Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-01-12

bound out to huckster woman,
who gave her hard work and worse
treatment all the day long. She had
to do everything wait in the shop,
run errands TO carry home things to
customers, work about the house,
wash and dress the children, and
wait on them, aud twenty other
things beside so that the poor child
was tired enough to sleep soundly
when she was allowed to go TO bed,
even on that miserable pallet.
BY aud by, while she lay there a
sleep, boy came clamoring ut the
door, and flung it open when he
saw Mabel asleep, he shouted down
stairs
Mother mother what do you
think J Mabel amt up yet, and it,,
eigh; O'Clock, and | had to dress my
self all alone, and Jane amt getting
dressed neither. | say, mother %
The litile girl sprang up hastily,
Weakened 10y the rude noise, and hur-
rIed on her poor ragged clothes, that
she might go down TO dress the chi
dren before her mistress got M. -
But she was not in time to escape
a scolding for her lazIness, accompa
MED with a slap, and an order 10
go get Bob aud Jane ready for
breakfast that minute" Mabel was
used 10 such treatment, she had To
bear il daily and hourly. She did
not cry or say word, but dressed
the children patiently, bearing with
all their rudenoss and frellulness,
though they inflated their mother
aud scolded her, and struck her be-
cause she had 10 wash them in cold
water, and pinchcd her because their
hair was tangled, and she could not
comb ii without hurting them, and
gave her trouble IN a great many
ways. God bad given the little girl
a gentle, patient, furIiving spirit, and
50 she had strength to receive meek
~ all that she had TO endure.
After having given the children
their breakfast, and swallowed hers,
she went into the back room of the
liille shop, and sat down amidst a
heap Of evergreens, cedar, holly and
box, thai she had been i,ing up in
wreaihs FIR sale. A lady had been
there The day before, aud ordered a
quantity OF wrealhs to decorate her
parlors for New Years day, and Ma
bel had been obliged to set up yer,
late the night before 10 finish them.
Now she was laying them calefuIl,
into basket, 10 which hey were ln
bc seat home. She knew she would
have 10 carry lhem--lhore was no
one else TO do 1t and no matter II
II ic0S siofmng-f the snow did lie
deep upon the ground, and Mabel
nad no shocs-lf the sharp, sleety
ram IoGS pouring down, and Mabel
had 40 cloak or warm covering. -
The hucksler woman never seemed
10 think lhat Mabel could feel pain.
OF cold, or WEAKNESS and when she
came hack into the back room, and
found The girl and the basket OF
evergreens still there, she scoldcd
her sharply for waiting, and babe her
besone nj once 10 carry them home.
So Mabel all bare footed as she was,
and with only an old ragged hood
aud an old scaniy cape TO protect
her from the driving sleei, started
oal Upon her Grand. Poor child. il
seemed hard thing To have to con
tribute TO other peoples enjoy ment,
and she 80 miserable herself She
thought how beautiful The lad, 5
parlors would be, adorned with the
wTeaihs, TO make which her poor
fingers had been torn and wounded ;
how richly the crimson holly berries
would shine out from the dark leaves
IN The brilliant light, aud how happy
children wonld ronnp about the room,
never thinking of The poor child who
had come barefoot through the snow
Ia bring those wreaihs. II was no
wonder TINT bitter tears started Ia
her eyes, a d Wild, rcbelious muir
murlngs against Gods pruvidences
rose IN her heart.
1t was long wa, that Mabel had
to 60, away from the lille, narrow,
crowded streets with which she was
familiar, up into fashionable quar-
ter OF the city. She did not know
her way very well, aud had to look
up often 10 notice the numbers of
the houses and once looking up,
her eyes met those of n chill moi
",uvi man uersrif, sinndlng by d
window, inside the curtains. What
a contrast between the two children
Mabel, starved and frozen, and mis-
cradle, barefoot in the SNOW and
the child at the window, beautiful as
dream, warm and rosy aud richly
dressed, standing amidst folds of lace
and velvet drapery, Of almost royal
splendor. Yet the beautiful child
looked down kindly upon poor Ma
bel, and smiled, aud Mabel smiled
back again, for the chlld's look had
been like "a sun beam shining down
into her eyes. Then The child beck
oned with a !illlc white hand, as if
for MABEL TO come to her, but Mabel
did not dare To mount the marble
steps of that splendid mansion. The
child raised the window a little, and
called out to Mabel, Stay I'LL
come" and SO ran away. Presently
she was at the hall door, calling Ma
bel to come TO her, so kindly, that
Mabel, quite encouraged, came up
tho etans 10 tho lttl.. ialv