Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-05-21
Paul and Mary.

Paul and Mary.
Paul Harold was motherless. That was
evident in his untidy appearance, as well as
10 his rough, boisterous manner. lie was
proisne too, some times, when things pro-
yoked him, and very apt to get into a tow
eriug passion when he dared to- But Paul.
with all his faults, had the germs of a noble
nature, aud all that was good 10 him fow-
ed abuudantly to his little blind sister May,
who was all the kindred tie he had 10 the
world. His one great and sole ambition in
life was, some day, to take May away from
Sawyersville, and the poor house, for that
was the home they had now, and care for
her himself. Rude aud rough as he might
be to all the rest Of the world, no mother 5
touch could be more gentle than his when
he could take her by the hand, aud lead her
out into the sunlight and soft summer air,
and his voice took its soitest intonatious as
he told her of the beauties Of nature, which
she could never sec.
Mistress Soper, the oyerseer's wife, was
a coarse, noisy woman, but not unkiud by
nature, and little Mays sweet patience and
gentleness, together with her touching help.
lessness, touched tender chord in the wo-
mans heart aud so she was kind TO her (;
aud seeing the intense love between the
two, she frequently gave Paul balf.holi-
day from his appointed tasks, aud sent him
into the fields and woods With little May.
Golden days we're these to both Of them.
Paul was ten years old and little May
was four, when their mother, a gentle
Christian woman, died Mrs Harold had
earnestly endeavored to give her children a
Christian education while she lived [; and
when at length, worn out with toll and
hardship, she lay down to die, she had given
May to Paul with charge to guard and
cherish her, and not allow her to forget the
instructions she had received from her lips.
Aud Paul was faithful.
Mistress Soper was only too glad to turn
the care Of the little one quite over to him;
SO at night he never forgot to hear her say
her prayers, however often he might forget
his own. In the morning, no matter how
he might neglect his own toilet, he always
managed to fnd time amid all the errands
he was called to run to see to May, and no
hand took the tangles out of her long beau.
tiful curls more gently than his
When May was six years old, Paul began
to be very sober at times and people missed
the merry whistle which used TO wake the
echoes all about as he drove the cattle to
and from the big pasture on the hill Lit
tie May too wondered what had come over
brother Paul, and tried in her quiet way to
comfort him, but the shadow on his boyish
face only seemed to deepen, until Soper
said, "he was sulkiDg and that the boy aud
gal got noticed too much at the Sunday
school"
Madge Wakefield, the minister's daugh.
ter, saw deeper than the rest, and knew that
some real trouble was weighing down the
boys heart, aud in the goodness Of her own,
resolved to fud it out aud comfort him.
Madge had been kind to Paul's mother, and
Paul himself had been one Of her pupils
on the Sabbath between the two there was
strong regard. Paul's love for Miss Madge
had something chiyalrous in it, and she al
ways stirred into exercise all the better
traits Of his character. lie had been think
Jog OF her and feeling vaguely as if he
would like to 60 to her with this secret
trouble when circumstances favored her de-
sign, and she found Paul all ready to make
her bis conddant.
81 want to take May away from the
poor-house, he said. al am strong and
able to work for her now. Just see how
tall [ am, +" and he stood up with his should
ers thrown back, aud light in his eye that
gave Madge feeling that what be said was
true. He could work for May now"
What troubled the boy was, that he could
think OF no definite plan.
81 have thought Of SO many things, but
couldn't see the way to accomplish them.
Poor little May, if | could only give her
one of my eyes. She learns SO quickly the
things tell her, Miss Madge, [ am sure
she would have made such a scholar, if she
could only see"
"Psul," said Madge with sudden inspira.
tion, shave you never heard Of schools for
the blind where they are taught to read,
aud to do many things by the sense Of
touch2"
"Oh, Miss Madge, do you mean it ?
Could May go2" his thoughts outstrippiug
her words. "Oh, if she could, should
k1iolO God was good, for sometimes, do you
know, am afraid | have thought He
wasn't, because He didn't give her eyes in.
stead of giving everything to such great
clumsy fellow as l."
"Let me think about it, Paul, for day
a. t,uo .nI p,aan~ktla ronft 500, Il - :.
| am afraid you haven't done, at least very
heartily, pray about it? Tell God just
what you want, and just what you hope.
He cares just as much about it as you do,
and more, for He loves little May better
than you do. Remember, He is your
Father in Hedren."
Then she dismissed Paul, and he went
away with such new sense of Gods love
and goodness aud fatherhood that the very
sunlight seemed brighter, and the breezes
that kissed his hot cheeks only seemed to
repeat, "Tell God just what you want aud
hope for' And Paul did pray, and God
heard.
Six years have passed away, and any one
who visits - asylum for the blind can
see by May Harold's happy face to what
purpose Madge Wakefield thought for her
aud her brother Paul.
With her fathers advice and assistance,
Madge had been able to secure for Paul a
situation with rich old farmer, who, see
ing how diligentand faithful the boy was,
and perhaps because Of private communi.
cation made to him by Madge one day, had
given him some remuneration from the first.
As Paul grew older, aud proved to be in
every way worthy of the trust, his employer
retired from the active care Of his large real
estate, and made Paul general manager Of
the whole.
So at eighteen, Pau's dream is fully re-
allied. His beautiful and really talented
sister is making every possible advance
ment, and Paul is /" taking care Of her"
But best of all, Paul is Christian.
From the hour when his full heart took in
the glad truth that God is good, his love
aud trust have never faltered. - Congrega-
fiOHaIisf