Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-11-27
Z" Our Boy"


1t was not "our boy at all there, but
very desolate, forlorn, don'tbelong.t o-any
body" looking object who stood peeping slyly
into the window behind the halfdrawn curtain
Of pretty cottage, the warmth and brightness
Of the scene within giving double touch Of
GOODNESS to that without, TO the poor child, so
near and yet so far, he thought, from it him
self
1t was all 20 simple too, like one Of the lit
tie Dutch pictures whose homely beauty so
affects our hearts amid the gorgeous displays
in the galleries of art
1t was a wide, brght-noored, well lighted,
warm kitchen, in which was sitting pretty
child Of three years, playing with wooden
bricks on a strip of carpet in the corner near
her, laying in lazy content, big dog, and
huge Maltese cat while young woman, evi.
IDENTIFY the little girls mother, was engaged in
preparing the evening meal.
Ever and anon she stops to help baby build
her house, or seeming to answer some Of the
many questions coming like little bubbling
stream from the red-lpped cherub.
Now she puts down dish and pan, unable
longer to deny herself the luxury and catch.
ing up her darling, half smothers her with
loving caresses. Even as she does so her eyes
wander 10 a nail on the wall, where hangs a
small hat--her lost Needless hat, and q sob so
deep and sorrowful bursts faom her heart that
little Nell, baby as she is, turns comforter,
and clasping her tightly in her arms, lisps,
Don't cry, mamma, our boy 'tun again"
Eyes, darling; yes, know he is safe at
home, but he will never come again to us.
By-and-by, dearie, we will 90 TO him."
Now, putting aside kisses and tears, she
must attend to the biscuit in the oven, and to
the kettle boiling over on the stove, and urged
by the increasing cold, our poor Willie takes
courage and knocks faintly-so family indeed
that no one but baby hears. But she is in
stantly at the door and opens it with her MIN
BILE fingers, which clasped tightly together in
pretty fashion of her own, she excaims, 80
mamma, tum sec our boy has tum dess."
The mother turns wouderingy to the child
and the open door, and shivering boy, and
shivers herself as she comes toward him and
kindly bids him enter. In his hand he held a
bit of paper, which she took from him, and to
her intense surprise saw her husbands hand.
writing.
"MARY send this poor boy to you. Say,
shall he be ours? Or will you send him out again
into the cold world? Your loving E."
For one brief moment there was struggle
in her heart. "Our boy. My boy. No ont
can fill his place. Never, never" Just now
she turns and looks at the child He is jus
Neddies size, only too thin, he has bis brown
gentle eyes, and wide, smooth brow, too, anC
even the curve Of the small mouth seems tn,
same. Their eyes met in heart-questoninl
look. Her mother heart going out in spite o
herself in pity and love to the friendless on,
what if her boy had been so left Aud he
all the pent-up longing for three long year
bursting forth in one wild, uncomfortable cry
as he read doubt in her face, Mother, oh,
want my mother !"
She could resist no longer. Bending owe
him she pressed a right warm, motherly kis
upon his lips, saying " Yes, you shall be on
boy, and | will be your mother Come Nelli,
here is your new brother. Not Neddie deal
He is high up in heaven, but--Willie, is it
Our Willie and Nellie"
Then she led him into her own room, an
began with nervous haste pulling off his sol
ed, patched clothes, that She after a war
bath, might dress him in the pretty suit h,
Neddie had worn last. This done, all as
dream both to her and the boy, they WEI
back TO the kitchen--and while she finishe
her arrangements for her husbands comfor
the half.iamished child ate eagerly the bow
OF warmed milk and bread she gave him, viii
Nellie with one hand on his knee, told hi
the story Of her broken doll, and begged hi
to mend her up just as odder broder did"
So, Mr.. Gray found them, when few mt
ments later, be came in from long afte
,rfvF 10 AkA asN al II -.
how he had found the boy at farmhouse /
stopped at on his way, crying because II
farmers wife had declared she would no oni
erkeep the little brat her husband had brougf
from tho poorhouse awhile before.
For" said she, he isn't strong enoug
to feed the cattle or chop the wood, and b,
sides, he keeps a crying all the time as
somebody was a beating of him."
The tender heart Of Mr. Gray, bruised an
bleeding still from the sudden death Of b
only son, needed just such medicine as mil
istering to this broken-hearted child woul
give him-and finding, by further inquiries
that he was utterly alone in the world, and {
the woman said, " No harm at all in the chill,
sir, only too simple-like aud babyish to SUI
rough folks like u.s." he decided at once
send him home, that in his absence Mar
might find out whether or not she could tax
what the Lord sent, as well as resign chez
fully what he had taken again to himself.
SO, it was all settled, just as he hoped an
prayed it would be, and with happier hear
than they had felt since the sad burial-da
they partook Of the evening meal, and unite
in the evening thanksgiving and prayer.
And Willie from this time cast of the c,
ccssiye shyness and fear Of offending, While
lack of confidence in the love Of his prote
tors had occasioned, and became the comic
and delight Of his new parents and sister.
In after years, when their care was rewar
ed by seeing him not only good, but gre
man, he used to say, that Of all the happy m
ments Of his prosperous life he counted th
the happiest of all, when buta moment befor
he stood homeless houseless friendless, Mot
or Gray's kiss gave him assurance that be W
80 no longer--but henceforth be was 10 be,
at least those three warm hearts, our DO,
for ever.
Religion without an outward show OF
Is like tree without fruit, useless and on
ward show Of religion without inward 81
cerity is like tree without heart lifeess