The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-12-23
3sr tbt Eups nnh Girls.
PITY THE POOR.

tits winter now. The wind bowls abou,
our house in the evening, and it sounds very
drcary. But it only makes our good, warm
cheerful home seem the more pleasant. On
such night as this, l love to lie in my nice
comfortable bed and listen to the snow and
hail beating against the window. 1t makes
ne thankful for such shelter from the bitter
weather: and DO not fail to remember those
little children who have no such good home
and kind friends Poor children how pity
them I wish could give them all home.
One day little boy and girl, thinly dress
ed and looking quite sad, came to our door
to beg for cold yictuals. Our mother took
hem in and fed them, hoping to learn more
about them, and, possible, to put them in
a better way. She asked them to 90 to Sab
hath school. They were pleased with the
idea and our mother, with several others
provided them with suitable clothes, and they
entered the school. They were very pune
tual for more then year but their parents
would send them from door to door, begging
hcc,use it was easier for them to do so than to
work themselves and it spoiled the children
They mixed with those continually who would
steal and lie, and they became as bad as any
of them.
Our mother says the reason why some per
sons in the country are poor IS, because they
are not willing to work. They waste their
time. in the summer. in idleness, instead Of
providing for the coming winter; and when
the winter does come, they are miserable c.
nough. She tells us, such are not so wise
and provdent as the ant and the bee; for
they work dilig, nty all the pleasant weather,
and get store for winter. She teaches Us
these verses in the Bible, so that We may
learn to be diligent:-
Go to the ant thou sluggard; consider
her ways and be wise. Which having no
guide, overseer, or ruler, providcth her meat
in the summer, and sathcreth her food in the
harvest"
But she says we should 10 very wrong if
We should allow ourselves to feel that all who
are poor are so because they do not try to do
their duty. Though great many families
arc miserable, because the parents dislike
work or have wicked habits of drinking ar
dent spirits, there arc other cases when per-
sons meet with accidents or perhaps lose their
money by the unfai'hfulncss Of others, and it
is no fault of theirs that they are poor.
Very often, too, the father dies: and them
in many cases, whole family of little ones
must be cared for by the mother. That moth
er NAV try to do her utmost to keep from
poverty, and vet not be able. She tells us
that every body is liable to meet similar lot.
She says, If God did not keep our blessings
for us, we might lose all We have in many
ways The fire mi .ht burn up our house +;
our parents might die our friends might dis
appoint us; and We, little children, be as poor
and helpless as any. She says we should
never, for a single day, forget this, and that
We should be always very thankful to our
heavenly Father.
1t would be very wrong, then, for me to
feel unkindly towards any persons who are
moor cannot know all about their case,
and it NAV be they are not at all to blame :
and II thew are to blame, they are so much
the more to bc pi,ied: for besides having mis-
cry all about them, they have what is far
worse within them- gully, painful heart.
Nv mother tells us there are good many
cases Of elderly persons who while they were
Younger and stronger, were we'll able to take
care of themselves. and who, now that they
have grown feeble by age, cannot well pro-
vide for all their own wants. Such persons
who have been thus dl;.cnt formerly are
cenerlv disposed to get along without com
planning to others, though they may have
but a bare morscl for themselves.
Once we were taken to visit an interest
ing old lady of this sort. That woman
through all her lifetime, had possessed e.
nouch to make her comfortable. She had
brought up family ofchillrcn. Some Of the
children did not prove to he very good; for
their father was not a very good man; and the
boys, especially. were tempted to follow his
example, though their mother tried hard ia
keep them right. Now. the father and sever
.. ii the children were dead. The other
c1ildrcn who remained were not rich. and
thcv had to struggle to maintain themselves
and families yet they helped their mother
as much as they could.
The poor old lady lived on, never complain
ing, always thankful to her heavenly Father
AMI waiting to -, TO the "mansions'' of hca-
ven. Some Christian ladies'. before this. had
found her out and they were very happy to
look after her, and 10 bcstow upon her many
little things for her comfort Our mother
,aii there was real happiness in helping such
persons and we thought so too-Eu$t L,s-
Sous in Gtnf'entss u.d Truth.
THE FAEMtHs.-I 1t does our very hear,
good TO see merry, fat, and round faced
Farmer-so Independent, and vet so free from
vanity and pride so rich, and vet so indus.