Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-28


monotonous funeral march and as for that
gray sky, it really doesn't look as il the sun
ever could shine through it again"
Mrs Wlmot glanced over the street where
the houses showed dim through the mist, aod
the lcafless trees tremblcd in the cold and
rain
"rhy lot Is the common lot ofau,
Into each life some rain must fall
Some days must be dark and drcary,n
she quoted little dreamily.
Well. there is no particular comfort in
that, 10 far as | ever could discover" said
Marion. remember when we we're chill
dren We had the scarlet-fever at the same time,
and our old Irish nurse used to say to me,
Sure yo mustn't fret so, dear aint the other
children all down wild it, too2 But couldn't
see that that fact made my headache any less,
my fever any lighter, or all the abominable
doses any easier to swallow. 1t may be poetic
consolation, but it isn't practical. Just fancy
yourself trying to summon up courage to have
a tooth extracted by the reflection that at that
very moment there are probably ten thousand
different persons, sitting in ten thousand diff
ieront dentist-chairs, with their ten thousand
mouths open, waiting for cold steel and
,gony ~
Mrs Wilmot laughed, yet bent a quick,
searching glance on tho fair face opposite TO
her. There was vein Of bitterness under
lying all this seeming lightness.
What is il, Marion 2n she asked. 1t
has taken something more than this rainy day,
| know, to turn all your gold into dross."
don't know that anything has done it,
Helen. In fact don't know what is gold
and what is dross"
Which means that you do not know
whether to answer yes or no to question
that was asked you last night2" queried Mrs.
Wilmot, venturing upon shrewd guess.
Only the sudden flush that swept over Mar
ions check and brow told that she had heard
the question. She gazed steadily into the fire
for a moment or two, and then took up her
book again. Her sister watched her little
anxiously. The offer was brilliant one
wealth, position, power--and the cherer was
neither immoral, ungentlemanly, nor disagree
able. But had he no earnest purpose in life ?
that troubled Mrs Wimot most.
Marion was pondering that question, too
the pomp Of place and the glitter Of gold had
/ blinded her a little But this man fell far
below her ideal of true, noble manhood.
| Through all his conversation there came no
ring Of deep thought Of honest opinions care
/ fully formed of a brave, earnest, unselhsh
purpose in life. He could not even sympa-
thize with, or comprehend such things She
felt that if she entered upon this path, her
best resolves and highest aims, her truest self,
must be put aside. itcyould he dwarfed and
starved by the influence of life that should
be one with hers, and yet would be altogether
diverse Despite all the offered pleasures
that it held out to her. would there not come
many hours of loneliness, when the life to
which she was looking forward would seem
empty, worthless and false
Busy thoughts that she could not put aside
weared aud troubled her She could not in
tercst herself in her book, aud she went out
in search of Mamie, who had gone out to the
kitchen.
There's a man out here ma'am, wants to
know if you want any umbrellas mended."
No." Mrs Wimot answered carelessly
" Oh, yes, do too :" she answered, with a
quick, second thought Mamie broke one
the other day trying to use it as balloon.
Where is he, Matilda ?"
Out in the hall, ma'am." And Matilda
returned to the kitchen, while Mrs. Wilmot
hunted up the article with fractured bones,
and carried it out for inspection.
A little spare. thin man stood there, lean
ing slightly upon his bundle of umbrellas to
afford support to one limb that was shorter
than the other. His coat, a rather shabby
one was buttoned closely around him, and his
cap was drawn well down over his iron-gray
hair but from under this latter article pair
of bright, keen eyes were surveying his sur
roundngs. A little boy, shy, pale-iaced,
sad eyed little child, was with him.
Got something for me to mend, maam y
the man asked, as Mrs. Wilmot approached
him, aud his voice sounded wonderfully CHEEKY
aud pleasant to come from such a person, and
on so foIorn a day "Yes'm, yes, indeed ;
this is easy mended Wen have it all right
iu hurry, won't we, Johnny2 If the lady
can give us u 10 of place to sit down, we
needut take it away at all"
Mrs. Wilmot glanced at the childs little
hands, blue with the cold, and turned inyol-
UNFAIRLY toward the bright, warm kitchen Ere
IL wont mako much dirt, | suppose p
she questioned, pausing moment ere she in
yited him in
"Oh, no, ma'am Dear, no Nothing
more'n piece or two Of whalebone aud bit
of wire at the most y
Mrs, Wilmot was reassured, and throwing
open the door, she gavo them comfortable
seats by the fire, noting, as she did so, how
eagerly the two pairs of hands were held out
toward the warming blaze.
Trying to timber nay fingers little bo-
fore | begin, ma'am," the man said, with a
smile. Its cold, bad day out, but
spose you wouldn't feel it much here" he ad.
ded, with an admiring glance round the clean
bright kitchen.
" Does you live a good ways of, little
} boy?' queried Mamie, brushing the curl'
away from her face, and making hospitablS
advances toward conversation with the
young stranger But he only looked at her
wonderingly, and moved little uneasily in
his chair.
" How now, Johnny Why don't you talk
to the little girl2" said the father briskly
Then, apologetically to Mrs. Wilmot--" He
ha'n't been out many times with me, you see
: I'm only Just beginning to take him, because
hc can help to carry the umbrellas some
times"
Z" How many children have you ?" askeC
Mrs. Wilmot kindly.
Only four, ma'am. johnny here is tn,
oldest. We did have three older, but they
are gone away now"
"Away--at places, you mean ?" questioned
Marion, not quite comprehonding, and begin
ming to feel interested in the old, cheery
little man, with his quick movements and hi
readiness to talk
lie paused an instant in the act Of laying
+. out his tools, and looked toward her,