Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-30
GrneraI iHtsrtllauu.
From the Waterman g Reflector.
THE STEP-MOTHER.

give her homer p
III she had done as she ought to, she
would have friends enough" said Stephen
Burnham. rather bitterly "as man sows so
must he also reap. II she had been a mothe,
to us children, or treated us dccenuy VIC
should have loved her, and been glad TO give
her home in old age as it is, she has moth
ing to hope from us. John was her idol, she
wronged US in every way to benefit him;
little thanks she got for it, too, for have
been told he was very unknd TO her, besides
being shockingly dissipated. Yes, she sowod
selfshness, bitterness, injustice, and she must
reap the crop
Stephcn Burnham lost his mother in early
youth, and with two sisters soon after fell
into the hands Of a stcp-mother-the person
now under consideration. There are many
excellent stcp-mothcrs, who, amid manifold
trials and difficulties possess their souls in
patience, meekly and couragoously discharg
ing the ardu1us duties Of their position. We
have known more than one such--noblc, God
fearing woman. silently doing a martyrs work
with a martyrs sprit-but old Mrs. Burnham
was not one of these She was n retful, un-
comfortable disposition, and worse yet.
scheming selfish woman. Bringing into her
second husbands family an only son by a
former marriage she had succeeded by her
unprincipled management in securing to him
all the property of her husband, while his
own children were sent into the world pen
niless. II was not strange Stephen Burn
hams tone took a tnge Of bitterness for
though a professor of religion. and a true
Christian at heart. he was not perfect. His
meek, retiring wife had made much greater
progress heayenward than he. and her ideas
of duty were far more controlling
They were sitting around the parlor fire,
the children had all retired for the night. and.
after the above remarks. Stcphen took his
Newspaper and read. while Mary sat sewing
and thinking
"What is TO become of this poor old lady
now quite helpless. with no relative TO care
Tor her. no heart to love her; 1t may be her
own fault. but who Of us would have many
enioyments if we but received our just de-
serts What is to become Of unamiablc, dis
agreeable old people: Somebody must pro-
vide for them. and not leave them TO suffer
And Mary Burnham thought Of Chrst's in
finite compassion and forbearance to those
who were totally repcllant to His pure and
holy nature. till her own heart became warm
with love for wrong doors She had long
felt desire to be more useful and when She
home
blooming children her nrosnornus husband.
and saw how her Gun was Overlooking with
hlessings she had lon,ed 20 show gratitude
to God.-Tho command. "Do good unto an
men AZ ve have AN onportunitv." had of late
been much upon her mind. and she had tried
70 find how and wberc there were onnortuni-
ties for ber
As sbo sat thinking voice seemed TO ask
NOT IN tako This dcsolate relative into our
home. and minister to her declining years -
Her whole soul revolted at the suggestion.
If there was in the wide world person whom
il would be uncomfortable to have under her
roof IL was this very onc-thev had so few
points of svmpathy; so vcry many of repul-
sion. 1t seemed almost like introducing
serpent into the garden of Eden. to bring
such fretrul. exacting. bad-hearted woman
into her lovely home-no. she couldnot think
of it ANYTHING else but that Aud sooth-
inc voice whispered. "You have no right 90
make home uncomfortable to your husband
and children; it is a duty to keep it free
/ from all dscordant elements to surround the
children with favorable influences
But Mary Burnham's inward vision had
been purified by much determination and
prayer ana theTe WAS no clouutnp lt pl inc
mists Of sef-indulgence "If you do good
to them that do good to you. what thank
have ye; for sinners do even the same" And
host of texts enioinng solf-denial, taking
up the cross doing good to the sinful, rushed
into her mind, and they produced a conflict in
her soul-that conflict so often fought be-
tween love of ease, and the suggestions Of
conscience. She tried TO forget the subject,
to think of other things but again aud again
would come the question, "Onght | not to
propose it to stephen. | don't think his
feelings towards his step-mother are right;
ought not to influence him to feel different
Ily;" And when Mary knelt before God that
night, she made new conservation Of herself
to His service. trying to withhold nothing,
but bringing her time, ease, strength talents,
all she had, her whole body and soul, to Him,
to be used in accordance with His will.
"Father." she murmured, 81 know Thou wilt
ask nothing of me that is not right nothing
Thou wilt not give me strength TO perform /;
nothing which will harm me, though for the
time it may be painful and bitte4 | would
be Thy trusting child guide me, and | will
| follow, fearing no evil.
Peace came into Mary's soul A soft,
sweet Eoht Law on all its calmed waves. pen-