Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-03-12

the hand little girls, younger than herself who were
snugly wrapped up in furs and pelisses. Then
these ladies were buying al the shops-not mere
necessaries, but Injuries and dantes-toys for
their children, ornaments for their house s. fruits and
preserves for family enjoyment.
"Ah," thought Jane, "those ladies who have so
much money to spend will not refuse to help me- !
won't show them the five shillngs---but, no,
no" and she hastily corrected herself al have
five shlllings, 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 wrong such as have neither
money nor food"
Thoughts akin to these passed rapidly through
the girls mind and she determined to return home
without delay, lest her grandmother should grow
uneasy at her long absence. And, in the act ofn-
creasing her pace, she iet for her money, which,
folded in paper, she had thrust into her bosom, to
assure herself that it was safe. Alas alas, it
gone! The ticket was also gone
They were gone With ashy face and palpta-
ting heart, she felt again and again. They were
gone! Overpowered By her misfortune, she sat
down upon doorstep and wcpt in agony. The
house to which the door step belonged was evident
ly the habitntion of a wealthy individual. 1t was
situated in the aristocratc quarter of Rookfeld.-
Moreover, it was exactly fronting the Church. whose
spre pointed like the cergymans Sabbath finger,
upward, and which, being thus set even on week
y
and the adjoining 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 their hearts therein, on the preceding
day of rest and worship. Not that the owner of
the house i'll question could be supposed to need
such admonition-for he the proprietor of the door
step, upon which poor Jenny sat and wcpt--was the
clergyman. OPPORTUNITY, or otherwise, it happen
ed that at this critical time the reverend gentleman
who had been summoned half an hour before to at
tend the bedside of dying man, returned home,
accompanied by a friend who had joined him on
the way
What-wlat what is this 2" exclaimed the
clergyman pointing with his gold-headed cane to
the weeping girl "a child crying on my door
step. Really, how inattentive the servants are
The old cry, dare say. Eth, Fisher: Want, hun
ger, that's it, eh ?"
81 shouldn't WONDER" replied the reverend gen.
tleman's companion, with a shrug.
"Come-comc-speak out child" cried the pas.
tor Didn't you hear me ask you what was the
matter? Do you know who | am-eh? | am II
Clergyman and magistrate DO you hear that
allow no beggar in Rookfed | send them all to
prison. What, you ant frightened-ant you:"
Certainly Jane Foster, although she had risen
hastily and was wiping her eyes, was not in the
least alarmed. She curtesyed to the gentlemen.
and was in the act of moving away
"Stop-stop-not so fast | asked you what was
the matter She does look faint, does She not Fish
er? ?" said the clergyman.
eyes, think she does, a t-tle," replied Fish
err
And if she did, there was nothing very extraor
binary i'll the circumstance, for she had walked a
long distance, and had not broken her fast since
the previous day. and then she had dned off pota-
toes.
81 feel confident that this is a case of IMPOSE
tion," whispered the clergyman to his companion,
with singular inattenon to his forepone remark
60 IlI UDmosk If Now utN1 tt1o bo, 1oJ
loud, " what is your name, and where do you come
from ~
The girl replied to each of his queries.
"And what ask you for the third time what
do you on my door-step?"
GAS if she were following the Hindoo method
of sitting in dharna," said Fisher, who had been
traveller.
Ill didn't mean any harm sir" replied Jane,
bursting airesh into tears. " | have lost five sh-
lngs; my grandmother sent me to pawn ring,
and have lost the money"
The clergyman looked his friend solemnly in the
face. "To pawn, to pawn" he exclaimed, giving
to each syllable its due enumeration, 81 the vice of
the lower classes is abominable-to pawn!"
The shock was too much for the reverend gen.
tleman TO contend against. He waved his hand,
saying "There, get away, child get away and
he walked into the house, followed by his friend.
Jane hurriedy left that neighborhood. No good,
she thought, could come from such vicinity. But
what was she to do She must beg now, and hap
ly, she might meet with those who imputed to the
lower orders something that not I" uice." 1t
with heavy heart that, turning out Of the
street in which the clergyman lived, she stood
where the ladies passed home from the market and
looked in their faces with eager, hungry eyes, 1t
began to snow just at this time. Tmid and asham-
ed, she watched an opportunity to make her first
appeal. But every one was in such haste TO get
home, now that snow was falling, that her supplica-
ting attitude, and pale attenuated face were scarce
| ly noticed or gained only cold, unsympathizlng
stare. All, it was sad for the poor girl to see so
many fellow Christians not one Of whom was dis
posed to lend to their Maker an unsuitable frac-
ton of the wealth He had bestowed upon them. 1t
is true that she had not yet petitioned with her
tongue--but her eyes, her cheeks, her pnched
limbs and bare attire, what eloquent tongues they
had. How impressive their oratory! But it a
weekday, and Charity was theme for Sundays.
Once in seven days, the rich folks of Rookield
condescended to call the poor their brethren.
i Faster fell the snow. The girls bonnet and
shawl were white as the roofs of the houses. She
shivered and her teeth chartered. The marrow OF
her bones was chilled. She had addressed five or
six individuals, none Of whom deigned a reply or
. recognized her existence by so much shake Of
the head, other mute rejection of her suit. son
, ly penny-'tls for my grandmother, | have lost
five shilllngs and we have nothing to eat at home
Faster fell the snow, and those who were thus en-
treated walked faster on their way
lie mat gwen TO the poor lendeh TO the Lord
t lnasmuch as We did it not TO one Of the least Of
: these my brethren, we did it not to me-" Holy
words accredited by those who turned deaf eai
to the petition Of the shiyerng beggar girl.
h. Upward of two hours did Jane stand exposed tC
the thckly falling snow, and suffering the severes
n pryation from the combined effects of cold anC
2 hunger. And during all that time she got angry
l and even abusive words, deprecating looks, ant
t threats Of Bndewel but not one half penny, no
l. one.
+ And now the day was so far advanced that the
night would soon close in, 1t still showed fast
r fast. The cold extreme. AS she hurried along
b the pavement, size caught frequent sights of rous
r ing fires in CRATES and happy people warming them
S selves thereby The cold in her limbs, and II
: her heart She must hasten home lest her poo
a grandmother should die with fright because of he
d long absence. Yet once more she would beg--ye
:, once more for her aged relations sake, she woul
II beg
a,ly