Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-02-18
lloutb's Department.
THE LITTLE SHOES.

lt is wonderful what trifiing things produce
an influence on the heart and mind A seed
borne on the wings Of the wind drops at last
into suitable soil, by and bye grows up into
a stately tree. little spring leaps out Of
the side of hill, and the child who stoops to
drink Of it can span its breadth but it flows
on down TO the valley, and winds along the
plain, and gathers strength and volume in its
course. until It rolls a stately river. bearing
the commerce Of cities in the ships that nav
igate its waters And so it is with human
life a look, word, has changed the whole
career Of many an immortal boing.
The writer once lived opposite beer-shop
called THE Fox and Geese" and with panied
attention often watched the doings, and, alas
heard the sayings of the customers. One
winter evening, shoemaker's boy came with
an assortment Of childrens shoes. and the
landlady Of "rhe Fox and Geese" who had
a most marvellously shril voice. began calling
to little dirty slave of a nurse girl to bring
"Addlehead' as she pronounced Adeaide)
TO have her new shoes tried on. / could see
the little creature, who was at once fine and
filthy, sitting under the gas-light in the bar,
and kicking and screaming as the shoes we're
coaxed on her feet. At last pair fitted, and
the spoiled pet was lifted up triumphantly in
I her mothers arms. "Here. do look at her
the darling has let me get pair of the very
best ones on--look. do look - said the moth
er. calling to her husband. Just then. a tall
man, very thinly clad, came out Of the tap
room, passed the bar, and saw the child
stretching out her feet for her father to see
Now, poor woman had been lowering about
at the corner, peeping now and then into the
bar windows, and then creeping to the door
she had child in her arms. and looked ready
to drop with cold and wearness. had seen
that woman on many a Saturday night, wait
ing and watching for her husband to come
out, All, there he is rivited for a moment
looking at the child showing her new shoes
with a start he rouses himself and rushes
out. "What, Bill, going so sooni" bawls
the landlady. Bill pulls his hat down over
his eyes with one hand, clutches his old Jacket
tight over his chest, and answers the words
with sort of grunt. He is outside-there
are his wife and little one. For moment
the woman looks at him timorously and half
swerves aside. if she feared-what | will
not write, lest the manhood of my readers
should be wounded. Something in Bills
look reassures her, and she goes up close to
him. feeby, but yet coaxingly; he took the
child from her tired arms-the little child
gave a short, quick cry of Highland, as he
it drew them swiftly up under its poor frock,
but not before the father saw them | wish
his hat had been off that might have seen
his face, as those two little blue, chilled feet
met his eyes. noticed that he put them in
his bosom, and buttoned his jacket over them,
and held the child close, and went on his way
with a heavy stamp, as if he beat his feet
down on the ground his wife, slip-shod and
tottering, had hard work to keep up with
him.
had faint suspicion of what was passing
in the mans mind. From that night was
glad that | saw him no more among the fire.
quenters of 1.-The Fox and Geese" He and
his wife and child, for veal or woe, had drop
ped out of my ken, and almost out of my
mind.
Some months after, there was a meeting at
the Temperance Hall of the district and
many working men were present, and gave
their testimony to the good effects of perfect
sobriety; now and then they told little bits
Of their history, about the reasons that led
them to give up the pubc-house. One tall,
well dressed, respectable looking man listened
earnestly until one who sat near him said,
Say word, William Turner, you've known
as much about the mischief as any one here
/ or elsewhere; come tell us, for | never heard
how it was that you changed right about face
from the mouth of hell to the field of hope
come, man, out with it, it'll may be do good"
The young man, thus urged, rose at the
first word, and looked for a moment very con-
fused; all he could say was "The little shoes,
they did it." With a thick voice, as if his
heart was in his throat, he kept repeating this.
There was a stare Of perplexity on every face,
and at length some thoughtless young people
/ -. a.
rassment heard this sound, and rallied at
once The light came into his eyes with a
flash; he drew himself up and looked at his
audience, the choking went from his throat
Yes, friends - he said in voice that cut
its way clear deep-toned bell, whatever
you may think of it, I've told you the truth,
the little shoes did it. | was brute and
fool strong drink had made me both, and
starved me into the bargain | suffered
deserved to suffer, but didn't suffer alone;
no man does who has a wife and child. for
the woman gets the worst share. But I'm no
speaker to enlarge on that I'll stick to the
little shoes. saw, one night when was all
but done for, the publican's child holding out
her feet for her father to see her fine new
shocs-it was simple thing. but, friends, no
fist ever struck me such blow as those little
shoes, They kicked reason into me. What
business have to cothe others, and let my
own go bare : said |, and there outside were
my wife and child--in bitter night. took
hold Of my little one with a grip, and saw
her chilled feet. Men fathers if the shoes
smote nc, what did the feet dos Iput them,
cold as ice, TO my breast they pierced me
through and through. Yes the little feet
walked right into my heart-and turned out
my seltishness. had trife of money left;
! bought loaf and a pair Of little shoes
never tasted anything but bit Of that bread
all the Sabbath day, and L went to work ON
Monday, and from that day have spent no
more money at the public house--thats all
I've got to say--it was the little shoes that
did it"-British Workman
UNCONSCIOUS lNFLuENcE.--The very
handling Of the nursery is significant, and the
petulanco, the passion, the gentleness, the
tranuuility Indicated nv II arc all renrndprad