Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1851-08-27

with NJ. Rideaux, and, perhaps you are now the
trustee in this business ?"
Marie received no answer TO this question, thus
addressed, and when she looked upon her listener,
his face was agitated with profound emotion.
"My sister whom have so longed to see" said
Ernest, at last, stepping forward and gently TAX
ing the hand of Marie. "Thou who Dearest so
much of my mother in thy voice, and eyes, and
heart oh, welcome to my humble homeP
The shutters of Madame Melceeurs house
were soon thrown ope TO the sunbeams, and they
came dancing in at the windows, and played with
the curls of the little children whom Marie Bril-
Dude taught to read and they kissed the rosy
cheeks and lips of the children whom Marie Bri-
Dude taught to pray, flowers that had so long Crap
pied with each other in uncultured animosty now
shot up in beauty and order when she approached
them and Ernest Melceur who had so often shed
tears of grief when he looked upon the home of
his youth, and thought of her who was wont to
bless him there, now smiled when he approached
its precincts for his mothers spirit, dwelling in
Marie, had revived all of the beauty or goodness
that was ever associated with his home. He
came again and again to his own old dwelling,
now illumined by womans devotion and womans
love. He often spoke 10 Marie of their first
meeting, for he soon recognized in her, she who
was "only servant" in the house of Dora Frod-
art and he dwet so often on the memory of the
feelings which those moments inspired, that even
Marie loved to hear him recount what had once
been painful to her. BY and by, the wise people
began to shake their heads and smile, and declare
that something would come of Ernest's visits to
Mapie Brioude.
On the midsummer day after Marie's return,
there was joyous fete upon the village green of
Brioude. The little children of Marie's little
school, with clean faces, and boquets of flowers in
their hands, were drawn up in semi-circle, while
all the villagers, old and young, dressed in their
holiday attire, stood smiling around them. There
was surely something of great importance TO be
done in Brioude that day, for the good old mare
rubbed his hands, and smiled and looked grave
and wise, as he walked arm-in-arm with Ernest
MelcGur, and then turned and looked at Marie,
who presented cake and grapes 10 the objects of
her love and care. AT last the MARIE approached
the young school mistress, and his heart seemed
to grow too large for his bosom as he removed his
hat from his head, and unrolled cartel which he
carried in his hand. "Citizens," he said with
emotion, II congratulate our dear Marie Brioude,
upon receiving the highest "Montyou prize of this
season. for her noble devotion to the will of her
benefactress." As he spoke he placed the medal
on her breast, and an order for seven hundred
francs in her hand, while the children threw their
boquets at her feet, and the villagers rentthe air
with their acclamatons.
In few years, other children than the children
of the poor were sent to share the love of Marie
Melc@ur and the wife of the clergyman as faith
fully discharged the duties of her love, as had
done the orphan girl. Like the sun which warns
and illumines this poor world of ours, like the
summer winds that watt glad stories of God and
beauteous nature from the far lands over the Deep
like stars which spangle the black arch Of night,
and lead the soul through the dark concave up to
heaven, Marie continued to the end of her life
to serve her Maker, and to bless mankind by con-
tinuing to be "oNLY SERVANT"