Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-10-11
Coming into tine Kingdom.

BY NRs. J. D.. CHAPLIN.
Little Dick Seaman, young as he was, knew
that he was not ready Tor heaven aud the
thought that he did not love God whom he
desired to love, now broke in on all his stud
les aud his plays. lie grew restless and un-
happy aud oil his efforts to grow good
usually ended in a quarrel with Aunt Hep
sey, bis adopted mother, which almost broke
her heart, and did not certainly make him
any better Good uncle Nathan was aways
wise enough not to NEEDLE in these little
brolls, aud so usually ended them by sending
Dick to the postofiice or the store. Neither
Of these good people understood the depths
Of the child's nature so they played at cross.
purposes IN training him, one discournging
aim through conscientious sternness, and the
other spelling him with injuiicious indul.
geuce.
Dick often cried at night when he said his
prayers but much as he crayed sympathy
he dared not ask for il at home. But Que
day at school he felt as if he must have help.
or he could not enlure it any longer So.
asking to be dismissed for the afternoon, he
took his way over the fences and fields to the
cottage Of his old friend, Mother Gale, aud
10 her he told all his nernlexities After =.
long aud confyrtinr talk. he set off for home
which he reached half an bour before school
was out Aunt llepsey's first words we're,
llancng at the clock. " Who told Won to be
dismissed at this time Of day 2n
Dick resolved to tell the whole story. al
haven't been at school this afternnon, I've
/ l. -
Up to Mother Gales? We'll that's fine
work Dick. YOU are a rery bal han Io
Won know that ?"
A cloud gathered over amt ITensov'. face
and seeip, il ready to bre,s be C.lt hat po,y
vas the tIne to mike peace. G,in, toward.
her. as She sat dsrninp very vigorou,l lv on one
of uncle Nathap's ,re.t stockings he nnt his
arms round her neck kissed her and soid
" Mother. love you don't be ancry /
went no 10 ask Mother Gale how 10 nleose
God. wanted 10 love Him and didr't
know how
Aunt IIensey sprung to ber feet and lot
stocking aud ball fan to the floor. She look
ed the boy earnestly in the face to make sure
that he was not triAinr with her When she
saw the great tears dropping from his eyes
,he stopped aud kissed him. and said in a tone
ne had never heard from her before. "My son.
have always loved YOU; o Dick. did Won
. We to wander about town to find some one
10 lead you to God when YOU had mother
At home Have been tilius my neighbor :
| garden, aud letting my own run to waste ?"
Dick did not comprehend the allusion. but
he asked no explanation.
The little fellow had welded his stubborn
will, and taken up what was his "cross, and
vas thenceforlh one Of the little ones" in the
Kingdom of God.
Aunt llepsey was not little humbled and
mortified TO fnd that the child, seeking to
please God had been to people hardly known.
,way from their own fresidc, for help
while she who was so active abroad and q
pillar in the church, had been ignorant Of hi,
'truggles aud would hardly believe the change
genuine which had taken place under her own
roof and without her aid. But whenever,
afterwards, she saw evidence that little Dick
vas human still, she would draw deep sigh.
as if grown.up Christians also did not fall
short of the perfect rule in spirit, in word
and in deed
Once when Aunt Hepsey had covered his
new writing.book with coarse pink aud yell
low wall paper, like that in the kitchen, "to
make It wear we'll" Dick cried, because he
wanted to see the man on the cover teaching
the boys to hold their pen. 1t was, in his es-
TEEN, pretty picture and all the other
boys had it in sight. But she was inexora-
BILE. Alter sore inward struggle Dick
wiped his eyes and set of with the unsightly
] thing for school