Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-04

Inc ticket was made out. lie money was
paid, and Jane left the shop. 1t was great
disappointment to have got only five shlngs
for the ring She was strongly tempted to beg.
Would her grandmother be angry! 1t was mar
ket-day at Rookfeld, and there were many
well dressed people walking in the streets-la-
dies with smiling happy faces-some of them
leading by the hands little girls, younger than
herself who were snugly wrapped in furs and
pesses Then these ladies were buying at the
shops-not mere necessaries, but Injuries and
danes-toys for their children, ornaments for
their houses, fruits and preserves fer family en-
joyment.
Ah,' thought Jane, those ladies', having so
much money to spend " u not refuse to help
me- won't show them the five shillings-but
no-no,' she hastily corrected herself, i have
five shillings, and that, as grandmam says, will
keep the wolf from the door. There are poor
folks here who, perhaps, have not penny-let
them get aims from those who are disposed to
give. If | were to beg | should only wrong
such as have neither money nor food.
Thoughts aknto these passed rapidly through
the girls mind, and she determined to return
home without delay, lest her grandmother should
crow uneasy at her long absence. And in the
act of increasing her pace, she felt for her mon
ey, which, folded in paper, she had thrust in her
bosom, to assure herself that it was safe. Alas!
alas, it was gonel the ticket was also gone.
They were gone! With ashy face and pal
pitating heart she felt and felt again. They
were gone. Ovelpowered by her misfortune,
she sat down upon door step and wept i'll ag-
ony. The house to which the door step belong
ed was evidently the habitaton of wealthy in
dividual. 1t was situated in the arstocratic
quarter of Rookheld. Moreover it was exactly
fronting the church, whose taper spire pointed,
like the clergyman's Sabbath finger, upward,
and which being thus set, on week days, before
the eyes of those who dwelt in this and the adj
joining houses, could not but revive in their
minds each morning. and every hour of the days
of labor, those lessons which had sunk so deep
into the hearts therein, on the preceding day O
rest and worship. Not that the owner Of the
house in question could be supposed to neec
such admonition-for the proprietor OF the door
step upon which poor Jenny sat and wept-wa'
a clergyman. Opportunity, OF otherwise, il
happened at this critical time, the reverend
gentleman, who had been summoned half al
hour before to attend the bedside of a dying
man, returned home, accompanied by frienc
who had Joined him on the way.
'What-what-wn is thisp exclaimed the
clergyman, pointing with his gold headed can
to the weeping girl. A child crying on m
door step.-ReaIly, how inattentve servants are
The old cry dare say. Eth, Fisher? Want
hunger-thats it, eh!'
Il shouldn't WONDER replied the rever
end gentleman's companion with shrug
'Come-come-speak out child cried tn
pastor. Didn't you hear me ask you what wa
the matter? Do you know who | am-eh!
am clergyman and magistrate. Do you hea
that allow no beggars in Rookheld. l sen,
them all to prison. What, you ant frightened
ant your
Jane Foster, although she had hastily rise
and was wiping her eyes, was not in the leas
alarmed. She courteseyed to the gentlemen
and was in the act OF moving away:
Stop-stop- so fast. l asked you VIVA
was the matter!' She does look faint,-doe
she not, FisherP said the clergyman.
Yes, [ think she does, LITTLE, reptile,
Fisher.
And if she did there was nothing extraordi
nary in the circumstance, for she had walked
long distance, and had not broken her fast since
the previous day. and then she had dined Oh
potatoes.
Il feel confident that this is case of impo
sition,' whispered the clergyman to his compan
ion, with a singular inattention to his foregon
remark; 'Tll unmask it. Now, my lutte maid,
he added aloud what is your name, and wher
do you come from?'
The girl replied to each Of his queries.
and what ask you for the third time -
what do you want on my door stepr
As if she were following the Hindoo meth
cd of sitting in dharna,' said Fisher who ha
been a tras eller
IL didn't mean any harm, sir replied
Jane, bursting afresh into tears. Il have los
five shillings; my grandmother sent me to pawn
a ring and have lost the money
The clergyman looked his friend solemnly il
the face. TO pawn, to pawnr he exclaimed
giving to each syllable its due impressive enun
citation. The vice of the lower classes is a
bominable-top awnP
The shock was too immense for the reverend
gentleman to contend against. He waved hi
hand, saying, there, get away child, get away;
and walked into the house followed by hi
friend
Jane hurrledy left that neighborhood. N
good, she thought, could come from such VI.
cnty. But what was she to do! She mus
beg now, and hapIy she might meet those VIII
imputed to the lower orders something that wa
not vice, 1t was with heavy heart, thai
{ turning out of the street in which the clelg
man lived, she stood where the ladies' passe
home from the market, and looked in their face
with eager, hungry eyes. 1t began to snow jus
+ about this time. Timid and ashamed, sh
watched an opportunity to make her first appea