The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-05-10

hhtAoNRAf iFiiR Ifit KiNlA VI hNA NAhil-
dance now and then Of course, when
charitable subscriptions had been pre-
sented to her; but she had thought it
a bore and a burden, not a privilege.
OF her own accord what good had
she ever done, what man, woman or
child was there to rise up and call her
blessed
"Here we are ma'am, said the child
breaking the silence.
1t was two story wooden house
before which they stopped They
went up stairs, and the little girl
opened the door.
Mother" said she. "a lady has
come home with me to see you-a
kind lady WHO has given me my break
fast, and brought YOU yours"
Mrs Lane stood u moment on the
threshold Of the room, and took in
such picture as in her young life
she had never seen before. The apart
ment was almost bare OF furniture --
no carpet was ON the fioor-there was
only the bed, three chairs aud a table.
But everything was as neat as hands
could make it; and against the wall,
at the foot OF the bed, hung a framed
photograph--tho fcaturcsofwh the
child Ellen's were almost copy.
81 have come, Mrs. Lane said, with
the sweet grace which had made her a
welcome guest in far different scenes,
ito see if l could arrange something
for your comfort; but first of all, you
must have some toast and tea, and
giving her little guide some money,
she sent her ont to procure fuel, and
sat down herself, in the meantime, be-
side where the sick woman lay, with
her baby asleep upon her arm. The
wan, pale face upon tho pill ow was
not beautiful; Annie Lane could not
be romantic or sentimental about this
woman, could by no means realize her
into a heroine. Yet there was some
thing good and true in her expression
and when she turned to place the baby
more comfortably, light and glow of
mother love Illuminated her features
till they were better than pretty. Mrs.
Lane was not long in learning her his
tory.
She had been used all her life to self
dependence. Before she was married
she worked on a sewing machine thor
oughly. But when James Stanton
married her she had given it up. He
was a mechanic, carpenter, and his
wages kept them comfortably. They
had not laid up much, however, for
during the eleven years of their mar
riage, three children besides the two
she had left now had come and gone,
poor feeble things that cost great
deal for the doctors and medicine.
Then, just before this baby came, a
scafolding had given away where her
husband was at work, he had fallen
from the fourth story of house, and
had been brought home to her, dead.
She had sold almost all her furniture,
and got along by that means until she
was able TO be about, and then size
had left the baby with Ellen and gone
out to do a days work Of washing and
CcTreaning. 1t was labor which she was
not strong enough for, but it was the
only occupation she could get and af-
ter a while she had taken q severe
cold, and had grown 50 Ill that she
could not get out at all They had
eaten mp everything they had, and this
morning, for the first time, she had
sent Ellen out to try to get something
somewhere, to keep them alive until
she could work again. "And it must
have been God, ma'am, that sent her
to you" she concluded
Mrs. Lane, helpless, pretty little
thing, scarcely knew what to say. Her
heart beat with tumultuous throbs of
pity, her eyes were full of tears. In
all her sunny life she had never before
been brought in contact with actual,
gaunt misery and restitution At last
a thought occurred to her
"If you only had sewing machine
now, You could take work home when
you get better couldn't you, and sup
port yourself and children so nicely ?"
The woman sighed deep, uncon-
scious sigh Of heartfelt longing.
"Yes, aam, could, but you know
that's an impossible if | can never
get one. I'll be only too thankful if l
can get well enough to get out again.
If | don't, | don't know what will be-
come Of the children"
"But God knows, whispered Mrs
Lane softly. Gle pities Us as father
pities his children"
Then came Ellen with coal and
kindlings and the subject was not al
luded to again.
When their five o'clock dinner was
over that afternoon, John Lane went
gaily into the sitting room with his
wife lie had pleasant surprise for
her, and laid it in her lap, in the shape
of check for the amount of two hum
bred dollars.
"There, humming bird" he said,
there's for your carpet. Business
has prospered this year, and what is il
good for but TO make home bright, and
wife happy p
She turned her face and touched
her lips silently to the kind hand rest
ing on her shoulder Perhaps John
was disappointed that she expressed
her pleasure SO quietly. He had an
tieipated her gay laugh of merry exul-
tatlon, her delighted chat about colors
and patterns. Her new mode sur