St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-12-27

self helping her mother. IA she sal par
Ing basket Of peaches for lea, her moth
er looked ai her with pleasure, thinking,
Blanche knew how busy i WAS, with
Bridget away. and hurried home 10 help
me.
But helping her mother seemed NJ
! length no more 10 Blanche's mind than
/ playing with Carrie had proved, and 30
She left the unfinished peaches and went
up 10 her little bedroom, she bolled the
door and sitting down on the bed hurried
her sad face in the pillow All, the Sc
cret WAS Blanche had been irving 10
work over heavy heart Buf she could
not cover up the pain nor forget for a
moment that she had told lie. Two
days before, while playing with her SIS
ter Agnes She had while Agnes for q mo
ment had lrtt the room, dropped her toy
fat iron upon the face OF Agnes new
WAX doll, and crushed lis pink check and
broken IN Z blue-eye, The doll was spoil
ed and when Acgie came IN and asked
how il happened that FlaNy WAS broken,
Blanche had said. Il don't know; vou
must have dropped her in your haste ge-
ing down stairs" No, | didn't, s;nd
Agsie, and the poor doll was carried IN
disnay 10 their mother, who, failing 10
ascertain how II WAS done. the manner
of the accident still remained = mySte-
w
"Oh if | had only said Il did IL IL
il would have been easy enough then. be-
cause Didn't mean 10. and | should hot
have been blamed. But now how can
] fell her and have nv father, and moih-
CT, and Edward, all know how very
mean and wicked have been Ne,
cannot tell
80 blanche got up from the bed, bath
81 her face. brushed back her hair, and
while rolling her soft auburn curls over
her finger. seemed 10 have 4 new and
comfortln. thought She went 10 4
closet and taking down = gresn and punk
iron BANK. where she kept her pennies
I'LL they made dollar set 10 work
vigorously shaking them out Of the mar
row little opening until fifty pennies lay
on her lap, Fifty bright cents, do
you not think, children, they would lie
enough 10 Isay for telling lie Let rs
see, blanche put on her hai, and wenl
10 a toy store, and selected = WAX doll
with a. soft curls. and as bright eyes,
and as pretty checks, as poor Flaxy's
had been. and returning from the store,
selected from her box Of pieces some blue
berage and velvet and sa: down 10 her
work alone in her bedroom. As she
fitted the frock neatly, and then made Il
nice little turban, and held up the really
beautiful doll. she would have been very
happv-onlv-she found she had MOI Eol
= nd OF the heavy, aching feeling in her
heart. Iii would be So nice 10 give il
10 Aucie. bought with my own money,
and dressed before she knew IL, II | had
only said / dil il , wonder If / should
saw 80 now, If could feel any worse,
from shame, than now DO from guilt -
All Blanche, thai WAS great question
Thousands oi people have asked IL, over
heavy hearts, seeking for relief, and upon
the WAY they have answered ii, has de-
. pended the .lov or sorrow of their whole
lives. Thousands of people to day. Young
:, and old, are trying 10 keep some heavy
burdening secret-irying 10 cover Il up
in every way-by being busy, by dong
good 10 Others. by heaping comforts 10
= themselves above it-hui they all come
: 10 Tins guesiion-.'Would the shame Of
: coniessing and making reparatiOn be hard
' er 10 bear than this - Some have stolen
- and seen OILERS suffer rather than con-
= fess. Some have committed murder and
" kept the guilty secret, while an innocent
: person has, IN their place, been hung,
From the smallest 10 the greatest SIN, i
= i terrible thing 10 conceal II IN ih'
breast.
Some such thoughts As these passel
through Blanche's mind and then he
:. mind was made up She first took he
:, Bible, and - if directed by God her eyt
!. fell upon the words ~lle that cOver,fl
!, his SINS shall not prosper, hut whose con
: tesseth and forsaketh them shall fin,
- mercy" Oh, how true tins seemed
Blanche knelt down and confessed he
sin. first. TO Him who knows our heart
=, wholly. Then she went 10 her mothe
:, = and WAS glad 10 find Aggie with her
Il have come" she said Ito tell 70
. both something very sad, but I'm gla
I've made up my mind 10 it I brok
Flaxv. | didn't mean 10 do Ii, OF oours'
. but | did, and told a falsehood about
and have been miserable ever since.
an Aggie looked up with wonder, but sai
Is nothing. She WAS too much touched l
BlanChe's manner, and too tender hear
Is cd 10 say one word. Her mothers ey,
ell filled with fears as she said, MY de;
d. ch Id Won have had bitter lesson. The
Ire Is no punishment that can be inflicted !,
IN 4 wrong, 80 severe as trying 10 hlnde ol
~ ouilt. anG, bear ii alone. | reloice liz
= YOU have tod US the truth We certain
he ly forgive Won freely and feel sure yC
lie will never again tel a lie" Althou.
he blanche sobbed as she received 4 K
nm from her mother and Aggie, she felt
th sweet peace which WIS worth a thousal
yes times more than the PAIN OF eontessn
i've The burden was gone, Now she cou
ok play. Now she could work. Now :
no could do anything And how hap
ct she was now TO surprise Aggie with 1
of new doll
nly Those who ask this question win,
the Blanche asked and decide differenil
she carry their burden until they grow har
ened and often add SIN TO sin, until th
lalf fail 70 feel the stings of remorse and COZ
sill to believe they have lost the burle
TO They will Yet have to find out that
Nv was only covered up for /. short I'm
test God Will At last simply show them tn,
lne own heart and if too late for them