Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-07-29

est ana the laVOrlte, stayed 10 SHOW HIS WOl-
derful wood-carving to his father, with boy
ish pride but little Stella crept along by
the table, and nestled beside her mothers
knee.
"What has my little girl been doing"
said Mrs. Brandreth, twining her fingers in
the long silken hair.
"I have been listening to the birds, man.
ma, and feeling the sunshine, it is so warm
and pleasant"
A light sigh heaved the mothers bosom.
"That is well / like to see my darling
happy and gay" she answered TREMENDOUSLY.
And now came the pleasant breakfast
hour-the pleasantest meal Of all to country
dwellers, and visitants. How cheerful, and
fresh, and blithe all look how welcome is
the balmy morning air; nay, to descend to
common things, how fragrantly rises up the
stream of coffee, and how grateful both to
sight and taste are the country viands-snowy
new-laid eggs, and golden butter, and cream
rich and luscious as nectar. Commend
us to country breakfast. Who could come
down with sour looks, and bitter speeches,
on sunny morning, and not feel all the
harshness and ill-temper melt away from his
heart beneath its influence?
Merrily the children laughed and talked,
making, at times, even the sedate father look
up from his reading, and winning the gentle
mother to smiles less pensive than ordinary.
AT last Mr.. Brandreth collected his papers,
and carefully laid them aside; he was
learned man, wise in geology and natural
philosophy, and always devoted the breakfast
hour to the re-perusal and arrangement of
his lucubrations. The twins received the
signal to retire, and Edmund hastily rose,
while Stella moved slowly from her seat
As she passed, her stretched out arms by
which she guided her steps, came in contact
with the heap OF papers so carefully arrang-
ed, and they fell in confusion on the floor.
MIR. Brandreth started up angrily-
Careless child-always doing some mis-
chief or other" and thrust Stella rudely
away. The child fell, and began to weep
not loudly, as most children-but with
the silent tears of advanced life. The moth
er took her to her bosom, and soothed her.
Do take the child away, Marian" said
Mr.. Brandreth, in vexed tone, " she an
noys one so much"
Mrs. Brandreth looked with meek re-
proach at her husband" Hush, hush---you
forget" she answered, imploringy, still pres
sing her little girl closer to her bosom, where
the tears at last ceased. Stella walked, or
rather crept, TO her fathers knee, and said
gently
"Papa, did not mean to do harm. For
give poor Stella--she is blind p'
1t was so-there was no light in those
large, blue, limpid eyes, that were lifted so
meekly to the fathers face. Six years had
the little child looked on the beautiful sky
and seen the flowers, and then shadow
grew over her vision gradually it darkened
and darkened, and the world grew DINNER,
until, at last, she saw it-no more. Now, all
the visible earth was become to her like a
scene once beheld in dream, and then shut
out forever. Yet, but for an uneasy wan
dering of the eyes, no one could have told
that those beautiful blue orbs were sightless
The sweet face wore, at times, that peculiar
mournful look which the blind always have,
but this was the only outward token of the
affection which had fallen upon her. AT
Fiction it could hardly be called, for the
child scarcely felt it as such; her blindness
had come on so gradually, that Stella had
become accustomed to her helpless condi-
ton. And besides, from her very infancy
the child had been quiet and thoughtful
caring little for the sports attractive to her
age as if with foreshadowing of how soon
she was to be deprived of them. Gentle
and subdued she was, as became her help.
less condition; it seemed as if He, who
knew how dependent her whole life must be
on the affection of others, had endowed hei
with that irresistible beauty which wins love
and the meek spirit which preserves it.
But now Stella hardly felt her darkness
so illuminated was it by the light of moth
er's love. More than her own life, more
than her handsome, frank-hearted boy-nay
more even than the husband of her youth
did Mrs. Brandreth cling to her blind child
with passionate fervor, an all-absorbinl
love, that atoned to Stella for the loss of the
blessed gift of sight. Perhaps her own del
icate health made this love more intense
from the feeling that she would not Away.
be with her darling, to cherish her in he
|, hearts core, and shield her there from al
contact with the rough world which the poo
stricken one was so ilI-ftted to brave.
The mother knew well that every yea
which unfolded, in new beauty, Stella's mine
and person, drew her own life nearer to it
close. At last, when Stella and Edmun,
, still fingered on the verge of childhood, tn
mother was called away. Gently, not rude
/ ly, came the summons, and yet it was sud
den-just as an autumn leaf llutters an,
hutters until it drops at once and is seen n
: more.
Thus did Mrs. Brandreth die-even be
a fore her husband, who, all-unconscious c
r danger, was on a journey, could reach hi
e home, the wife whom he had sincerely loved
a though hardly with the tenderness meet 70
y her gentle nature, had passed away. S
! swiftly came the angel of death, that tn
: mother had hardly time to bless her tw
= babes, and commend poor Stella to he
p brothers. care, in charge that fingered o
4 the boys memory from youth to old age
Then, worn out with pain, she kept silence
I. and lay with closed eyes still holding fas
e the little hands of her daughter, the though
t of whose desolation troubled her spirit, eve
on the threshold of paradise. 1t was nigh
: and the wearied child laid her head on tn
r pillow and slept. Mrs, Brandreth's eide
e sister and tender nurse wished to remov
S her, but the mother would not suffer it.
p Do not wake her." she whispered, fain
y ly, " let my darling sleep-I have kissed he
r and said good night-a long good night
d until comes the eternal morning let he
# sleep"
S No more words passed through thos
: white lips. Once or twice the eyes opene