Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-06-19

listen.
There is rest for the weary,
There IL rest for me,
crooned the little voice. Then followed other
words, but ever the same "refrain," pathetic
on young lips. Aud turned aside, if haply
| might cheer the little one who sang of rest
Guided by the voice. | climbed dark
narrow stair; then found myself in diugy
little room. and, crouched on his hands aud
knees in trunde-bed in the corner, was Tim
suppose he might have lived in this world
dozen years or SO, yet here were no round
outlines Of the boy-tace, but hollow cheeks
and shadows about the eyes, touched in By
the hand Of pain. A ,ock of fair hair fell
over thoughtful forehead, and big blue eyes
full of wistfuI questionings as if to say
Why am | thus2" looked out at me from
between dark lashes. The furnishing of the
room was scaut enough Two crazy chairs,
an old sea-chest, rickety deal table drawn
up close to the boy, on which was arranged
his food for the day, Ia cup Of milkless tea
and piece of dry bread } one or two cracked
specimens Of crockery in a rack, minute
teapot, Kettle with a broken snout, aud the
wretehed bed on which Tim crouched. The
fifth, but, by dint of much craning of the
neck, it was just possible through the top
pane to gain glimpse of Gods sky. Poor
Tim little wonder he was weary!
Left all alone, my boy2"
AYES, sir Brother jim, he sweeps a
crossiu'. A kind lady gives little Aggie her
dinner, and keeps her at school all day; aud
mother hawks small wares But evenin'
brings 'em all home, and mother lights the
fire aud sets the tea TO draw, and it's lively
like then"
:" Do weary sometimes? Well, sir, hap.
pen do, now and then. You see, get
VERY tired alus a.settin' on my knees aud
elbows, and yet with a sad halt-sigh) allus
must. 1t hurts so cruel to lie on my back,
aud wuss still when 1 rolls on my side. But
when I'm at my wearest, think, Well, there
must be somethin good in even the pain God
let's be. That stands TO reason. sir, don't i'll"
How long had he been thus2 "One, two,
three years come Michaelmas. When quite
a little un, sir, fell down u cruel stone stair,
aud arter that | didn't grow right nohow.
Still though | was but little un, could
walk then, and when were six year old |
went to work turnin' 'bacca-wheel Too
young for work, sir, did you say Oh, no; u
baby could turn bacca-wheel; aud | alus
could earn my shllin' TO help mother, who
needed it sorey for father had died then
But each mouth kept CROWN weaker aud
weaker, till at length aud at last | couldn't
draw my poor legs arter me, and mother had
to carry me to my work Of a mornin'. Then
Ia. Oh tk.t k,l I
to turn the wheel and one mornin' fell of
my seat, all of heap like, on to the floor
and master, he says, Tim, you are not ct for
work you must not come again Aud he
paid me fortnight's wages, aud bade man
carry me home. Oh, when | was first Sc,
down here were that vcxed cause could
no longer help mother | thought I'd ha'
cried my heart out"
No murmuring word, that from n child he
was bound apprentice to pain and helpless
ness-hard masters for tender little one
His tears flowed "'causc he could no longer
help mother" Then | tried us we'll as
could to explain to the boy that the hardest
bit in each life is to lie quiet when we would
fain be up and doing, but that such enforced
inaction would be counted as hard toll when
the day was done aud we went to take our
wages.
Happen it may" said Tim. thoughtfully
"Well, sir, he resumed, When | was took
so bad, mother got an order, and | was sent
TO the hospital ior sick children, Ah, that
were beautiful place Everything so cleal
aud pretty, aud kind doctors aud nusses
a'walhin round and trying to cheer up every
body about Ladies used to come, too, aud
read them beautiful words out Of the Testa
ment about Christ hayin' compassion on III,
sick and healin' Of em. Howsomever
though he healed other children, he dlJn'
heal me. Not but that he was as sorry fol
me as for them, but he had different way Of
shown his feelin' for me. had not beer
long il the hospital when the doctors CON,
one norma to my bedside, and ran lonl
needles iuto my legs, all over 'em. Do yo,
feel that, my boyr says one. No, sir;
feel nothin''. Then the gray haired one shool
his head and said in low tone to the Others
Hopeless easel back been broken from 10
fancy. They thought Ms how didn't under
stand 'em, but | did; and when they were al
gone turned my face to the pillow aud erie,