Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-08-19


A traveller one day called at cottage to
ask for a drmght Of water. Entering he
found the parents cursng and quarreling, the
children crouched in a corner, trembling and
wherever he looked he saw only marks Of de.
gradation and poverty. Greeting the inmates
he asked them, Dear friends, why do You
make your house like hell?"
All, sir said the man, you don't know
the life and trials Of poor man, when, do
what you can, everything goes wrong
The stranger drank the water, and then
said softly, as he noticed in dark and dusty
corner a Bible, Dear friends, ! know what
would help you, if you could find it. There
is treasure concealed in your house. Search
for it,"
And so he left them.
AT first the cottagers thought it a Jest, but
after while they began to reflect. When
the woman went out, therefore, to gather
sticks, the man began to search, aud even to
dig, that he might find the treasure. When
the man was away, the woman did the same.
Still they found nothing; increasing poverty
brought only more quarrels, discomfort, and
strife.
One day, as the woman was left alone, she
was thinking Of the strangers words, when
her eye fell upon the old Bible 1t was a
gift from her mother, but since her death had
been long unheeded and unused.
A strange foreboding seized her mind
Could it be this that the stranger meant She
took it from the shelf, and found the verse in
scribed on the title-page, in her mothers hand.
writing" The law Of Thy mouth is better
unto me than thousands of gold and silver. -
1t cut her to the heart. "Ah !" thought she
" this is the treasure, then, that we have beer
seeking" How her tears fell fast upon the
leaves
From that time she read the Bible every
day, and prayed, and taught the children tc
pray but without her husbands knowledge
One day, he came home, as usual, quarreling
and in a rage. Instead of meeting his angry
words with angry replies, she spoke to him
kindly and with gentleness. " Husband,
she said, ave have sinned grievously. We
have ourselves to blame for all our misery
and we must lead a different life He look.
ed amazed. "What dost thou say 2' was his
exclamation. She brought him the old Bi
Bile, and, sobbing, cried, " there is the treas
ure. See, have found it,"
The husbands heart was moved She read
to him of the Lord Jesus and of His love
Next day she read, and again and again, while
he sat with the children around her, thought.
| hui anu attentive.
Time passed on after a year the stranger
returned that way. Seeing the cottage, h,
remembered the circumstances Of his visit
and thought he would call and see his old
friends again He did so, but he would hard
ly have known the place; it was 50 clean, SC
neat, so well ordered. He opened the door
and at first thought he was mistaken, for the
inmates came to greet him SO kindly, with the
peace Of God beamiag upon their faces "HoS
are you, my good people ?" said he. Then
/ they knew the stranger, and for some time
they could not speak.
Thanks, thanks, dear SIR we have found
your treasure. Now dwells the blessing o.
God in our house, His peace in our hearts =
So said they, and their entire condition, and
the happy faces of their children, declared
the same more clearly.