Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-26

Hester's Lesson.
Hester Kent was washing the dishes one
Sabbath afternoon, and as she moved listless.
y about her work sang softly to herself:
Come whore my love lies dreaming"
Hester :" called her mothers warning
voice from the sitting-room
"Yes'm.n
What are you thinking about, my child
| DO you know what you are singing p
Yes'm, but | can't bother TO think what
I'm doing all the time"
Mrs. kent's attention was claimed Just
here by young man with a torn pinaiore
and dirty face, or Hesters remark might
have received further notice But the words,
so thoughtlessly spoken stayed in her mind
as she worked, and repeated themselves again
and again till she exclaimed half aloud
That didn't sound very well, believe. |
suppose it was only the short for saying
couldn't take the trouble to be good. Well
/ can't-at least, don't" and Hester fell
into such deep reyery that her mother said
again, little impatiently
Come, my child Can't you move lit
lie faster wouldn't paddle 50 long
You won't have the dishes ready for break.
fast, I'm afraid
Hester Strengthened herself up as if with
the strength Of sudden resolution, and, with.
out making any reply, went on briskly till
her work was done. Then she set the table
for breakfast, shut the cupboard door, and
hung up her apron, which she usually forgot
to DO aud slipped up the back.stairs to her
own room
There she said, as she turned the key,
and sat down by the window. 4" Now I'll see
what has been the matter all day, and how
III have it different tomorrow"
She was doing wise thing-going away
by herself aud thinking over the day-to fud
out what was wrong, and how to set it right.
It was very wise thing--one that can hardly
be done too often bu, perhaps she was not
doing it in wise way She went carefully
over the events Of the day. She was very
frank with herself She did not forget, nor
try TO excuse a single fault. She knew what
she ought TO have done, and where she had
failed. But when she had finished her review,
she only said
"Well, il wont be 20 tomorrow. shall
have everything just right oil day, for shall
begin right and then the whole day will 20
right. 1t can't help it,
Her mother called her from the foot of the
stairs, and Hester went down to answer.
Yes, she was right. The day must 20 right,
if she began right there is everything in
that. But had she forgotten nothing
Next morning she was up bright aud early
and put her room in order and studied her
rhetoric over twice before the bell rang. AZ.
ter breakfast she had no work, because she
was allowed all her time to herself on school
days; SO she strapped her books and her
lunch-box ready for school, and started of to
have good play before nine O'Clock.
I'm coming on beautifully" she said, as
she skipped along This is going to be
such pleasant week "
As she ran up the school-house steps, some
one jostled against her. She looked up and
cried out hastily;
Cant you be careful, Abbie Harland
You're always blundering. Now, see what
you made me do ?"
That's nothing replied the other, coolly,
looking at the lunch-bor at her feet and its
contents scattered over the icy pavement
" You can have my lunch. don't care for
| it, Hester" she added, as she saw the angry
( flush on Hester's face. " | didn't mean to do
it; you know I didn't Please don't be
yexed, for am so sorry
| But Hester only turned impaticntly away,
! Half an hour later she would have given
anything to recall her hasty words and ac-
cept the apology so quickly given for Abbie
llarland was Hester's dearest friend. But
she went into the school-room with a shadow
on her face and heaviness at her heart. The
whole day passed. and not word Was spoken
( between them. Both were troubled, but
neither would take the first step toward rec.
onciliation. Abbie had been once repulsed,
aud 30 feared TO make a second trial and
Hester would not yet humble herself to own
that she had been wrong. But she could
hardly keep her mind upon her studies, and
when her rhetoric was called she stumbled
aud grew confused, and finally sat down al
most with a failure. In Algebra it was still
worse and she went 10 her seat conscious
that the day so well begun had ended i'll
enough. At night she was dissatisfied and
unhappy, but resolved again that tomorrow
should be different, and her good purposes
not once forgotten.
j The next day was full of disappointment.
She oversight herself was hurried in her les
sons failed, and was kept after school to
learn them; and, worse than all, she seemed
farther than ever from return to her friend
ship with Abbie Harland When she went
home at night she began to think good re-
solves useless, and that in her sef.examina-
tion Of Sabbath evening she had forgotten the
FIRST and greatest duty of all; seeking for
help and guidance from a power higher than
any earthly power.
THAT was where failed" she said, sober
ly, as she walked home in the winter sunlight.
81 didn't begin right"
But this time she did not say SIS she had
once before
! :" I'll do just right tomorrow"
. She hesitated now. She knew there was
but one thing in the wide world that could
make her happy and that was the love of the
Saviour in her heart. Hester had been we'll
taught She knew where the right path lay
and that she had never found it. She knew
too, that the service of Christ called for a
daily effort, self.sacrifce, and self.denial
which she was unwilling to give. She count.
cd fully the cost of accepting Christ, and 80
shrank from it, but had she counted the cost
of rejecting him2
, " It's no use," she said miserably. IL
can't shut my eyes and 60 on any longer. l
know what ought to do, but I'm not ready
to do il yet. Oh dear I" and the Hester who
walked slowly into the CHEEKY house that night
was very different from the one who left it 50
o blithely that morning.
Alone in her room the same thought fol-
lowed her, ~. ...i......
81 wish somebody would tell me what to
do. Not that, either, for know but help
4 me make up my mind. can't ask anybody
. !, to talk to me but | almost wish could"
The opportunity Hester longed for came
During the forenoon.recess next day, she wal
standing apart from the crowd Of girls, JUS
on the edge of single step down to the stree