Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-03-17
From Little Ferns.
Matty and MABEL; Or, Who is
Rich ana Who is Poor

From Little Forus.
Matty and Mabel; Or, Who is
Rich ana Who is Poor
There, Puss % said Little Mat
ty, you may have my dinner, If YOU
want 1t I'm tired of bread and milk.
I'm tired of this old brown house
I'm tired of this old barn, with its
red caves. I'm tired of the garden,
with its rows of hlacs, its sun flow
ers, and It's beds Of catnip and pen
nyrosM I'm tired of the old well,
with rs pole balancing in the air
I'm tired Of the meadow, where the
cows feed and the hens are always
picking up grasshoppers. | wish |
was grasshopper. amt happy
am tired Of this brown stuff dress,
and these ihca leather shoes, and any
old sun bonnet There comes nice
carrlage-how smooth and shin, the
horses are how bright the silver
mounted harness glitiers how smart
the coachman looks, in his white
gloves. How nice 1t must be to be
rich, and ride in carriage: Oh
there's little girl in ii, no older than
!, and all alone, too IA rich little
girl, with a pretty rose-colored bon
net, and sllk dress, and c.eam-col-
ored kid gloves. See-she has beau
iliul curling hair. aud when she puts
her pretty face out of the carriage
window, and tells the coachman to
go here, and to 20 there, he minds
her Just as if she were a grown lady.
Why did God make her rich and me
poor; Why did he let her ride in
carriage and me go barefoot p
Why did he clothc her like a butter
lly, aud me like a caterpillar :"
" Malty, come here. Climb into
my hp;-lay your head upon my
shoulder-so. Now listen. You are
well and strong, Matty Yes. You
have enough TO eat and drink i-Yes.
You have kind father and mother /?
Yes. You have a Growing dimpled
baby brother Yes. You can Jump,
and leap, aud climb fences, and run
up trees like squirrel Yes. Well,
the little giil with the rose colored
bonnet, whom you saw riding in the
carriage, IS poor cripple. You saw
her dress and pretty pale face, but
you didn't see her little shrunken
foot, dangling helplessly beneath the
sIlken robe. You saw the white
gloved ooachman, and the silver
mounted harness, and the soft velvet
cushions. but YOU didn't see the tear
IN ia If little owners soft dark eyes,
as she spied you at the cottage door,
rosy and lght-fooied, free 10 ramble
md the trees and flowers. You did
not know that her little heart was
aching for somebody TO love her
You didn't know her mamma loved
her diamonds, aud silks, and sa,ins
better than her own little girl. You
didn't know hat her little crippled
liiab panied her, and her he ut ached
that she had no nice place to cry
You didn't know that through the
long weary day her mamma never
took her gently on her lap, or kissed
her pale face, OF read her pretty slo-
rles to charm her pain away, or told
her of that happy home where nose
shall say l'm SICK You don't know
that she never went TO her lnile he'd
al night to smooth her pillow or put
aside The ringleIs from the flushed
check, or kneel 10y the little bed aud
ask the dear All Father to heal and
bless her child. Yon didn't know
that she danced till the stars grew
pale, while poor liItle Mabel tossed
resllessly from side to side, longing
for a cool draught for her parched
lips.
You won't be naughty any
more, come, that's darling. And
now remember, my dear little Malty,
that money is mol happiness that
fine clothes aud fine carriages are not
happiness; and that even this bright,
beautiful world, with lis birds, its
flowers, and its sunshine, is dark
without loving heart 10 rest upon.
Thank God for his kind parents and
a happy home. IT'S you who IRE
rich, Malty; pray for poor Mabel"