Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-02-20
miscellaneous.
TIE .NNM AIOHM.

1t was dark December night, wild and
Stony. Ever since midday he storm htd
fallen with unwtaTyirg perfeveIarce, and now
lay deep On the ground. ] bad been detain-
ed al my cfhco later than usual, and he'd TO
cross dIeaiy moor Tor some two miles, to
reach ny home, must confess felt chilled
at the prospect oifuth walk IN such a storm;
but Wrapping ny plaid around me, and II, fl in
hand. set forward, thiI king Of the fright
little home / should soon iesoh, aud the dear
ones who wee waiting my return with low
ing welcome. Soon left ihe busy town and
liz many lights behind me, and stepped out
into the di,mal moor. Tie snow Law much
deeper here On the untrodden loot path, and
seemed to all more heavily thau before 80
thick and binding that ! found myself per-
petualy susyipg rom The proper road way,
and with fhculty rouecod my sttrs; the
cold felt keener also, and tlaIp east wind
had rison. At times became a most breath
less with the struggle, and had to pause for
gathering strength, enc faced the storm once
more. At length lItioiced TO see the guiding
post, which was placed wLeie three roads met
and against which ! was thankful TO lean for
few seconds until hbd recovered breath
l was just on the point O starting off afrosh,
when faint sound Of a human voice caught
my ear. Startled, listened, but all was still.
shaded my eye with my hand and stared
anxiously into the surrounding darkness, but
naught could discern hey ond a wilderness
Of snow, and was just concluding my imagiu-
alton had deceived me, when again the came
murmpr came floating through the air.
Feeling that, with the guide post so near,
could hardly lose my way, ! fastened for
ward in the direction Of the sound, and soon
distinctly heard child's voice repeating tine
i ord's prayer. IL had a strange fleet in such
storm at such place. and my heart beat
high when the gentle "Amen" was said.
/ called out, Whose voice is that" but
there was no reply. / called again, more
loudly than before, and then the timid answer
came. johnnie" and few steps brought
me to a boy some eight years old, standing
shiyering in the snow.
My poor little man. | said, care you
all alone Z"
"No," he replied, Nellie is here; but she
grew so cold and tired / could not get her on
and now she Is fast asleep. ] felt sleepy, too,
but thought ! would say my prayers first"
And as ! stopped down to the bundle of snow
he had indicated as being Nelly, he whis-
pered softly, Has Jesus sent you?'
"Surely he has, 4 answered " had you
not said your prayers. Johnnie, you might
both have persisted. But how came you here,
my boy;"
ave went into town his morning TO see
grandma. 1t was showing then, be said, in
nocenty. "when we left home"
"And where is your home % asked, ''and
who is your father"
"Farmer Ruthland," he replied 'we live
AT High Farm"
High Farm happened to lie on the road to
my own house, 50 | told Johnnie We would
all 20 home together. lie rejoiced to hear
my name, and remarked TO himself, 81 How
well it was | said my prayers"
found Nellie indeed half asleep, wrapped
in heavy cape, which the devoted little fell