Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-02-13

with cold fingers Just as the dinner bell
rung, Mrs. James closed her book in de.
SPAR
How did YOU succeed with your studies
this morning ? inquired MIR. James. am
sure did not hiader you long
No; yours was only one of dozen in
lerru?tIons.'
'Oh, well; you must not get discourage
ed. You cannot expect TO succeed the first
time. Persist IN II until the family learn,
that # they want anything Of you, they must
come at some other time
The second day OF trial happened to be
a stormy one aud as the morning was We
ry dark, Bridget oversight herself. and
breakfast was an hour late. This last hour
Mrs. James could not recover. Eleven o.
clock came, and her morning work was but
half done With mind disturb ed and de-
pressed, she left things IN the suds as they
~ere, and repaired punctually to her study.
She found, however, that 1t was impossible
to fix her attention upon anything which re-
quired thought. Neglected duties haunted
her as ghosts do the guilty conscience
Finding she was really doing nothing with
her books, aud wishing not to lose the morn
ing wholly, she commenced letter. Brdg-
ct came to her door before she had written
half page.
What Shall we have for dinner, MAIN
There ant no marketing come, aud you did
not tell me what to get
Have some steaks
We han't got any
well, will send out FOX some
/ Now there was no one to send but Amy,
and Mrs. james knew IT, With sigh she
put away her letter aud went into the nur-
sery.
Amy, Mr.. James has forgot the market
I ing. | wish you would run over to the pro-
vision store aud order some beef steaks
will stay with baby
Amy was none too well pleased to be sen;
on this crrand. She remarked that she
must first change her dress
Be as quick as possible, then, SAID Mrs.
James, for am particularly engaged this
morning
Amy neither obeyed nor disobeyed but
managed to take her own time in reality,
! though without any direct determination to
/ do So. Mrs james thinking she might get
along sentence or two IN the nursery, took
/ the German book ia but to this arrange
ment Charley would by no means consent.
I Mamma must show him the kittens IN the
book whether there or not 1t was all one
to hm-but amused he must be. Half her
second days time Of trial was gone, when
Amy came in and with a stth Mrs. james
returned to her room. Before one o'clock
she had been called down into the kitchen
twice on some important business relating
to the dinner, aud for this day, not one en-
tire page Of a letter had been written.
On the third morning she rose early and
made every provision tor dinner and for the
comtoT, of the family, which she deemed
NECESSARY. aud elaled by success, in good
spirits aud with good courage she entered
her study precisely at eleven O'Clock. Now
she was to have fine time oft. Her books
we're opened aud hard lesson summoned
to the conflict. Scarcely bad she read Il
line when she heard the door bell ring
Somebody wishes 20 see you IN the par
Tor, Mrs. James
Tell them am engaged, Bridget
told them you were at home, ma'am,
and they gave me their names, but did not
exactly understand
Mrs. James was Obliged 10 20. 70 smile
when she felt sober to be social when her
thoughts were elsewhere. Her friends, how
ever, seemed to find her agreeable, for they
made a long call and when they rose TO
90 others came. SO IN the most unsatlslac-
tory chil-chat, all this morning went.
: Ga the next day Mr.. James invited com
pany to tea, aud Mrs. James was obliged to
give up the morning to preparing for 1t, and
did not enter her study. On the day fol-
lowing she was obliged to keep her bed with
/ sick headache aud on Saturday, Amy hay-
ing extra work to do, the charge of the ba-
, by deyolyed upon her. Thus passed the
: first week.
, True TO her promise, Mrs. James patient
. ~ perseyered for a mouth, IN her efforts 10
z secure TO herself this fragment of her bro,
; ken time, with what success the weeks his
/ tory can tell. With It's close, closed the
/ month of December. Being PARTICULAR,
B, occupied on the last day of the old year, IL
e geu,ng ready for the morrow's festival, il
! was near the last hour of the day when she
b made her good nights call Ia the nursery
: She went TO the CRIB to look at baby there
| he lay fast asleep IN his innocence aud beau
5 ~. She kissed his rosy cheek gently, an.
!. siroked softly his golden bar, aud pressing
his little dlmpled hands within hers, sh'
a drew the warm covering more closely a
, round him, carefully tucking it IN, ,heI
II stealing one more kiss she left him to hi
slumbers, aud sat down on her daughter
d bed. She was also sweetly asleep, with he
u dolly Rugged close TO her. Her mothe
n smiled, but soon it seemed as if graver AM
sadder thoughts filled her mind, aud indee
l. they did. She was thinking of her disap
l. pointed plans. TO her, not only the pas
month, but the past year, seemed to hay
ID been one of iruitless effort: II seemed /
her broken aud disjolnted; even her hour
b, of religious meditation had been encroach
ed upon and distracted. She had accomE
N lished nothing that she could see, but kee
her house and family; aud to her saddene
Ut thoughts, even this seemed to have been bu
ndIfierenty done. Warnings for somethin
. better than this she was conscious of.
d, What did she need. then To see som
= of the results of her liie-work To be Col
of scious of some unity of purpose. some we;
II. wing together of these liie-lhreads, now 5
er broken aud s'nglel
IL She felt, she was quite sure, no desire I
I'd shrink from duty however humble but sti