Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-16

went up and down the garden paths. and
looked at all the flowers Suddenly the old
lady stopped, and said in friendly way:
-" hear to my great joy, that my dear
Marianne docs not yield so much to bad TEN.
per, and is not 10 impatient as she used to be.
! expect your governess has had a good deal
TO do with l., and | will certainly thank her
heartily for t."
Marianne looked down on the ground, with
blush upon her face and then took her
grandmother's hand aud kissed il, and said
4" No, grandma. my governcss has not so
much to do with il as our old gardener, Klaus,
or, rather my birthday apple tree, for it was
the means Of teaching me patience on nv last
birthday, when was hoping you would come
and visit US, as you had always done before.
" Indeed Canan apple tree do anything
am certainly surprised to hear that an ap-
Pile tree can do something which your mother
had never been able to do" Then she drew
her granddaughter close to her. and, embrac.
ing her, said:
MY child, it is a duty which you owe to
God to strive against your faults and to Law
on every besettlng sin that you have. He
has crowned you with good things from your
birth to the present time. You have made a
good beginning but, if you will progress and
finally triumph altogether, you can never do
1t by your own strength, but must do il by
asking the Saviour to help you"
That evening Marianne grandmother took
her up stairs into the large bedroom which
she always occupied when She visited the fam
lily, read psalm TO her, and then took out of
her trunk large aud beautiful apple which
she presented to Marianne.
Marianne was astonished that at this time
OF year there should be such splendid fruit
but, as she took the great apple into her hand,
she observed that it was only made of papier-
mache.
Now, suppose" said the grandmother,
" that you are very curious to know what is
in it it is my birthday gift for you, and you
have certainly waited long enough for it,"
Marianne turned the apple around on every
side, bat she could not tell how it was to be
opened. AT last her grandmother had to
show her. She pulled the stem of the apple
just little and then the apple fell right apart
in the middle, and there stood before her
beautiful little carriage, with two black DO.
nies, all made Of ivory. Marianne thought
1t was the most wonderful thing she had ever
seen, yet she did not know what TO do with
such present for she was little too old
TO play with such thing and it did not seem
to have any use As she looked in wonder
at It, her grandmother said to her:
" must now explain to you my strange
gut. You once said that it was your great
est wish to have a little carriage, with two
ponies, and ! determined | would fulfill your
wish as soon as ever | had learned from your
mother that you had learned TO control youI
passion, and had ceased to cry at every little
thing that happened which did not please you.
IL seems to me as if you have now reached
that object, IN a great measure, and, until
you have reached it altogether, this little car
rlage must serve you as picture of what the
reality is to be. As soon as the apples have
ripened on your beautiful tree, | will ask
your mamma aud your governess, and per-
haps the old gardener, to decide whether or
not you are ready for the live ponies and the
big carriage, to take the place of the little
ivory ones that you have now.n
Marianne's joy was indescribable, and she
could not cease TO thank her good grand
mother over and over again for the lesson
which she had taught her in the little gift
which she had now presented. Then she
said:
"On the first day that drive out with my
little ponies and carriage, and you have de-
clded that am worthy to have them, must
90 to the house Of old Klaus first, and then |
wiIl present him basket of apples and
beautiful apple cake, for he is the person to
whom owe most for having learned the use.
ful lesson"
Marianne has now grown up to be young
lady, and she still keeps the beautiful little
ivory carriage and ponies upon her dressing
table. 1t is lesson to her, for every time
she finds that she is overcome, in a measure
by her passion, she goes aud looks at it, takes
out ten cent piece and drops it into the lit
tie trunk behind the coach, and says Now,
that is the little penalty must pay in re.
membrance of the lesson that have learned.
All the money which give this way shall be
spent to provide Christmas trees for poor
children"
The apple tree in the garden has now be-
come very large, and has borne a good deal Of
beautiful fruit, but the most beautiful apple
that ever shone upon itsbranches is not half
so beautiful as the precious fruit which it has
been the unconscious means of bearing in
Marianne's heart. She thanks God daily for
having made the apple tree an instrument Of
helping her to overcome her faults.