Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-03-13
The roman Sash.
A STORY OF TIRE cmcAoo FIRE.

] a nANNn ~ AIfE iNIIANN FIRE.
At lost! at Tasty" cried Ruth Vaughn
tripping gaily iato her mothers room, aud
displaying little roll Of grceubacks, hay,
enough for the sash au cight-dolIur one, too
Isn't it a satisfaction, though Just think ol
the whole, mortal year of scrcwnr. and saw.
ing, and sei-ieuying, that this tiny roll ol
solid comfort represents.
Mrs Vaughn smiled. She appreciated the
efforts that her daughtor had made to secur.
for herself a much craved article Of feminine
adornment, without drawing upon the limited
resources OF her parents
| am glad you have accomplished it,
dear she said " am sure | hope you
will enjoy wearing the sash, enough TO COM
ponsate for all The little priyatous endured 10
the acquisition Of IT, Al there is your la-
tber. Sure enough; tits the annual meeting
Of the Bible Society tonight bad almost
forgotten it. Run and help abos tel We
shall wish to 90 early TO tho meeting
After tea aud worship, Ruth accompanied
her parents to the Bible meeting. There is
no need to describe ito tell how au honest
hear ssyo to ,ho claims OF God and ts fel-
low beiuks, sweils with surprise aud grief to
learn how many souls there are who have 30
/ light Of Scripture to shine in upon them
how many homes, in our own fair laud, have
no Bible in them
Ruth had an honest heart She loved the
Master, aud his blessed cause. As the Soci-
ETY. report uniolded to her interested alteu.
tion the need and the claims Of the destitute
Of the field her heart sweled with great
/ longing to do something as her share towards
sending the gospel to those who yet sat in
darkness. have not a cent Of my own, 81
she thought Papa's money is not mine
How | Wish | had a single dollar"
You have eight in your pocket this very
minute" said voice within. But that is
as good as spent" returned Ruth, mentally
disposing Of the price Of the sash. To be
sure, | could do with seycn.dolar sash, but
| should never be content with it. My heart
is set on that lovely one in billiards"
She moved uneasily in her seat, and a shad.
ow came over her young face. The speaker
was closing his address 81 do not ask aims
when say TO Christian people, Behold youi
opportunity ask only that you, who
have crce asked Of the Master, What shall
uv tVlnuuIlt eu'cIhai INC WuJ uuti pecause
of some dearly priced possession that you can
not sell aud give TO the poor, turn away sor-
rowiul from US tonight"
"That Roman sash would send Bible to
twenty families whispered the voice. Ruth
bowed her head upon the seat in front, aud as
sh, prayed, her right hand slid into her pock-
ct, undid the lastenings of her little purse and
grasped the roll Of currency.
Do you think the act cost nothing?
Because her face was radiant as She drop
ped the precious hoard into the collection box,
as the bearer passed it before her, do you
think She had taken up no cross in denying
herself only gay, siIkcn sash
Have you ever given up for Jesus sake the
one thing for which you have toiled, and saw
cd, and waited, during whole year2
The winter passed, and the summer again
was ended. In her pleasant home, in the
Garden City Of the lakes, Ruth lived and
served IN her plain way the Master, content
to iorego the girlisn adorument Of apparel
once so iondly crayed.
The frel at has crossed the river.
The cinders fill the air. one cried, rushing
fTai.eally through Mr., Yaughn's house, tow
ards daylight, that fateiul Monday.
Save yourselves while you can Don't
stop for goods The fire is upon US 60
Ruth scarcely knew how she dressed her,
self and her little brothers, She only knew
that somehow and at some time, in the sudden
terror, she found herself and them, with her
mother, out upon the bleak prairie, huddIed
with score Of homeless ones, around few
articles Of household furniture, saved from
the flames, houseless, hungry, thirsty and
shyering with cold and fright. All day aud
all the long bitter night Of sorrow the little
family crouched together on the cold ground
praying and waiting for relief Mr.. Vaughn
came once to them with some fragments Of
food, aud little water. lie was laboring to
save some Of his goods from the store He
succeeded in removing the greater part Of his
stock to a vessel on the lake. At the last he
saw the vessel burn TO the waters edge Wea.
ried and worn, and utterly cast down, he re-
turned again to his family. II was Tues
day afternoon.
" Everything is gone he said. 1--WE are
worse than beggars The city is ruined,
Here is little bread. paid my last cent
for it. God only knows when or what we
skell- cat again" he said in tones SO full Of
hopelessness
"a God will take care Of US, papa" said
Ruth +" lie has kept US all alive" Thank
God, oh, thank Hin for that said her IA
ther, embracing his suffering little ones
For as Ruth spoke, man who sat upon
wreck OF what was a piano, held to his view