Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-15

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From such Seeding uttor. uttur death,
4 Q4ieEcn|ug We eni spiug in The new year,
And hfI ght tht4s have uirihl
-s.s.n
Mts. Williams New Years Gift.
1t was Nev Years Eve a cold bust-
cring night The wind dashed the frozen
slcot aglias, De sturdy walls Of the Red
Stone Farmhouse, making the Gre that was
burning in the largo old fashioned kitchen
seem doubly na'cful. arourd which was
gathered Farmt Williams, his wife aud
four children
Tie 8eqibcr br8azad face Of the farmer
has caro- worn, discontcutad look. lie is
ono Of ihaso wio make haste to be rich ;
aad though sats&aiel with many bless
logs, and every reasonable want is supplied,
at the close Of the old year finds 10 surplus
in his purse bis heart instead Of being
lifted up with gratitude, is filed withrepin-
ings.
His gentle, meek.browcd wife is sitting
beside him. Her couutenauce wears look
Of chastencd sorrow, aud tears glistcD in
her eyes as they wander to a corner Of the
room where stands a vacant cradle, from
which smiled, week ago, the rosy-cheek-
ed, bgight-eyed boy, upon whose little grave,
to-day, the snow IS drifting heavily.
The long silence was broken by heavy
knock at the door
Farmer Williams opened it, revealing a
respectable, midile-aged eolored man. who
held carefully il his hand a covered bas-
ket.
Docs Mrs Wiliams live here ?" he
asked.
" She does"
The lady who buried child ye.icr-
day?'
YES"
We'll, here Is New Yeor's present
for her."
Thrustiug the basket into tho farmers
hands, he turned aud walked quickly dowr
the road, where could be dimly seen the
outlines Of covered sleigh, from which
came the faint sound Of stiAed sobs.
Bewidered and astonished, Farmer vii
liams carried the basket into the kitcher
aud set it upon ,he table
As he did so he was startled by plain
tive cry and upon opening it, there lay &
lovely boy, apparently about three months
old.
Farmer Williams sprang to the door
but the sleigh and its occupants were no
where to be seen.
Ia the meantime Mrs. Williams and thl
children gathered around the basket witt
exclamations of surprise aud pleasure. A
the babe saw tho sweet face that bent owe
To- it suddenly stopped crying and smiling
stretched out i's little hands to her. Th
heart Of the bereayed mother yearne,
towards it, and taking it up in her arm
she pressed it foudly to her bosom. Jus
then her husband came back from his fruit
less search.
declare, it's an imposition - he ex
claimed, stamping the snow off his boot:
Bu. | won't submit to it, III take
over to the town farm the very first thin
10 the morning"
." can't bear the idea Of it going ther,
john" said his wife. Just see what
sweet babe it is"
81 don't see but looks like other babies
returned John, gruffly doing his best t
steel his heart against the little stranger
ia which, he only partly succeeded, ioI
rough as was the farmers way, he had
Siui.y nature if one could only reach il
I"Any way, the authorities will have t
take care Of il; we can't. We've got NOR
mouths TO f.l now, than we can fnd brea
for"
Mrs. Williams lip quiyercd as he
thoughts reverted to the little grave IN tn
churcbyarj. Al, to her heart was one to
few.
Dear john she said pleadingly, "i
seems as if God had sent this babe TO tax
the place Of our own little Willie, whom h
has taken to himself. Let me keep il
It will not fail to bring a blessing, 20
may be sure"
Farmer Williams face relaxed as h
looksl into those fearful eyes.
Well, well, Mary" he said in softer
ed voice, I'll think about it. If we d,
you and the children may have to 60 with
out good many things, for these are har
times, and likely to be harder. So 70
had better weigh the matter well before Dc
Gliding
Mrs Williams did so; and the Tesu
was that her " New Years Gift " becam
fixture Of Red Stone Farmhouse. II
grew up a merry. winsome boy, twinin
even around the farmers rugged nature
and taking in the heart Of his adopte
mother the place Of her lost darling, love
aud cherished by her with equal tenderness
Many sacrifices did she make, many toi
some hours did she spend, in order that he
husband might not feel the expense of hi
maintenance too heavily. And well di
his growing intelligence and beauty, an
the ardent affection he eynced for her r,
pay her for it all There was nothin
about him that could give the slightest clu
to his parentage. Simply bit Of whit
paper pinned to his frock, on which wer
these words, evidently written by woma
in a graceful but unsteady hand
ARTHUR.
B9RN AUa. 22D, 1851,
1 WAS A STRANGER, AND YE TOOK NE l,
Farmer Williams made some inquiries /
the neighborhOod, and learned that a lad
with an infant, accompanied by a seryan
had been stopping for a week past at til
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