Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-23

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This Saturday night we hoped for rest
and quiet, thinking the work of the week
creation could be had. Looking into the
street we saw men and women hurrying
| by to the theatres, concerts and places of
| amusement, so common or numerous In a
large city-saw workingmen and women
hurrying by with bundles or baskets, tel
ling by their haste that they too were
seeking rest, with food for the morrow
and the shopping that ends the week.
Theatres, we have seen enough of these,
so the novelty and interest have well
nigh gone. Concerts-when not too tired
they are well-but when one is weary,
where is the place like home?
With back to the light we sat reading
| about the courtship of Miles Standish.
| who lost q woman by not asking her hand
himself rather than counting her by
proxy. There was timid, half-scared
little rap on the door, and in the room
came two little girls.
One of them was thirteen, the other one
nine. Two sweet faced children, clad in
other than expensive garb.
"Can we come in ?"
"Certainly, little ones. Come in and
sit down"
1--WE have no time to rest!"
care you not tired-you look so ?"
ayes, sir. we are tired" spoke the
elder one, who had on her arm little
box.
"What have you there?"
| "a little jacket, sir-somethipg to wear
in the morning"
"How much is it worth ~
1.-TWO dollars and half"
"Did you mother make it2"
eyes, sir"
! Chow is she now--is her lameness bet
| ter, and can she work ?"
"a little better, and she can work
some."
Shave you sold anything to-dayP'
"No, sir, not penny's worth, and we
have walked and walked all day"
"You wish to sell that to us ?"
"Yes, sir, very much"
"What if you do not 2"
"Then we must fast till Monday"
Had you dinner to-day"
mo, sir-nothing to eat to-day"
"Have you nothing for tomorrow If
| you don't sell this i"
"Nothing, sir, and it is so late we can
not sell this now"
ado you often fast-go hungry"
Sometimes, sir-very often when
mamma is sick"
Suppose you have nothing to eat to-
morrow-what will you do 2"
"Wait till the next day, or the next, as
we often have to-" .-
Don't you feel bad when you have no
food in the house?" ....
eyes, cir, some. But there are good
many worse off than we are, so we pity
them, and that helps some" ....
"Worse off than you arel Here, little
ones, take the money, and take this. We
will have some supper for you-some cake
to take to your mother. Then you will
run home and tell your poor mother that
all will be we'll some of these days-and
what she makes, come to US again, and
we will see what can be done. Good
nightp
They have been gone two hours. We
heard the patter of their tired feet as they
FASTENED down the steps and into the
street. Then we put aside the book of
poems that told US about the courtship of
the Puritan Captain, who came over in
the May flower, and thought of the poor
hungry oaes. ..-
Said one of these brave little girls
"There are good many worse off than
we are"
And this was not happiness, but it's
twin sister, comfort, to them. O. the
God given philosophy of that sentence |!
They did not find fault. All the day had
their feet measured distance-huudreds
of times had they entered houses and off,
oes to sell the stock in trade of that poor
widow-one little jacket made of cheap
wooden material, on which our good gov
eminent had fixed a tax and tariff for the
benefit of the rich. They were not dis.
coursged. Often and often had they been
turned away-but drawer than thousands
of men, these children of poverty had
kept on doing their best, thinking that
the next attempt would bring them means
to purchase foods. .--.--.
As we thought of them we grew strong,
and all the WEAKNESS left us. There are
80 many worse off than we are. So many
who have no homes-no food-no clothes
no friends-no hopel At least they
think so-forgetting all the time how
many there are in the world worse off
than those who complain. % -
Tomorrow we shall do something. In
our pockets are few dollars not wanted
We shall buy food and coal for some who
are sick. In our wardrobe are clothes
partly worn. We can give these away to
children, or to kind mothers to "make
over" And we can help somebody, no
matter if we are not SO rich as are many
who never think of the poor unfortunate
ones.
From the lessons taught US by these
little girls we shall profit, and thinking
how many there are with whom we would
not change places. Work on earnestly,
contentedly, till comes another Saturday
night. -