Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-06-05
aMtscellanu.
A Woman at the Bottom of II

land a. he threw his evening paper aSlue,
and faced the little group in the parlor, 81
am fast growing out Of patience with this
revt-. 4 woman at the bottom OF It. 1t
rvo1ld be strange in this world, made up,
~ far as we are aware, Of nothing but the
TIL sexes. if a woman would not OCCASION
.ur he found at the bottom of a scrape. 4
roman mind YOU, Is never accused of
bainr ar the bottom Of anything that is
mod Ii Is the injustice Of the thing
5bat makes me angry. Now there are
hundreds of Us poor fellows who owe all
we have. al, we are, and all we hope to
become. in this world or the next, to the
unsel6sh love Of woman.
TIE l,entleman's face was flushed, and
~ snoke very warmly and freely, 50 much
GO +ba- his wife. rocking her baby to sleep
4 +be further corner of the room, inquired
=. But why should you care, John? 1t
bas aIwavs been so, and always Will be.
W. don't think much about 1t ow,because
no b.,-o been taught to expect It.
.. R7t Won should care. and you should
f,,bt f,r each other more than you do.
There Il one chapter in my Hfe-histo' y
that have always kept locked in my
heart. But tonight / feel as if it were my
dutv TO open it for your inspection and L
DO 1t for the love of wOman-tor the love
of one woman who made me what l am
worthy to be the husband Of good
woman.
. Why. John" said Mrs Hayiland,
-5fIv approaching baby still held tightly
90 her bosom" You absolutely irighten
ne
. Let's have the story said the rest OF
the erouf, certain that something good
mr-ht be anticipated and John commen-
rsi OF first a little timidly, but gaining
confidence as he advanced.
When [ first came to New York, at
tae age Of twelve years, to seek my
fortune. J can call myself a precocious
bar without danger Of being accused Of
an Unusual degree Of sclf-appreciation. l
va- .lfck to learn everything, the bad as
well zs the good Ny employer used pro-
fame language; picked up the oaths he
Er5ruad with a naturaIness that surprised
myself even. Tue boys in the Office al.
sEewsI tobacco. This was a little the
hardest lob ever attempted but after
two weeks Of nausea and indescribable
stomach wrenchings, l came of victorious,
and [ could get away with my paper a day
with the best of EN-.
So Oh. John " interrupted Mrs Haviland,
her pretty face all drawn up into knots.
True, every word OF it, continued
the speaker.
"Oue afternoon 1 was sent with a note
from nv employer to house in the upper
part Of the city. ! hadn't anything to
read, but I had plenty Of tobacco, and
with that l proposed to entertain myself
during the three or four hours that must
spend 10 the passage. For some distance
1 did not notice who we're beside me, but
by and by q lady said very softly and
pleasantly" Would you please, little
bov, be more careful, I am going to a
party this afternoon, and | should hate
very much to have my dress spoiled"
| looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face I ever saw. Pale, earnest
and loving. to my boyish heart it was the
countenance Of an angel.
Q. What in the world did you say 2' in
terrupted Mrs HaviIand, her bright eyes
filing with tears as she saw how the
memory of this beautiful woman affected
her husband.
Say There was very little 1 could
saw. | think all | did for some time was
to look. l managed to dispose of the
tobacco, however, and wiped my mouth
very carefully, all Of which | felt certain
she saw anl mentally commented upon"
Have you a mother, little boy ?' she
next asked IN the same low tones.
&" No, ma'am, | answered, and | felt
my throat filling up and knew that | mast
swallow mighty fast to keep from sobbing.
You have a fithc- then. suppose p
she kept on
No ma am, no father.
Brothers and sisters"
All alone, ma'am."
"How long has your mother been dead n
and the dear woman looked away from my
face and waited till | could speak.
Two years l answered.
And you loved her 2' came next.
Dearly" was all [ could say She
was silent for moment, and she said so
swcetly-oh 1 shall never forget it
" And what do you think your dear moth
ar would say-how do you think she
would feel-to know that her little boy
was guilty Of such disgusting habit as
this2'' pointing to my cheek where the tell
tale cud bad vainly tried to stand its
ground.
q" I must leave now she continued,
" but here is my card, and if you can come
to me most any evening, l sha II be glad to
see you, and perhaps we can be of service
TO each other
Sae gave me her little gloyed hand, and
to my dying day, L shall never forget the
sensation of that moment. | could not
bear to part with her, without her, [ felt
that | could DO nothing-with her, l could
grow to mans estate-a man in the truest
sense Of the word From that moment
tobacco never passed my lips.
As soon Is l could muster courage, [
called upon the lady Well DO | remera-
Der how my heart beat, as | waited in the
elegant parlor for her to come down, and
how awkward l felt as l followed nv
guide to her private sitting room. Here
she got at every point Of my life, and be-
tore bade her good by it was arranged
that l should spend two evenings each
week at her house, and | was to read and
study on these occasions Just what she
thought best
No lover ever looks forward to meeting
with the mistress Of his heart any more
ardently than did to these evenings with
my friend.
grew careful of my personal appear
an'e-careful Of my conversation. and
stroye 10 every way to be worthy this no.
Die friendship. Two years passed in this
n,lu' llanner-two years that made
ne Ny friend not only attended 70 mT
studies, striving also ali the -. - ny