Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-03-18

The ears stopped at lonely way-station on
the edge Of an oak-opening; two young ladies
were helped out by the conductor, two trunks
tossed upon the platform, and the train moved
on, leaving the girls stranded, as it were, upon
an inhospitabe-looking shore. There was but
one tiny og-house in sight and far on towards
the horizon stretched the bleak, barren prairie.
The travellers however, We're familiar with
the spot, for they were teachers in seminary,
thirty miles distant, reached by branch road
forming here junction with great central
route, and were returning to their labors after
the winter holidays. A man had appeared as
the train stopped, who first examined the
trunks, chalking some cabalstic sign upon
them and then entered the solitary room Of
the depot and repenished the fire.
"Oh, this terrible, glum-lookmg place" "
said the elder Of the two as he left the roonI
" 1t always puts me in mind of Haworth moor
and the Bronte sisters. That man looks surly
aud ill-uatured; and don't wonder"
" DO YOU think o2" answered her CONF
panion. ' thought he looked troubled, and
was questioning whether it would do to speak
to him.
" Nonsense, Clara The man is cross, like
enough, because he has to keep sober in this
out-of-the-way den, and it isn't very proper
thing to be making free with such sort of
people with whom We have so little in COM
mon
Only that Christ died for them as well as
for us-we are at least bound together by the
need Of the same salvation"
There was no reply to this, for just then
the man came in again to hang up lantern
and as he stopped to brush up some ashes
about the stove, Clara heard low sigh and
she felt borne in upon her mind the convic-
tion that she ought to speak to him.
You must find it very lonely here, sir, 50
she said after an instant's hesitation.
The man looked up surprised, if he
thought, " And what does anybody care if it
is ?" then he answered, Yes miss, awful
lonesome | call it, especially and his voice
faltered--' since my wife died"
Your wife died, and here ?"
Yes, miss, and we had to bury her there,
just within the woods Lucy--shes my old
est--likes it because there's bitter-sweet
climbing round that big tree, and she said it
would be cheerlul-like with its orange-seeds
when every thing else was withered. But il
seems so bleak and hard"-and the man
shuddered-"to think of her lying there"
WAS she a Christian !"
"Oh yes, miss"
Then you must not think Of her there
but in home far more beautiful than We can
imagine Don't you believe in her Saviour y
( "Well, miss, there it is; don't know
/ You see, ! had TO come here | couldn't gel
I - -. l. ,,,l .. ,,.a IN. hn1x. D.,
speak to, and it isn't much | can teach my
two girls and somehow feel out of the way
as if God didn't care for me here, and some
times | think I'd be more in the way of being
u Christian somewhere else
" Did you evef read in the Bible the story
of blind Bartmeus ?'
"Yes, miss, the children like that"
" Have YOU never thought that all tina
poor man could do was to beg and so begging
became his duty, and as he sat in the way o
his duty, Jesus passed by2 If Christ is to b,
found in one place more readily than another
it will be in the place in life to which Goo
has appointed us. Wherever We are, the op
portrnity for repentance is always ours ant
by the gift of the blood of Jesus, whiel
cleanses all our sin, God has written nOie j
the time for pardon and salvation"
" DO you really think il means all of us ?
"Yes, ALL Give up everything but belle
in Gods willingness and Christ's power. II
is waiting for you, yearning to receive, if yol
will only come"
Bless your kind heart, miss, said the man
: with fearful eyes as the expected train ar
rived with all the coming and going, no
hodv has said "A word to me like that