Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-21

sharp in them. But 1t was only for moment. |
She turned then, and went in and the prayer
went with her. Her mother sat by the fire, knit /
ting; she looked up careessly.
" want you 10 get supper, child. You'll
catch your death out there
Yes, mothers did not know it was time.
She laid aside her shaw. and put on her apron,
and began, 10 her quiet way, to boil the kettle
and cut the bread.
81 don't see what YOU wiH stay dreamin and
peefln' outdoors for" began Mrs. Searle com
paiDi1gy "you never wH be ike other girls.
Esther cut and cut upon her bread, but made
no answer
" Any body else but gou would ha gone to
the apple parln down to the deacons tonight,
and been glad of the chance continued her
mother rounding of her toe With an emphasis.
Esther went to the closet for the cups and sau-
cer..
"And any body but you would 90 about like
other young fok', and 20 seighin with the dea-
c5n S Jim, and--'
Mothtr!'
"Llws mas.y what's the matter now?'
Mrs sear.e dropped her knitting at the sharp,
appealing voice.
Motdcr mother
The girl stood ju.t as she had stood the plate
half in her hand, half upon the table. The cry
perhaps, was involuntary.
"strucA dumb What aiIs you, for the lands
sake, Esther ?"
She cane then and sank down at her mothers
knee There vas . certain pleading 10 her out
stretched hands, fIr compassion, for help for
oye, ilr something, that was pitiiul to see
d" Mother, ii you only won. talk to me tonight
not tonight!
Mrs. Sears took up her knitting aud ooughed.
Hari-haared? Not in the least simply aston
i,hed, puzz I'd, woudering no more capable Of
understanding thi. her child than the very dumb
mood Of the chair she Bat on. Not an ungentle
mother Z the girl were sick, loving her in her
own wlgas mothers eau bat she was-well, just
ahat she va. You know 1t is the old story.
Why God ever made these two mother and child,
was one Of bis mysteries.
Esther, with her face hidden cat there a mo-
ment, quysring. Then she rose, went back to
the table and stood so, her back turned. This
momen,ary something that had swept Ike wave
over her Wa, gone. Sle tlrned around with
smile, and, if you treasure rare smiles IN your
memory you would have found place for this
d" Kiss me, mother please
"Weu, never said Mrs. Searle, and put
her arms around her neck. Then she went on
with her knitting, and, by way Of conversation,
inquired Il Esther had seen Meta Hunts wedding
dress, how many petticoats she wore with 1t, and
how much the veil cost.
Esther SET the table, and drew the water and
made the coffee, as she did upon every other
night, with the soft step that never grew rough
aud the low voice that never was impatient, and
the smile stall upon her face. For Esther
though, perhaps she was wrong, tnce she never
philosophical Esther thought that this was
what i, meantime New Years eve, and the
! long, long year. Il was all God had left her,
+ What he mad left her-,o sweep, and dust, and
help her mother bake, and light her fathers pipe
lit was hers TO gIoriy, even as she would have
glorided it 10 her own happy home by the pa
/ ,lent voice and wiling hand. All If that we're
/ possible, possible
Bat Esther kept the smile upon her face, aud
/ drew her water, and made the coffee, and set the
table, and listened to her mothers talk and never
knew that she was hero.
Down, deep in her heart, she crushed the pc
lures that came with the New Years eve and
called and cried for her TO look at them, and
would not 20 away All how they came and
came, the sorrowlul pictures Robble-h' lace,
his voice, his sme-0yer and over Always
I Robbie Coming hone at night, she waiting tor
him as she waited now for her father sitting
beside her at their own little table, on which she
should have laid the plates as she was laying them
now drawing his chair up to her beside the tire,
looking into her eyes the long, long evening.
OIL the sweet, sorrowiu pictures, the chmorous
pictures that came and came, and icomd not 60
away
But sill Esther kept the smile upon her face,
and drew her water, and made the coffee, aud
set the table, and listened to her mothers talk,
and never knew that she was hero.
Presently her father came in, and Esther hung
up his hat and lighted his pipe
"IeuibIe cald cut! ~ said the old man quern-
iausly, Esther, gal, do put more wood on that
ere fire." lie never thought to thank her you
see; il never occurred to him. Why should 1t Z
| was little ding TO hang up hat and lght
ppe. Yes, It was a little thing very hu.y
tang. But, to spend ones life sutiociting among
those htic thirg., to spend ones life hanging VI
hats, and lighting pipes ones hfe not the mere
: bare years. bur the brain and the hearti the not
Young energies, the passionate loving and long
ingi and none to speak the grateful word and
: kiss away the tears, and rest the aching head
+ 1t is piutol, isn't IL?
p This, YOU see, was Esther's life, and this is
what il meant When she looked upon her iu
q ture, and said that il was well.
5 Sumner was over and cleared away. There
4 was no one to notice that Esther did not eat
: the h, her had taken his almanac, the mother
1 gone back to her knitting, and Esther, her face
somewhat pale in the hmp-light, was stooplng
Y low over her sewing, to hide it, when there cant
i, n little knock at the door, and Meta came IN
\ Nea. YOU know, was R0bbe's sister, and Esther
t face flushed teudery. -,
e aMeul it is SO good in you. | did not ex
IS rect you Tonight"
. oI'tLought | must run over minute, Esihe
! the last ume you know" The girl sat dowl
full in the mmp-igh, 1t was a pretty, Iende
}. hoe bright With It's timid hopes and fresh younI
e love, yery, yer, brg.t-lar younger than the lac
e beside il, with the prayer in the eyes you NIGH
" have counted the difference by live years te'
the two girl., Meta Hunt had lived the longer
n the world-ths olrious world.
1t $50 YOU oac'ate on bein' married about tweIy
l. o'clock, hear tell sid Mrs. Searle, looking "
u If the mouruiu contrast Of those Two ispes IN "a
u Amp-ght struck her at all, II only struck ne
Is with sort OF impotence that Esther had lost Ne
h beauty, and never tcouid look like other girls.
$50 George says said Meta, with It'll
y happy blush. ,..,..
I'd Esther put her arm around her and kissed he
u, making more aud more mourniu that mournl'
a' c1ntras.
" "le alsays said we should be married on Ne
lg Years day, il is so pleasant, somehow, Eslhe
O. did you decide to wear your white dress