The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-02-04

bye Kathie, and a sweet goodbye Mil
dred dear the sisters parted, What
long farewell they were saying, neithe
! dreamed as they looked upon each other
in the pale gray light Of that winter day
For some reason, Kathic only imagine,
,chy, the hustle in the street below tn,
bow-wiudow opposite, the little children
as they passed in the later morning, anc
whom she had meyer before failed to watch
for, went under the window by twos anc
threes as gay and bright as they we're tn,
before day, when she had smiled down upot
them so choerily and happily But thu
morning she did not see them she seem
ed to have forgotten all, everything about
her. She was away back among the
years, which both she and Mildred had
tried to bury by never spc king Of
To-day she could think Of them, recall
each bitter mark left upon them, with q
sad, but perfectly quiet spirit
She went back calmly, even without
tears to that dreariest, darkest day, when
all the mother they knew, was worn
tired body, whose pale tired face, was
scanned aud crossed with lines of care and
sorrow, and who bore over all, on the
side they had so carefully turned to the
pillow tiny blush mark, left there by
hand that years before had clasped hers
while its owner had promised to love,
cherish, and protect her in the name OF
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
BY that one fearful stroke the mother's
spirit went out The blow was 50 care.
fully and skilltuIly sent, that never one
word or moan, escaped the weary lips ;
and Mildred and Roger, and she, Kathie,
were written motherless and worse. they
knew than fatherlcss.
Mildred had never forgiven, never
would, the fathers mad spirit burned in
her, as well, and through these years, the
girl had borne stone in her bosom. where
an heart should have throbbed. Ka,hie
knew it,
Slowly she came up out Of this grief,
to the trial Roger had seen through the
woiul Influence Of this creature whom
they called tathcr-''mother' little Roc.
cr' aul hcro, tn slender hands folded
over each other, with painful clutch
Step By step, Kathie came back over
this rough way through thes3 sickcning
years, to this chill winter hour but it
was as if She had not suffered it, it was
like life she was but looking into.
The cold black sky suffered no sun to
point the rise, height and decline Of the
day, and Kathie muled on and on, until
she felt, rather than heard, ths mournlul
strokes one, two, three, four. 1t was as
if she walked to consciousness, rs if some
one was saying to her, "it is you Kathie,
you who have suffered. do suffer, and
must. Must, must, must, from one to
four, the bell beat the words out.
She buried her face ia her hand, and
laid both upon the table at her side.
Then came another sound the sharp
1uicl; claug Of bell, which shrieked
out as Kathie's knel, fire fire ! fire
She did not move such sounds were
OF almost hourly occurrence but whea
the bowed head was lifted. the face was
ashen, and horror-stricken, for under the
one door Of this little room, tiny thread
Of scarlet flame was slowly creeping.
Ere she could raise her voice to utter
cry, another, and another, fercer, bolder,
redder, danced over the threshold.
She did MT hear the tramp Of hurry
ing feet in the street below, nor the clat-
ter Of horses hoois over the pavement.
She only knew there was upon this
fourth floor no living soul save herself:
the rooms were rented to girls, who like
Mildred, were never at home during the
day
She was alone. Ifany thought of her,
they would be too busy with their own
to spare one moment for the salvation of
poor wretchcd cripple girl botter dead
than alive.
1t vas tiny thread no longer, now,
but mad sheet of flame whose hot waves
already scorched and blinded her.
Turning, with desperate effort she
threw open the window, and reaching far
out, gave one awful, far.reaching cry.
1t was answered. Just turning the cor.
ner at which Kathie watched for her the
night before, came Mildred.
At sight Of Kathie, she stood as If
fastened to the spot then seizng the arm
of fireman hurrying by, she fairly shout
ed, "Don't you see her? save her, oh
for the sake Of heaven save her my SIS
ter. my sister, Kathie Katbie :"
But no answer reached her. \ deaf
oning crash thundered through her mad
cry. A part of the roof had already
fallen no human power could save that
tiny figure, now so clearly outlined against
the flame.
In momentary lull, there came
shrill sweet cry, Mildred dear, look at
me, say goodbye to me, Mildred oh
Mildred see"--another crash, as if
bolt had fallen from heaven, aud the
tottering, trembling. burning mass, turned
and fell upon itself, carry NJ with it thar
poor tired body; but setting frer, IA, by
the burning Of its bonds, the soul, the
eager, anxious spirit of Kaihie.
Yes, she saw now, through this fiery
portal. God had called her up, up to him
self, where lie would make it plain.
UNCONSCIOUS iNFLUENCE.-As men are
unconscious Of how much harm they do,
and of how much unhapiness they un-
Willingly cause, so they may do great
deal more good than they think they
may do great deal, intending it but
no man ever works boldly and strongly
and Fundamentally, but what, think,
he does more without knowing it than he
does knowing it. 1t is not what you say
to your class, teacher, that measures the
influence that you are exerting upon them.
If you be faithful, your heart is in your
work, it is not that of which you can
make statistics in the social circle that
measures your inauencl there Far more
influence comes with ACTIVITY than is
shown by the immediate fruit Of that ac.