Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-29
The two Cords of Wood.

Just at dusk one November evening, three
children Occupied the large kitchen connected
with the establishment OF farmer Grant. A
bright wood fire blazed cheeriuly in the wide
chimney, while from the crane the suspended
tea-ke; tie was announcing, as loudly as possi-
Bile, that the hour for supper was approach
ing. BY the bright, put ftiu light, one
young girl sat reading; another stood at the
window watching the cows, as they walked
demurcly from the yard to the stable, while
a boy OF eleven summers was seated on
cricket in front Of the fire, gazing steadily at
the flames as they shot upward, but with an
appearance of abstraction indicating that his
mind was elsewhere.
Softly Ellen advanced from the window,
and touching her sister Ruth, to call her
attention, whispered, :" Just look at Thomas
He's 10 u brown study. as teacher said this
afternoon. do wonder what he is thinking
Of"
Ask him " responded Ruth, glancing at
her brother, and then tIrning to her book
again.
" Thomas" called Ellen, " what makes
yon look so sober tonight! Did you miss
at school e.
The boy heayed deep sigh, and then turn
ed to his sister with smile, saying" U
Ellen, you can help me if you will only
you must first promise not to tell any one"
Ellen promised. and Thomas led her to
the fulher corner oil tho room, as his mother
had come in, where be made known to her
his plan.
Last night" said he, "after you and Ruth
had gone to bed, heard father and mother
talking. 1t made me feel so sad could not
go to sleep She had been bringing in the
clothes, and kept coughing, as she always
does when she works hard. Father told her
that she must 60 to taking that doctors stuff
that did her so much good last winter. At
first she did not answer but pretty soon |
saw her put up her hand and brush away a
teal. There areso many things to be bought
for the children she said, after while,
THAT | don't like to spend money for medi-
cine don't often coug so much"
Il know that, too" replid lather, " but
you must attend to your health. What
should we all do without you?'
Il sometimes Think said mother. " that
my work IS almost done, and il it is Gods
will to call me away, he will provide Tor you
and our dear children"
couldn't ay to hear any more, Tor had
to run iuto the entry to keep from sobbing
aloud 80 Ellen what could we all do
!, without mother g
The young girl turned around and gave
her mother piercing glance, as if to salts
fly herself that her brother had cause Tor his
solcitude, and then asked, But what eau
you, or both Of us, do to help her ("
/, Il man somehow to buy her bottle oil
that medicine" exclaimed Thomas, Impress
lively, but how to do it is the question. DR.
Jones had load of wood carted to-uay, anc
he wants man to saw it, | would 60 to
}, morrow afternoon aud ask him to give mt
the job, and the medicine for pay, only faith
. = er wants his wood piled up tomorrow, be-
fore the snow comes"
Ellen stood Tor one moment returning he
"a brothers gaze, then said, eagerly" Rutl
! and will pile it for you. Wen get VI
10 very early, and do our stint peIore breakfast
;, and then we shall have the whole afternoon.
Thomas joylully accepted this offer, au
u readily obtained the job from the kind phy
% sician-BeIore night he had piled the tw
u cords in the shed, and sawed Il arly quartz
u Of it.
Il DWELL my litt lie man," said the doctor
driving into the yard as Thomas was hanging
II up the saw preparatory to leaving. Ho,
much have you earned this afternoon p
u A bright thought flashed through the boy
mind, u in true Yankee style he answere
the question by asking Doctor, how muc
bottle was the cough medicine you gay
70 mother last winter :"
Hall dollar, | think. Is she sic
Is again 2" The boy then communicated hi
wishes, and with a flushed face inquired {
ID the doctor if he would be willing to let hil
~ have one bottle to carry home with him.
u The good man was evidently moved b
a, this unexpected proposal. He made no re
ID ply except to invite the boy to his Office
When there he talked more freely, and emf
- - cd by giving him small powder for hi
III mother, with directions for taking it, in ado
ition to the desired cough medicine, and pre-
Il missed to call himself the next day.
w. w. An hour later Thomas sat with his sister
!" by the fire, and communicated to them til
y. JOY full results OF his afternoons labor. The
\ then proposed to give the mediciue to the
- mother, as token OF affection from he
- three children, for" urged Thomas, q
a. a., could not have done it if you had not hell
q. ed me-"
81 =. To say that Mrs. Grant was grai6eo
~ ~ would be but feebly expressing her emofic
- when the ove-token was placed in her hand
:, With moisteued eyes she gave each
- them kiss and then added in subdut
ito voice, g God will reward you, my dear one
~ The blessing affixed to the fifth comman
mcnt will be yours, for you have indeed ho
ored your mother"
100 God did bless them in rendering the met
lin cine effcctua in restoring the health of the
,g, mother, whose lille he prolonged for yea
md She saw her children growing up uset'
, happy and respected by all who knew thel