Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-04-17

ISL IL, mammal No half shades about me
mo, indeed, said her mother; "that is you
greatest fault, Amy"
"Oh, well, mamma Rose has enough for both
you must rub us together, as they do light re-
and Prussian blue, to make neutral tint Blu
oh, what ribbon ! oh, mother, what love @
a ribbon Rose, Rose look at this ribbon :
and oh, those buttons Fred, do believe the
are for your new coat Oh, and those studs
father where did you get them9 What's il
that box ? bracelet for Rose, know oh
how beautiful perfectly exquisite And her
| -ohw
Here something happened to check the volu
bllity OF the little speaker, for she hastily ant
with the license of petted child, pulled the ar
ticles from the parcel, she was startled to fine
lying among the numerous colored things blacl
Grape veil. Sombre dark and ill-omencd enough
it looked there, with pink, and lilac and blue
and glittering bVouteyie around it
Amy dropped it with instructive rpeugnancc
ana there was general exclamation, Mamma
what's this how came it herco what did YOU
get this for ?'
Strange" said Olivia; ait is mouyninq
r'eL Of course | did not order it. How Il
came here no body knows it must have been
mistake of the clerk"
Certainly it is mistake said Amy; "we
have nothing to do with mourning, have we ?''
chimed in little Fred and Mary.
What dark ugly thing il isr said AMY
unfolding and throwing it over her head show
dismal it must be to see the world through such
veil as this
And yet till one has seen the world through
ven Ike that, ono has never truly lived" said
another voice, joining in the conversation.
"Ah, Father Payson, are you there ?" said
two or three voices at once.
Father Payson was the minister of the village
and their nearest neighbor; and not only their
nearest neighbor, but their nearest friend In
the afternoon of his years, lfe's day with him
now stood at that hour when, though the shad
ows fall eastward, yet the colors are warmer. the
songs of the birds sweeter, than ever in its iu-
bilant morning
God sometimes gives 10 good men guileless
and holy second childhood, in which the soul
becomes childlike, not childish. and the facul
ulties, in full fruit and ripeness are mellow with
out sign of decay. This is that songful land of
Beulah, where they who travelled manfullv the
Christian way abide awhile to show the world
perfected manhood. Life, with all its battles
and its sorrows, lies far behind them; the soul
has thrown off its armour, and sits in an even
ing undress of calm and holy leisure. Thrice
blessed the family or neghborhood that nun.
bers among it one of those not vet assembled
saints Gentle are they and tolerant, apt TO
play with little children, easy to be pleased with
simple pleasures, and with pityfng wisdom
guiding those who err. New England has been
blessed IN numbering many such among her
country pastors and spontaneous, instructive
Difference honors them with the title of Father.
Father Payson was the welcome inmate of
every family in the village, the chosen friend
Stories 'idp niecillrn en- eslof'lac, NJ, bad
wisdom for all. lie talked good" as the church
h.,, L. l..
cause, being good, he could not help it yet his
words, unconsciously to himself, were often para
bles, becasue life to him had become all spirit
ualized and he saw sacred meanings underworld
ly things.
The children seized him lovingly by either
hand, and seated him in the arbor.
"Isn't il strange" said Amy, "to see this ug-
" black thing among all these bright colors p
such a strange mistake in the clerk"
"If one were inclined to be supersttious,"
said Albert, "hc might call this an omen
"What did YOU mean, sir, asked Rose, quiet
ly seating herself at his feet, "by seeing life
through this vel ?"
at was a parable, my daughter" he said, lay
ing his hand on her head.
II never have had any deep sorrow" said
Olivia, musingly; "we have been favored ones
hitherto. But why did you say one must see
the world through such medium as this ?"
"Sorrow is Gods school," said the old man.
"Even Gods own Son was not made perfect
without it though son, yet learned he obc-
dicnce by the things that he suffered. Many of
the brightest virtues are like stars; there must
be night or they cannot shine. Without suffer
ing, there could be no fortitude, no patience no
compassion no sympathy. Take all sorrow out
of life and you take away all richness and depth
and tenderness. Sorrow is the furnace that
melts selfish hearts together in love. Many are
hard and inconsiderate, not because they lack
capabity of feeling but because the vase that
holds the sweet waters has never been broken"
'Is it, then, an imperfection and misfortune
never to have suffered ?" said Olivia.
Father Payson looked down. Rose was look
ing into his face There was bright, eager yet
subdued expression in her eyes that struck him ;
church. 1t was as if his words had awakened
an internal angel, that looked futtering out be-
hind them. Rose had been, from childhood, one
ofthose thoughtful listening children, with whom
one seems to commune without words. We
spend hours talking with them, and fancy they
have said many things to us, which on reflection,
we find have been said only with their silent an
swering eyes. Those who talk much, often re-
ply to you less than those who silently and
thoughtfully listen. And so it came to pass
that, on account of this quietly absorbent nature,
Rose nuu grown 10 Hcr parcIts ncdrts WIN
peculiar nearness. Eighteen summers had per-
fected her beauty. The miracle of the growth
and perfection Of human body and soul, never
wakes old parents marvel at it in every house
hold, as if child had never grown before; and
so Olivia and Albert looked on their fair Rose
daily with a restful and trusting pride
At this moment she laid her hand on Father
Payson's knee, and said earnestly,
"Ought we to pray for sorrow, then?'
"Oh no, no, no ?" interrupted Olivia, with an
instructive shudder,-such shudder as a warm,
earnest, prosperous heart always gives as the
shadow of the grave falls across it,-"don't say
yesr'
81 do not say we should pray for it," said
Father Payson; ''yet the Master says, BLESSED
are they that mourn not Blessed are they that
prosper. So heaven and earth differ in their
| judgment"
"Ah, me !" said Olivia, II am afraid have
not the courage to wish to be among the bless
| cd"
"Well,' said Albert whom the gravity of the
discussion somewhat disturbed, 'let us not Dor
row trouble time enough to think of it when
in happiness. Come, the dew is falling, let us
go in. l want to show Father Payson some
peaches that will tempt his Christian graces to