The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-31

! W SiNS w hOl yOu NVio always Wei
fond Of Mr. Marshall you know"
Nay, Kate, I'm sorry, but I have
otherwise engaged it."
"Who can it be to2 You have so few
intimatcs here"
SO, only one of my old fancies."
But do tell me, Florence"
"Well, cousin, you know the little. pale
girl to whom we give sewing"
"What, little Mary Stevcns2 How
absurd This is just a piece, Florence
with your other mothcrly, old maidisl
ways-dressing dolls for poor children
making caps and knitting socks for all
the dirty babies in the region round
about. What in the world can people in
their circumstances want with flowers ~
/ But Florence, only think of this rare
( flower standing on a table with ham,
eggs, cheese and flour, and stined in the
close little room where Mrs. Stevens and
her daughter wash, iron, cook, and no.
body knows what besides"
"Well. Kate, if We were obliged to
live in one course room, and wash iron
and cook as yon say if had to spend
every moment Of my time in hard toll.
with no prospect from my window but a
brick sidewalk, or dirty pane--such a
flower as this would be untold happiness
to me
Pshaw, Floroncc-all sentiment
poor people have no time to be scnti-
mental besides | don't think it will
grow with thom-it is green house
flower, and used to delicate living"
o, as that flower never inquiries
whether the owner is rich or poor and
Mrs Stevens, whatever else she has not,
has sunshine Of as good quality as that
which streams through our window. The
beautiful things that God makes are the
gift Of all alike, You will sec that my
little rose will be as well and merry in
Mrs. Stevens room as in ours.n
Well, after all, how odd When
one gives to poor people one wants to
give them something uscful-a basket Of
potatoes, or ham, for example"
Why, certainly, potatoes and ham
must be had, having mnistered to the
first and most craving wants why
not add any little qualification that
we may have it in our power to give, l
know there are many of the poor who
have fine feelings, and keen sense of
the beautiful which rusts out and dies,
because they are too hard pressed to pro.
cure it one qualification. Poor Mrs
Stevens. for example, | know she would
enjoy birds and flowers, | have seen her
eye kindlc as she has looked on these
things in our drawing-room, and yet not
one beautiful thing can she command.-
From necessity, her clothing, ali that
she has must be coarse and plain. You
should have seen the almost rapture that
she and Mary felt, when l offered them
my rose"
"Dear me, all this may be true, but l
never thought Of it before l never
thought that these hard working people
had any idea Of taste ''
"Then why do you so often see the
geranium or rose carefully nurscd in an
old cracked teapot in the poorest room,
or the morning glories planted in box,
and made to twine around the window
DO not all these show how every human
heart yearns after the beautitull You
remember how Mary our washcrwoman,
sat up q whole night after hard days
work that she might make her first baby
a pretty little dress to be baptized inl'
" Yes | remember, and how | laughed
at you for making such tasty, neat lit
tie cap for it,"
Well, Kitty, think that the look
of perfect delight and satisfaction with
which the poor woman regarded her
baby in its new dress and cap, was some
thing quite worth creating; do believe
she could not have thanked me more if
| had sent her barrel of flour"
"Well | never before thought Of Civ
ing to the poor anything but what they
really needed, and | have always been
willing to do that, when | could, without
going far out Of my way"
well, cousin,if our Heavenly Father
gave to us as We often give We should
have only coarse, shapeless piles of pro-
visions lying about the world, instead of
all the beautiful variety of trees, fruits,
and flowers. which now delight US"
T. Well, well, cousin, | suppose you arc
right, but pray have mercy upon my poor
bead it is too small to hold so many
new ideas at once even 60 on your
way )" aud the little lady began practis
ng waitziug step before the glass, with |
great satisfaction