Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-05-31
LIGnr Az EyENrIpE.


bright October afternoon and looked away off
at the glory Of the autumn woods They
were indeed regal in their gorgeous beauty,
flaming in crimson aud purple and gold. with
here aud there tree still clothed ia almost
summer green. the mountain background of
dark evergreen serving but to enhance the
glyciy OF the scene; and the whole gorifed by
the brlliou, sunshine aud the blue bright sky.
a ies. pootcal person than Margaret Allen
might have been pardontd for dropping the
coarse blue kuitt,ng.work in her lap and fold
inc her hands in a sort Of quiet ccstacy, while
eyes and heart end soul feastcd on this won
drous beauty But despite the silyer-threaded
hair, the wrinkled hands, and the form from
which years and toll had stolen every vestgo
of youthful grace, there was something
away n the depths Of those calm blue eyes
which said plainly that the woman had some
time felt the power Of the poetry and beauty
of lie in her own soul. Aud once felt, who
ever outgrows it so that beauty and -ubimity
do not claim a response
II was long ago, however, this poem Of her
life, aud the grave must have closed over
many cherished memories, for her years al-
ready numbered half century. But what
ever odium may attach TO the epithct or idea
of old maid, no one could look upon her
as she sat there, so quantity neat iu her plain
attire without feeling respect, if not positive
love for this woman, whose calm brow bore no
wrinkles to tell of the storms she had encoun-
tered because through them an Patience had
sat at the helm.
There must have been some mild intoxi-
cation in the scene TO allow Of her busy
hands lying so long idle, or had the sight or
scent Of the leaves, fallen or falling from the
crimson naples in the yard, carried her un-
consciously back into the iar.oil past2 1t
must have been, for somehow, memory took a
quick leap back over thirty weary years, and
Maggie Allen, gay young girl, was treading
the eai-strewn aisles Of an October wood
and hearing the leaves rustic beneath her
feet in pleasant accompaniment to the deli
cious music Of her lovers voice. The world
was all iairylond then. Her day-dream pass
ed over,-with an unconscious sigh for those
happy old times, and half start Of surprise
that she should be thus yiyidly recalling them
She picked up her neglected knitting and
carefully counted the stitches. There must
be thirty-two on needle, the same as there
were on the ankle, she said aloud, by way
Of calling her truaut thoughts from the ro-
nance of the past to the reaitie, of the pres.
cut. But thoughts will not always be thus
easily led, and while her fingers worked
among the bright needles and the Mates,
kitten played with the ball Of clouded yarn
Margaret mentally reviewed the time sine,
that eyentful autumn, thirty years ago,
Robert May and she were to have beer
married the next spring, but her mother went
into a slow decline. and on her, the Oldest ol
the family, fell the care Of the household
So the marriage was postponed indefinitely
and Margaret toled braycy on for those 81,
/ had loved at home and hoped for better days
But Mrs Allen fingered q weary invalid
long after the rest Of the grave would hav
been welcome to her Mr. Aliens healtl
just then failed too and Margaret, undaunted
cared teuderly for them and was father an,
mother both TO the half-do2en younger broth
ers and sisters, till her thirtieth birthday saw
both parents resting at last under the sod
Joe, five years her junior managing the farm
and the rest, still younger either lending
helping hand at home, or al work elsewhere
for the farm would scarce support them all
and pay the heavy expenses Of so much illness
And now Margaret might be spared to 9
to the home so long anticipated, but in thos
ten years, q change had come over the spiri
Of her dreams, and Robert May, weary O
waiting, had gone, no one knew WHITTIER
There seemed little to hinder his going aftc
his father died, for his mother had been dca
for years, and he had never had either broth
er or sister, aud SO. when Margaret told hin
as calmly as though her heart were not break
ing over it, that she would not hold hir
bound to pledge Of which it might be s
long before she could redeem her part, b
took her at her word and went forth, a di
appointed man, to make his way in the worl,
Man-like, hesupposed the sorrow and sacriiC
all his own, and peryersely chose to beiey
that Margaret never had loved him, el,
= would not have given him up so easily. RI
mors of his marriage came after time, au
then Margaret gave up the love she fouu
she had all the while been secretly cherisl
ing, and felt that the one dream Of her Ii
was over.
Patience oh, tried aud faithful heart
Was ever such iial love or unselfsh dew
ton let 90 uureward? 1t may not find
! reeomponse in the way we would hope, or eve
expect, but somewhere somehow, in God
own good time, the reward shall come. II
child who has faithfully tried to be good a
day and is rewarded at tea time by an exit
9 large piece Of pie as token that his efior
d have not been unnoticed may perhaps regre
fully wish that it had been his fayorite min,
j. pie, instead Of the palmer or less temptir
I custard. But when he awakes in the NOR
j ing, fresh and rosy from an untroubled slee
did he know enough he would thank his j.
e dicious parent who gave him the food be
4 suited to his childish needs We are all bl
a foolish children, ignorant OF our best goo
Y but | think when we wake in that last gre
morning, we shall have grown wiser, and ca
look back and thank the hand that in wi
i, kindness withheld from US the high-spiced an
exciting indulgence that we crayed, and gave
instead the plain everyday experience whi'
should most perfectly 6t Us for the her
after
: And now twenty quiet years had rollt
away. Joe had never married and he sti
carried on the old farm while Margaret ma
aged within doors but of the five young
children, one and another had passed ava
till only Marion was living. She was thirt
five, far from being a young lady to be sur
but having been the youngest Of the lamii
@ and the pct aud plaything of the rest, she hI
grown to her present years scarce being co
- scious of them, and even now, while othe
:. were marking her as an old maid, she was
:, irisky and kittenish as a girl of fifteen, al
y gave herself all manner Of youthful airs.
d was not so strange, for Joe and Margaret bo
persisted In regarding her as mere child.