Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-02-02

bind the opposite houses, when he and Lucy
set Of with the old lady TO imptison her with
it the unknown and terrible confines Of the
workhouse walls. The neighbors looked out
~ their doors in Amusement to see old Mrs.
Roden venturing out on such cold and frosty
day, when she had not been known to 20 TO
church all the summer through. She wasn't
50 very religious, after all, said they; for il
was pretty sure she could have managed to
get to church many time, instead Of doing
over the fire at home. But Mrs. Roden was
not thinking Of what the neighbors would say,
but Of the boy upon whose arm she was lean
ing, and who was taking bort and slow steps
to keep gentle pace with hers.
Enoch clasped his grandmother's arm very
tightly to his side as they entered, after the
rough crush OF the crowd before them, into a
long, bare ante-room, with a bench placed
along the straight walls, upon which they
took their seats, to wait patiently until they
could see the relieving officer. There was a
fire at the upper end, but they could not get
near it, as they had hung back while the rest
we're pressing in ; but not a word of complaint
said the delicate child or the feeble old wo-
man, Though they shivered with the numbing
cold. IL was enough for them that they had
learned to believe that God, in whom they
trusted. w-s measuring and weihging out even
their little trials. But Enoch glared around
him fercey and impauently; with the great
or ferceness and impotence becauss there was
absolutely nothing he could do, except to sit
there watching Lucy and his grandmother, as
they grew visibly colder and weaker before
his very eyes. At last one of the guardians
passing through the room was arrested by the
decent quiet little group near the door, and
stopped abruptly to speak to them.
" What are you here for p he asked, grufly
enough, and addressing the old woman.
- want to come into the House, please,
air, she answered, falteringly.
- Have you got no son or daughter to keep
you off the parish, eh - he asked.
" My son John is dead, she said he
died ten years ago, and ever since, his wife,
Susan has been keeping me but she's been
laid up these six weeks, and I'm naught but
burden upon her, now I'm old and sim
pie"
" She should never, never come, if we could
help it," said Lucy, meekly but tAere' 8
only Enoch and me, and | cannot do anything
except take care Of the house. Enoch cannot
get any work to do"
" Do you want to work, young fellow, EN- W
asked the guardian.
IRA do anything in the world" cried
Enoch, eagerly.
"Oh, fnoch," said the old lady, {" l shall
90 into the house in peace now | knew the
Lord would appear for us in his own good
time. See. he has sent the work to do and
while thou'rtin the streets crying the papers,
III be praying 20 Him that thou may sell a
many Of them. The blessing Of the Lord
it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with
it, And when thoust paid up the rent, and
mother is about again, thee and Lucy will
fetch me away, and we'll 60 home with re-
joioing. The Lord has provided, and I'm con-
tent about thee and Lucy"
Her voice was CHEEKY as well as her face
and her blue eyes smiled straight into Enoch's
gloomy features but before he could speak
the relieving-o officer came out of the board.
room, and remembering the old woman as one
whom be had seen in Hills Close a day OF
two before, wrote out the order for admiss sion
at once, and directed her to the entrance Of
the masters apartments. She babe her chill
dren farewell with brave and resolved heart,
and took the Bible which Lucy had carried
in the lilac spotted handkerchief. Enoch threw
his arms round her, and chung to her for a
minute, as he had been used to do when he
was a very little BOY ; and then bursting away,
he drew Lucy hurriedy after him, and did
not slacken his rapid pace until they were
beyond the long and dresry looking building,
which now contained his dear, lost, banished
grandma her. -Enoch Roden.