Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-13


he position she held, word Of hers
Weighed great deal in the estimation of
'thers. Her husbands rebuke had touched
Ter, and for the first time in her life she
'ealized how deep an injury she might do
mother by an unjust word. All the un-
ust word had been spoken that day, and
IN the morrow, while Mrs. Lester shopped
n that city, the minister's wife received
IN unusual number of callers.
Harry" she said. they all noticed
ny vase and admired it so much. One
ady told me that antique ware Was quite
the style now, and concluded my present
must have been very costly. 1t is beauti-
full, isn't it? but not half so beautiful as
the true love that gave it to me !"
At that moment Mrs. Lester drove up
to the gate, and through the open window
saw the minister with his arm around his
wife standing before the bracket. 1t
looked like another proof toward the story
but recalling her husbands words, she
entered the parsonage with more kindness
in her heart than she had ever carried
there before.
"I'm just home from town, Mrs. Rogers,
and stopped to leave this small parcel
the Fall goods were being opened, and this
is very pretty shade that will suit you"
and did not wait for thanks.
"Oh Harry dear! new dress Now
you can do what you wished you could
this morning-get chair for poor Teddy
Burns. I'm so glad ? Why, it's like
your sermon on Sunday; Gail things
working together for good"
In the Lester home that night there was
happy change. Mr.. Lester wondered
why his wife so tender in her greeting, so
softened in manner, never dreaming that
his good seed was already springng up;
it had not been sown upon barren ground,
but in soil that simply needed cultivation.
Oh! if women, the true women, seeing
in her sex this disposition to bcker, to
SANDER, would reprove by silence or gentle
rebuke, society would be based upon
higher principle, the atmosphere of our
homes would be purer, and lives of mother,
wife and daughter would breathe Of the
love that is kind and thinketh no evil"
Mrs. Testers eyes were full when her lit
tie one said at bed d-time, Mamma, sing ~
But the voice was too tremulous to lull
the child to sleep with the customary
song, and she answered
Birdie, you sing to-nght-sing some
thing Mrs. Rogers taught you in the Sum-
day-school."
Yes, mamma, me sing a wee bit pray
er; she say God love US to sing him a
prayer sometime" and two tiny hands
were clasped, two white lips closed, and
the voice sang softly:
"saviour. bless a little child
Teac9 my heart the way to Thee;
Make me gentle, pure. and mild,
Loving saviour, care for me-"
Birdie, Birdie, darling, sing that every
day to mamma, will you ?"
And as the mother watched the sweet
sleep of the little one, the evening air
seemed to whisper of peace all strange
and new, and tones Of the lisping voice,
pure and mild, made music in her soul
that should echo through her whole life
Had she not learned something about
. first pure and then peaceable," where
was it ? She was going to the parsonage
tomorrow, and Mrs. Rogers could tel
her.
Whatever Mrs. Lester done was done
earestly; but the night before she had
employed her energy in attempting to mis-
Judge her neighbor, now her heart wa
opened to her sin, and she would confes.
in the minister's home all the evil she haC
thought. She had talked only TO Mrs
Pratt, but with that recollection came tn,
fearful knowledge Of the rapidity with
which news, evil or good, spread through
the village. Mrs. Lester was bitterly
humbled as she remembered all the pas
and the unnumbered words she had spoker
against one and another, not meaning an,
harm at that time-oh. no. But tn,
harm had been done; it was too late tt
undo it now Edith Lester was
changed woman that night, and she de
termined to use her whole influence here
after to check this deadly sin.
The morrow dawned, and over the par
sonage hung cloud. There was a tre
NOR IN the little wife's voice as she sale
goodbye to her husband when he started
for the study then it rose clear anC
steady while her hand detained him
" Harry, my husband, in our JOY last nigh
we said, all things work together fo
good ; in our sorrow we will believe il
also"
Mrs. Rogers was busting in the parlo
when Mrs. Lester came in with Birdie
The minister's wife looked wearied, anc
perhaps Brides loving kiss and clingin!
arms were too much for her, for she laiC
her head down on the table and wept
Then came the story, for Mrs. Lester wa
sweetly fitted to be the comforter now
and she must know the cause of such sor
row.
81 could bear it, Mrs. Lester, but t
; have Harry wronged Harry so generous
so true! L kept up before him, but must
talk to somebody. What do | mean
Why, we have only been here three
months, and last night, as Harry wa
locking the house. he found this under tn
front door. He is perfectly innocent as t
its purport-he has expended nothin
. here, because the people have given s.
: much. His first payment is up in m,
) drawer, except the sum he always send
his old mother, and oh ! he is not extrava
CANT, Mrs. Lester, but self Sacrificing b
/, wanted to 60 without a comm.ntary h
!. . needed, Fat he might get lane TEDDY
BurnSa chair, but we did not tell any on,
. about that, and even Teddy was not t
know where the gift came from. Wha
: does it mean? My head is So.
y LET me see that note, Mrs. Rogers
Birdie, run out and ask Tony to dri,c yo
: home, and you can get basket of fres
= eggs for your dear teacher.
> Only two days! and yet the little wor
), " from her lips has spread. and here was th
Il result:
, IL L. - -.