Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-03-22

wife, and she had put me into a warm bed
and tried to rouse me but she couldn't until
woke up myself the next day. And when
cried for my own mother, they looked sad.
and said she was drowned, and should new.
er see her again 7 And then wanted to be
drowned too, but they said that was wicked,
and was sorry had said so, for I would
not be wicked for the world Mother always
loved to have me good and so ! tried to b.
happy as they told me I must bn, could'n,
mot for a great while-l used to pine so
at night for her deaf arms around me At
last, found little comfort in doing Just as
knew she would like tu have me, and in
knowing she could see me still, and in talk
ing to her and | used to sing my little
hymn 10 her up in heaven, just as did when
| sat on her knee, and sing i, now every
night. Mr.. Smith and his wife both died
and left me all alone again but am hard
Y ever sad now, for am almost always
good, and you know good people must no,
be unhappy and the beautiful loving smile
shone again through her lingering tears, as
she finished her simple story.
Russell was touched to the heart. His
own eyes were mcist, and, bending down,
he kissed the innocent cheek of the little Or
phan, and babe her 20 with him, and l,e
would give her money to feed and cloth her
self
But the child drew gently yet somewhat
proudly, back and said, earnestly, Oh !
never take money as a gift; mother would
not like it, Then kissing tenderly the gem
tie hand, that still held hers she tripped light
~ round a corner, and, a moment after,
Hartley heard her soft, silvery, childish ,re-
BILE, far in the distance, singing, Matches,
matches Six for ftp! Who'll buy my
matches ?--matches, no y
Russell Hartley kept that sweet picture in
his soul, undimmed through years of travel
and change and care. He visited, with en-
thusiasn,. the noble galleries of paintings and
sculpture in England, France, and Italy, and
many gem of art was enshrined and hal
lowed in the mosaic tablets of memory. but
there was none 10 rival the gem of nature
the ma,chless little match girl of Kentucky !
with her hair streaming on her scanty red
cloak, the glad and innocent smile IN her
childish eyes, and the lovely sunbeam steal
ing through the hole in the straw bonnet 10
light, as with message from Heaven, the
love Y head OF the orphan girl. That beau
lilul ray of light made more beautiful by
It's chosen resting place, giving and receive
ing grace il seems symbol of the Fathers
love for the poor lille ,notherl-ss wanderer.
1t was only the hole in the ha, that let in the
sunshine-it was her pocerty and he, lonely
l"wly state, that made her especially the child
of His divine pity and tenderness and they
like the sunbeam, changed to gold her daily
care, and smiled through every cloud that
crossed her little heart.
Seven years flew by-on butterfly wings
to joy and thoughtlessness, on leaden ones
to sorrow and hope deferred'-and our lit
tie Virginia, now a lovely girl of II had earn
ed money enough, by her bewitching way of
Offering matches for sale, 10 introduce her
self as punil into one of the first boarding
schools of the country, not 10 commence, but
to finish her education for with passion
ate love of books, she had found means TO
cultivate her tastes and talents in many WAYS.
The lovely and lonely little orphan had
struggled with hunger and cold and fatigue
with temptation in its most alluring and be-
quilting forms, with evil IN "A thousand shapes,
yet she kept the heavenly sunshine of her
soul pure and unclouded through it all.-.She
had never taken money as IA gift, nor as
hribe. She had assisted from her little store.
many child Of misfortune, still humber and
poorer than herself; and, with faith, truth
and purity-an angel guard around her-bv
the light of her own innocent smiles, she gil
led, like star, through the gathering clouds
unframed, unslainrd, unsl,adowed. In the
words of our beautiful poet
Peace charmed The street, beneath her feet,
And honor, charmed the air :
and music the music of her own sweet heart
and silver tones. went always with her through
the world.
1t was on the evening preceding that on
which the annual ball of the school took
place. The young ladies we're discussing,
round the school room fire, the dresses they
were 10 wear. Virginia, little apart lis
tened 10 them. and half wished she had Il
fairy god mother like CindcrelIa's to deck
her for the festival. Pearls, diamonds, IA
ponicas Sa,Ins, laces, velvets! She, alas
had none ofthese. She had only the plain,
white dress in which she had been crowned
Queen OF May the spring preceding. 1t was
SO very plain, not even a bit of trimming
round the throat
And what are you to wear, Miss Lin
don 2 said one of the aristocrats of the
school, turning, with what she fancied an inn
perial air, towards the young stranger.
Virginia blushed, and said, simply; MY
white muslin
'And what Ornamenis7'
Virginia smiled. oh, can find some
bright autumn leaves for wreath
lmogen Grew would have given her d,a-
mond necklace for such blush, and smile
for her own sallow cheek was never so illu.
mined: hut she sneered nevertheless at the
white muslin and the garland Of leaves, and
leigned no further question.
VTginia's delicate and sensitive spirit fell,
The sneer intensely, and she left the room
with swelling hear, and ,earfaleyes. Once
however. in the asylum of her own little
peace descended again like dove
INTO her soul, and, after undressing. she knelt
IN her night robe, by the side of her he'd. |