Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-03-03
The Ten WOrkmen.

= Transiai,d j5om hs FfsneA for Moore. RsraI Ner
Yorker
E The winter evenings have Just begun a
Williams Farm. After the days work al
the family gather around the lireside, and tn,
neghbors come in to join them for in thes,
solitary valleys Of the Yosges the houses ar,
few, aud there is a sort of relationship estab
lished throughout the neigtborhood Hearts
open around the farmers hearth without re-
serve and disclose that inner life, without
which the other, in all its mysterious beauty
is but semblance of living.
Cousin Prudence, the most wonderful stor,
teller Of the mountains, always comes to JOIN
the group He knows not only what tn,
fathers relate, but what is in the great worlC
Of books He has learned the names Of the
great mossy rocks which rise on the heights
above like sentinel guards He knows the
origin of all the old houses and the historic.
Of all the old families for miles around. lie
has great wisdom, too. He knows how to
read hearts, and it is seldom that he cannot
discover what troubles one. Others have
remedies for the infrmites of the body but
the old peasant is a physician Of the soul, and
so we call him Prudence.
This is the first night since the New Year
that he has joined the company, and everyone
seems delighted except the young farmers
wife, who replies to his questions with little
interest as if her mind was somewhere else
Pretty Martha is thinking of the great village
where she was brought up She regrets the
gay dances under the elmtrees, the long walks
With her young friends, the merry talks
around the fountain. She rests her head on
the table, while her thoughts travel back into
the past. Her spinning-wheel does not turn
the spindle is still full of fax while her alb
sent fingers play with the thread The good
man Prudence sees all, but says nothing for
he knows that advice is like bitter medicine
that one gives to children-to make it accept
able, you must choose the right means and
the right moment to give it in.
Just then one Of the little ones cried out,
" A story a story please, dear Prudence. ~
He smiled as he saw Martha still idle, and
said
Well, well it shall be as You please,
good people all Last time | told you about
the old days when the armies of the Pagans
ravaged our mountains that was about
] AstHdEt duN was "a AlHANIN lbl Tue ulIu. -NbN
shall tell you one for the mothers and the
children, and we will call it The Fairy
| Yert-d Eau.
This tale, my dears, is not one Of those
that we leave to nurses, and you can read it
among true histories; for it was our grand
mother Charlotte who met with the adyen-
ture, and she was very truthful and brave
woman. Unhappily her mother died very
/ young, and she was left alone with her father
at the head Of large farm, more burdened
with debts than with revenues. One work
succeeded another so fast that the poor girl,
who had never known care, quite gave up in
in despair very often, and not able to do all,
/ left all undone."
One day she was sitting near the door,
gazing with longing eyes on the happy world
outside, thinking and wishing, till she spoke
right out before she knew it, God pardon
me, but my task is too heavy for me to bear.
| 1t is strange that | alone at my age, should
be tormented with so many cares. When
would be more diligent than the sun, | am
not able to do even the work of this house
All why is not the good fairy Vert-d' Eau
any longer in the world? If she could hear
me, and if she would help me, perhaps |
might forget my trouble, and my father have
no more uneasness.'
BE satisfied, | am her." interrupted a
voice and Charlotte saw before her the
mother Vert-d' Eau, bennington her little holly
wand. At first the young girl was afraid, for
the fairy wore robe unlike any she ever
saw. She was dressed entirely in frogs
skin, whose head served for hood, and she
herself was so ugly, so old and so wrinkled
that with million for dowry she could
never have found husband.
However, Charlotte began quickly to ask
the fairly in atrembling, but very polite voice,
what she could do for her service.
1t is /, who came to place myself at
yours" replied Yert-d' Eau. F" have heard
your complaint, and bring you relief"
"Ah do you speak seriously, good moth
er 2" cried c., who lost all her timidity in a
moment. Are you come to give me bit
of your wand with which | can make my
work easy ~
Better than that" replied the mother ;
" l bring you ten workmen who will do all
that you wish to have them"
" Where are they? Oh, tell me, good
Vert-d Eau" cried the young girl.
"You shall see them only wait one mo-
ment !" and the old woman opened her cloak
and there sprung out ten dwarfs Of different
sizes. The first two were very short, but
large and robust. There cried she, are
the stoutest they will aid you in all your
work.. and will make up in strength what
they want in dexterity. These that you see
next, who follow them, are taller and more
skillful. They can milk, draw the fax from
the spindle, and attend 20 all the house-work.
Their brothers, whose great height you notice,
are particularly useful with the needle, you
may see by this little silver thimbe have
adorned them with. There are two Others
not quite so learned, who wear ring for a
belt, and who can do little but aid in the gen.
eral work, as well as the two last, whom
wish you to hold in special esteem, on ac-
count Of their good nature. The whole ten
may seem to you like very little thing, but
you shall see them work, and you will then
Judge differently"
At these words, the fairy made a sign, and
the ten dwarfs sprang up. Charlotte saw
them execute, one after another, the toughest
and the most delicate work they bent to all
gracefully, and we're able to prepare and do
everything. Utterly bewildered, she cried
out for JOY, and extending her arms towards
the fairy, she exclaimed
"Ah good mother Vert-d' Eau, lend me
these ten brave workmen and | ask nothing
more from Him who created the world"
will do more" replied the fairy.
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