Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-07-09

| toast.
He looked at them, and after a while he
said
They do look familiar Kate.
Gay. uncle. you have seen them often be-
| fore. Your kind old mother always used
them while she lived and when she died
she gave them to my mother. love them
now, for they are doubly dear to me- bring
| ing back to my mind one of the best Of grand
mothers. and one of the most true and faith
ful mothers"
Absalom Burr gazod upon the momentoes,
and moisture gathered in his eye, but twas
not quite enough to form tear.
"Now, uncle, spoke Kate, as they were
about to rise from the table, "isn't this better
than cold water"
"Yos, yes. it tastes little better, but it
/ costs more. Kate"
mo, no. dear uncle, it doesn't cost so
much. II may take little more money, but
| look at the comfort and satisfaction which it
| affords. and which would be all lost without
| it. What is money good for if we cannot
/ purchase comfort with it; Who so poor as
/ he who has no comforts and no joys; But
know what you mean. You would be pru-
dent and saving--and so we will be and yet
we will have some comfort too
The table was soon cleared away, and then
Kate proceeded to wash her dishes After
this she sat down and converscd with her un-
Gle, and for two hours she entertained him
with accounts of her own and her parent ex-
pcrionce When bedtime came, she found
her cot ready for her. and though she saw
/ plainly how she could better it, yet she said
nothing. She put her arms about her uncle's
neck. and having kissed him, she said
Good night, uncle. God keep and bless
I you"
And she then took her candle and went
away to bed, leaving the old man to find his
way by the light Of the fire.
How those words hung in the old mans
mind. How strange and sweet they were,
and how many long years had passed since he
had beard such words before. His thoughts
went back to the time when his mother used
to kiss him at bedtime and for the while he
forgot the long dark years that had passed
away since those boyhood days.
The old man went to his bed and dreamed.
lie dreamed that he was a boy once more
ank that his mother was with him, TO care for
/ and to love him.
In the morning be was aroused by the notes
/ ola sweet, blthe song. He started up and
listened. and he heard the same beautiful
happicst moments He arose and dressed
himself. and shortly afterwards Kate came in.
She had built a fire in the old Fireplace out
in the porch. and the coffee was already made
She greeted the old man with happy smile
and another kiss. Her cheeks were all aglow
and her face presented the very picture of
[ health and happiness.
A breakfast of dry toast, and butter, coffee
and few warm biscuit, was soon on the ta-
/ BILE, and as the old man sat down, that shade
+ upon his face grew softer still. After break
/ fast, Kate came and put her arms around his
neck, and said
Now. uncle. that you have female in the
house, you ought surely to slick up little
enough for comfort, at any rate. In the first
place we want Just seven panes of glass set.
Now 20 to the glazier and have this done at
once for your own health and comfort will be
enhanced thereby
"Yes-well-I have been thinking Of this
sometime. Kate; but it costs too much.
.'Never mind that, Uncle Absalom. Let
ms first have those things which are absolute
Is necessary to our health and comfort, and
then We will examine our funds, and if we
arc likely to fall short. we can economic in
something else.
$50 we can, said the old man; and thus
speaking be left the house.
In half an hour Afterwards the glazier came,
and before noon the windows were perfect.
And all that afternoon Kate worked brisk
" about the house with mop, and soap, and
water. so that when Absalom came home he
was astonishod. The floor was clean and
white, the fire place neat and the windows
let in such a quantity Of light that it seemed
like a new room. Kate got such dinner as
she was able to pick up, and the afternoon
she spent in mending some of her uncles old
clothes lie came in towards the middle OF
the afternoon, and she told him she was out
of -four. He proposed getting two pounds
but she finally made him see that it would be
to his interest TO get barrel. 1t came hard
TO pay out six dollars for barrel of flour, but
he got pound Of tea, pound of coffee, q
dollars worth of sugar and some other little
things These he had sent home, and when
he came to sit down to his supper of light
warm biscuit and taste the fragrant tea, he
really confessed that he gamer by the
money thus far expended.
Thus matters moved on for a week. The
old man watched his niece's every movement
but he could see nothing wasted. Every
crumb was cared for and saved, and he wa
surprised TO see what excellent dishes shepre
pared from almost nothing.
One afternoon when the wind blew cole
and the snow was falling fast, poor girl rap
ped at the door, and Kate let her in. Hei
name was Martha Allen, and her father was
poor day-laborer who had been confined t
his bed for several months, having been Sc
verely injured while blasting rocks. Marth'
was only fifteen, and was a mild, blue-eyed
pretty girl. She had come to see II Mr. Bur
could not help her father.
"Why should he send to me?' the OLE
man asked nervously.
80, sir, he does not know that have gon
out to beg for him, returned the girl "bu
J I | could not bear to see him suffer so in bod
, and mind without trying to help him. Fo
three long months he has laid in his bed, an
now he is kept back by the thoughts of tn
, debt he will have on his shoulders when h
gets up. But thus far have not run him j
debt, though he thinks have, and dare no
wholly undeceve him. for fear that must d
. so. We have spent every cent he laid
D and have worked hard, and sold many {
p my things; but have nothing more to sci
y and all my time must be spent with him. {
$ sir for the love of mercy, give me something
n If we ever can repay you. we will.