Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-08-12

'Oiu hOi J. iihcu DesI, Wllen she dShCu Hic
the question. Mince pie pumpkin pie
apple pudding tarts! What's that .
what's that, mother %
{" 1t feels like loaf of cake, and it's
marked for dear Ruth p"
Well no disrespect to the rest of the
world.--But Miss Emma is thorough to poor
folks. A bottle of wine, too Well; Miss
Emma and | are ofopinion that its right for
temperate people to take cheerful glass
once in while You are a teetotalIer,
mother; but you won't object to my max
ing" my heart glad according to scripture.
Now, would it not have been a shame for us
not to keep the dayl"
Mrs. Hathaway assented by proceeding
to get the dinner in progress and when the
turkey was fairly roasting in the little stove
oven, Hathaway said, "come here, mother,
i can't kneel, you know, Pve never had
that satisfaction since my leg was broken;
but | trust my heart is in the right position
-kneel down here on my well side, and
we'll have our worship, though it be dark
day out side and in" The wife knelt, rest
ing her troubled brow on the arm of her
husbands chair Hathaway's spirit of cheer
full gratitude shone like a sun on all the sa-
lient points of their lives. Gods mercies
seem to be sown at broadcast around them.
He thanked God for the peace, prosperity,
and progress Of the country-for their
Astounding political advantages and gospel
privileges; not in an inexpensive mass, but
i'll such detail that each seemed to have
made its impress on his heart. He spoke
of the rich harvest of the year with a glow
that would have left no one to believe that
not an ear of it had been turned into his
gamers. He thanked God for his pleasant
home, and his well-covered board-for kind
ne ghbors and bountiful friends-for the
dear mother, with industry that never tired,
and love that never abated., He thanked
him for his own heath--ior painless limbs
for contented mind, and spirit of enjoy
ment. His voice trembled slightly when he
came to mention his children" his dear,
absent children He paused for one in
slant, and then added, with a. sincere tone
of courage, 81 heavenly gladness, eve thank
Thee that they have manifested themselves
Thy children too Though they have pas
sed through the waters, they have not over
whelmned them; and through the fire, it has
not scorched them We thank Thee thai
Thou hast given them thus early to see the
value of innocence, and the power of aifec.
ton" When he finished, Mrs. Hathaway
rose comforted, and said, 81 almost forgot
it stormed, father" And she did proceed
with step somewhat lighter, and a hear
somewhat less faint, with her preparation.
for dinner, or as our country-folls still cal
it, supper. Her eyes turned often and anx
a.. (. -, L., L. 81 Il
road the Colonel was to come--remarket
that the storm grew heavier--and wondered
again and again if Ruth were on her wa
to Albany. Presently a sieigii--bell wa
heard but it was not Colonel Miles bu
another neighbor, returning from meeting
who called, with message from the kim
Colonel. "The mail was not in he sen
them word; " it might not come till dark
but he would wait till it did come"
THE Colonel is wine and oil too" salt
Hathaway cit has been so from the be
ginning of this trouble. If we have a dis
appointment, there's comfort goes hand-n
hand with it,"
The days, as we have said, were at the
shortest. Mrs. Hathaway moved slowly
the afternoon was very dark, and the shad
ows of a stormy evening were thckening
when the father and mother sat down t,
their Thanksgiving meal. Mr.. Hathaway
grace was much longer than usual, but Their
was no allusion to their affection He coul,
not now trust his voice for this-his bod
and mind were beginning to feel the pres
sure. 1t was only half past three he won
dered it was so dark and again and agai
he wiped his eyes. He suffered "mother
to cut up for him his favorite bit of turkey
He took, according to our rural custom, /"
little of alp the various vegetables and con
diments, and though he remarked ether
was never tenderer turkey" there SCENE
never to have been a tougher one in tn
chewing. As to the poor mother, she coul
not eat--she loathed the sight of food; an
when her husband, who had tried not to oil
serve her as he moved the dishes on the t;
BILE, first out Of their places and then int
them, and turned her food over and over O
her plate, without tasting it-said " Poo
mother, there is no use in trying !" she NOV
ed back her chair, and took refuge in he
little, ad joning bed room. There she ST
by the window, looking up the road as Ion
as she could discern fence or tree as lane
mark. The night settled down on the cart
as it had on her spirit. The snow nolongC
fell, but the wind rose, and gusts cam
sweeping down the hillside, and roaring
the chimney, and penetrating every crevc
of the slight tenement. She shook as if a
ague were on her, as she returned to he
husband, and drew her chair close to hin
You had best light candle mother, sal
he; Colonel Miles will want light
guide him, in this driving storm light tw
and set them in the window" She lighte
and placed them, and sat down again; ii
table was left standing. A woman accu
toned to perform the domestic offices thr
all the routine of life-to 90 steadily OF
come what will, joy or sorrow, with the p
riodical preparations that sustain and solaC
animal life, must be paralyzed before 81
neglects them. And so was poor Mr.
Hathaway. The thought of her good hol
est, true, eyer-cheerful boy, in convicts un
form, among the motley gang of cuprts an
committed Migrants on BlackwelPs Island
+ such as she had heard il described, with Il
neglect, misrule, and wretchedness that pr
walls there-the thoughts of her little Rut
where was she this cruel, stormy nigh
No wonder the poor woman had left the t
BILE standing as it was when she and her hu
band rose from it, No wonder she sat nc
leaning on the arm of her husbands cha
listening to the Colonel's sleigh bells. al