Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-03


she sat with her mother upon the yerandah,
and her face was sad, though the sunlight fell
upon it.
Mother, am sorry that ever had any
thing to do with Mary Arlington
Why so, my child?'
Because she only uses my kindness for
her own seIfshuess. have helped her in
her lessons, and got her Oh when she was ia
trouble with her teacher, Miss Atkins, and
you know that ! let Miss Atkins think that
had broke the rules rather than that She
should be exposed. Aud she has never
thanked me- And know that she says hate
ful things about me behind my back. am
tired Of being kind to her, and getting moth
ing for it but her seliishness.'
e Well, my dear, did you act kindly for the
sake Of getting something back for it? Ought
we not to act generously for our own sake Y'
don't see any use in being generous
when it only makes people worse
But our Master says If ye love them
that love you what reward Tor merit) have ye}
DO not even the publicans the sameF 1t Is
very pleasant to receive Kindness for kind
ness. But no one is acting as a Christian
that is not willing to show Kindness and self
denial to those who are ungrateiul and selfish,
Nothing more was said at this time. Flor
ence had the matter upon her heart all the
evening, and was glad when bedtime came,
that she might sleep off all her troubles.
She soon fell asleep and began to dream.
Now Dreamland is Faiyland. All manner
Of queer people are moving about in Dream
laud and very remarkable things happen
there. Florence had gone to sleep without
shutting her window, and the wind must have
felt little cool for she dreamed that the
snow lay upon the ground. And she saw a
man with large bag sung diagonaly across
| his breast sowing some kinds Of seed. 1t
seemed very strange to her to see him casting
seed on snow, and so she dreamed that she asked
him, "Wili the seed come up in the snow2
When he heard her, he turned his face, anJ
she thought she never saw farmer with $,
noble countenance. His eyes were larg,
and sad, and yet there was also look IN
[ them OF calm hopeiulness.
We SOW our upland grass seed on tn,
snow in hopes that by and by the snow will
melt. and then the seed sprouted by its mois
ture, will come up" And fixing his eye.
gently upon her, as if he would mark the ef.
| feet of his words, he said: They who il
this world would sow the seeds Of goodness
must do as we farmers d. and often sow upoI
the bosom Of the snow.
She awoke-so plainly did his voice soun.
in her ears Rising, she closed the window
aud again fell asleep.
In a short time she began dreaming NOR,
strangely than before.
She thought she was poor woman whl
was living on a piece Of very hard and rocky
ground, trying to plant thereon some fowei
seeds But every time She opened her han'
the wind seemed to puff them away. A
last, when her seed was almost gone, Florenc
thought that what seemed to be the wind be
gan to look like birds, and little by little the
changed to beautiful spirits and she say
that they caught in their hands the seed tina
would have fallen on the rock aud threw /
upward, and the seed seemed to fly up and u
till it was gone out of sight
While she was looking up, she though
that the skies opened and she locke
through and saw these beautiful spirits plant
ing the very seed that had been cast fort
out of the palsied hand of the poor old VIC
man. No sooner did they touch the groun
than they sprung up again into all manner G
> beautiful flowers more beautiful a hundre
times than any lilies, or roses, or jessamine
that she had ever sown on earth.
As she stood admiring the wonderful sigh
she turned and saw the very same person b
her side that had been sowing grass seed o
the snow But now he was clothed radiant
: ly, as if the brightest clouds had been mad
into garments; and his face, beautiful beior
seemed to her more beautiful than all flow
ers. Then he looked very kindly upon he
and said "My dear child, do you not Sc
that only here and there a seed fell to II
/ ground and came up, but that all the re
went through and were planted in heaven
So it is with kindness among men, The cart
catches a few only Of the seeds Of kindne
sown, but all the rest 60 through and al
planted in heaven, and nothing good is eve
, lost"
! At this he laid his hand upon her hea
and such a thrill went through her body thi
she sprung and awoke. Her mother it WI
} who had touched her, saying; "Come, Flo
;, ence, it is morning, The birds are cqllin
+ you Come