Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-03-22

now, grow dusty while other books were thumb
ed to pieces. He had eaten his apples, drunk
his cider and cracked some walnuts for his wife,
whose teeth were sounder than his own and
now sat as close as he could draw himself to the
flames without scorching his homespun garments,
nodding goodbye to the sky-bound sparks. The
old lady had rolled up her knitting and with
her broken fork, in those days they had not
heard of nut-pricks-with her two-tined fork
which had lost one of it's members, sat digging
out with the patience worthy-of ths gold mines
Of these times, the rich, sweet kernels
Saddenly she dropped both fork and nut, and
in another instant started to her feet, her pan
falling from her lap and threatening many a
grease spot on the well secured floor. fastening
to her husband, she shook his shoulders, saying,
Wake up, quick, and listen" Halffrighten-
ed, he jumped, and came near setting his stock
inged feet upon the living Goals; but his watch
full wife, drawing him off the hearth, whispered,
little wildly, Listen, now don't you hear
itW " Hear WHAT" said he, still half asleep.
Why, the sound like child crying. There,
there, now it goes again. Do 60 to the door -
The old man, now fully reused, Stood with his
hand to his ear, the right one, the left had been
deaf for many year. "It's the wind, wife !;
don't you know it! II is a fashion it has when
it is cold"
1T wasn't the wind" said she solemnly with
little nervous agitation yet visible in her face
Il know the cry of the wind lit never makes
a sound like that. There" and she clung to
him, quivering like a dead leaf. "don't you
hear it :" He certainly q d hear something that
sounded like the cry Of a child and now it did
not die away, as it had when his wife had no.
ticed it, with single sob, but heightened into
screams. but how it could sound so near, or
whence it come was mystery for the house
stood then far away from any other house; but
it was child's cry, that was certain
"I'll 60 and see," said he, summoning cour-
age to his somewhat faint heart, and he turned
to the door. His wife followed close and fast on
his steps, As he withdrew the little slip OF
wood that fastened the latch-there WASH It then
a bolt or lock in the town--and opened the door
q bundle, soft seemed, though of what, it seem
heavy lifeless sound. The wind blew white
sheet over it ere they could again tasten the
latch. Half horror, half wonder struck, they
dragged the coarse blanket to the hearth, and
unrolling it, discovered woman and child +; the
latter struggling to free itself from its many
wrappers, and screaming with all its might; thu
former motionless as corpse, with lips as ashy
and cheeks as sunken. A half hours charity
to the babe, who seemed to have seen a twelve
month, completely revived it and it lay on thu
pillow, with its little white feet stretched to th,
fire, as happy as love could have made it, cooinl
as sweetly as though nesting on mother
warm bosom. But it took longer to bring bacl
pulse to its pale protector; and many time
did the good Samaritaus turn from her, lcavin,
But a sigh 80 faint that it seemed dying breath
at lenght encouraged them, and they applied re
storatives until satisfied she would yet live.
But it was many weary day, ere she cou
leave her bed and at last when she stole fro,
it, and sat up in the old lady s rocker, and lul
, led her baby with old songs, she seemed to he
watchers more like spirit than sick, sa
stranger. But, gradually, through their ten
, der nursing, she recovered strength and not onl
tended her child, but assisted the old lady in he
domestic duties. But she said very little-les
) than they could have wished for in their heart
they longed to know her story. They knew sh
was sinner, knew it by the meek, peniter
way in which she hung her head when they rea
s the Bible, at morn and night knew it by tn
| stained face she raised to them after each PRAYER
But they loved her all the more, or rather wei
t all the kinder to her. And, though she revive
memories that it was agony to bear they foldt
s her in their affections as they would their ow
i, lost lamb, had she not gone ere they could reac
f her. The winter passed, and still the strang,
y fingered, filling with her little one small pla
t in the house, but large one in each aged hear
n One bright, golden spring morn after assistil
). in the morning duties as had been her habit, 81
d went into the bed room with her babe, and soc
!, re-appeared wrapped in the same coarse carmen
o they had worn on the frosty night of their arr
s val
"Give her one kiss, grandma, and you gran
|, pa, said she, holding the child first to one Al
d to the other wrinkled face; " and now, faith,
', mother,-d let me call you so this once gi
,t the unwedded mother one, and we will go, u
Q, wherever you go will pray for you, and s
d. shall be taught to-; " and she rushed wildly
b. the door. They stopped her, caught her chi
vn and pleaded with her to stay BE to s st
IL what you have been SO long, our daughter, II
,r- do not take from us our darling baby we shot
on die without hers
Ter Great drops gathered on the still pale brc
to while tears rushed down her cheeks, and
ir- lips quivered with fearful agony, She wru
at her hands, she beat her heart, she lashed
It'll limbs-she seemed like one who is half m
th- Give me the child a moment, she exclai
of cd, and clasping it wildly to her bosom,
- bathed its smiling face, with drops wrung fr
her keenest woe, then kissed it passionately ,
ore and held it out to them. Both stretched tn
ew hands, and the little one, with an equal lc
al gave to the one its right, and to the other
the left hand, and, upheld between them, GRO,
vas and screamed iu baby glee.
ST. "She is the child of SIM said tho motl
odd with solelnnity that awed, for moment,
ore carol OF her babe; " the child of sin, but
,ns self pure and holy as tho offspring of wed
DIV, tie. Win you keep her so if leave her he
4ge, If she goes with me, she will not long be