit
ting down with something like composure "theres
nae disgrace int at least and that's great conso-
latOn."
The poor family, though Invested of all hope Of
acquiring tue sum oil money which Sandy had
gone in search OF, now sat down calmly to speak of
their affairs Twenty pounds was to be seized
OF this they had mustered only ten pounds and
their anxiety about the account which had been
sought that night, arose from IA promise Of the
principal creditor to stop proceedings, and allow
more tlme If fifteen pounds were paid. In this,
their hopes had been disappointed as we have
seen.
Before retiring to seek that repose which none
of them, it is to be feared enjoyed that night San
dy Patterson and his family knelt down as usual,
and thanked their Maker for all his merces, be.
seeching at the same time strength 10 submit to
His will. The performance of this little act of
devotion was not without its effect in composing
The spirits OF the suffering family as it brought to
their minds the refreshing recollection, that what
ever might happen to them on this earth, there
was ''ne whose protection man could not deprive
them of.
We now ask the realer's company, while we
return TO that mansion of comparative luxury from
the door Of which Sandy Patterson had turned
away IN sorrow and sickness of heart Several
hours alter his visit, the door of that house once
more opened, not to admit duns, but to permit the
gay and fashionable to pass out after their enter
talnnent was over. 1t Is not with them we have
to DO, however: therefore let us walk up stairs
and enter room now emptied of its visitors, and
tehanted only by the ordinary inhabitants of the
mansion-Mr Ddvldson-for such was the name
OF the host then remained alone in the drawing
room, with his wife and eldest daughter.
davidson, let us premise, was a man of easy and
somewhat lndoIent nature, but remarkably liable to
ne affected by generous impulses. The income
winch he derived from his profession was ample
ana IL was rather from u want Of system in the
homogeneous OF his household, than any other cause
that poor Sandy had remained SO long unpaid-
stretching himself listlessly on a sofa, he began
with his lady to chat over the incidents of the par
~, and among other circumstances to which he al
lnded, was that ludicrous application of a dairvman
Tor the payment OF his bill, by which he had been
interrupted in the midst of a very profound discus
| sion on the merits of Hertz's quadres At this
alluslon his daughter, fine child of eleven years
approached and, with IA tear in her eye said "Ah!
, put papa, the poor man was Obliged to come to-
night for his cows to be sold to morrow for his
own debts | heard him tell John SO, as | was
crossing the lobby. Poor man, he cried as went
away"
), Good Heavens" exclaimed the conscience
t stricken debtor, 'can it be possible? Was this
the cause OF his application, which only laughed
at: Can any one tell me where he lives ?"
! inquiry was ulade below stairs. but no one knew
more than that Sandy lived somewhere in the south
side of the town. They did not know even his
: second nlme
~ viii instantly CO." cried Davidson; and in
spue OF his wiie3 remonstrances, he dressed him.
sell Tor the weather, and accompanied by servant
set out through the dark and rainy streets. Long
ana anXlously did he search but in so populous
district, with so imperfect knowledge of the in
dlVldua he was in quest Of it is wonderful that
he dld not discover Sandys residence. At length
from an old woman who kept a small shop in which
milk was one Of the articles solo, he learned enough
to give him the strongest hopes of having discov-
cred the man he sought. The residence of this
man, however, was at so great distance from the
spot in which he was, that MIR. Davidson saw the
necessity of returning home for the time to relieve
his wle's anxiety. At an early hour he was re-
solved to resume his inquiries in the quarter to
which he had been directed Mrs. Davidson and
her husband slept but little in the few hours that
now interviewed between night and morning, so
deep was the impression which the little incident
we nave related made on their minds.
/ davidson had been directed fortunately to the
nght quarter. The officials of the law had reach
ed SANDY Patterson's humble abode; they refused
his request for little time" in consequence of his
inability to produce fifteen pounds. Nanny and
her daughter were sitting in corner hopeless and
soon to be, to all appearances, houseless one of
the cows was already brought out from her stall,
and stood lowing at the door, amid crowd of in
tended purchasers. Already was the poor COW
put up" when Mr.. Davidson arrived, made him
sell Known and put stop to the proceedings
Conceyng himself to be in some measure the
cause OF all their distress, he was not contented
with paying the sum he owed to the poor dairyman
Dut advanced enough to settle the whole amount
of the claims The worthy Sandy could only spoal.
his gratitude by tears.
This affair was no less an era in his honest fam
ny history, than 1t was in that Of Mr. Davidson
lhls nights experience taught him a lesson, that
the whole hopes OF family may be dependent on
sum altogether uninportant to the individual who
owes 1t, and in the discharge Of such obligations
benevoence is as much to be gratifed, in many in
: stances, as Observation-Disclosures. 1t may serve to
show the interest which he and his family ever af
} ter this period, took in the Pattersons, when we
} mention, that the little girl to whose accidental
presence in her fathers lobby, the happy issue of
this affair was owing, was permitted by her parents
no long time alterward, to dance at the wedding of
Sandys pretty daughter Peggy, who married a GER
tam w Illam limited at, as the attentive reader NAV
have observed, at an early part of this true story
/ UNCLE BENJAMIN,s SERMON.
, N,f, l,,, Loo. i. II.