Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-12-24


person looking In at the low windows might
have thought that all the scarecrows in the
fields we're getting an unlocked for reward
for their summer work. There was poor
old Widow Briggs, the washerwoman, with
the great wart on her nose, and her eight
scrawny children, whose eyes we're almost
hanging out Of their heads with staring at
the good things before them. There was
Hiram Doolittle, the neegged sailor, who
lived in tiny cabin all alone with neither
chick nor child to comfort him He had
taken leap like kangaroo up to the
table, and he ate so much that he went fast
asleep at the end Of the dinner and snored
like trumpeter. There was poor old
Aunt Nancy, whose nose and chin shut to-
gether like a nut cracker, whom the naughty
boys icould chase and call crazy Man." and
old witch" She did not look near so
much like witch when she took of her
queer, coal scuttle Of bonnet and asked
God to bless Farmer Tuthill, with tears in
her poor old faded eyes. There were half
dozen neer-do.wells who ounged around
the village and at the store like Rip Van
Winkle, picking up a living nobody knew
how or cared button. They were all
there, eating away for dear life, with the
farmer and his wife beaming welcome from
every inch Of them.
They did this both by words and by
deeds. "Neighbors ALL" cried the farmer,
standing up at the head Of the table with
little Milly close beside him. You're
welcome You're welcome most hearty
| ant no great hand at spsechifying, SO
I'll just say, May we all jne in thanks
giyin to God who has brought US together
this day, and may we spend many thanks
givin together in time to come"
Hooray!" cried the one legged sailor,
waking up suddenly Three cheers for
Farmer Tuthill"
They gave them with such a will that
the very windows ratified, and Bingo barked
himself of his forelegs to help on the fun
And now the dinner plates were cleared
away, and nuts, apples and cider were
beginning to circulate, when buggy drove
up to the gate. A hard.laced middle-aged
man, showily dressed and smoking cigar,
got out, and marched up the garden path,
switching of the bright heads Of the chrys-
anthemums with his heavy driving whip, as
if he could not bear the sight of anything
so uselessly pretty as a flower.
As Milly caught sight of him, she gave
a low, terrified cry, and clung to Farmer
| Tuthills arm.
What's the matter, little one he
asked, smiling down on her.
"Oh Mr. Stiles is coming" she cried,
trembling. "The overseer He's come to
find me- know lie hired me out of the
house to work for his wife, and he was going
to kill Bingo because he growled at him for
beating me. He'll beat me now for running
away Oh don't let him take me, please
don't and, sobbing with terror, the poor
little creature clung desperately to the
farmer.
Benajah's brow grew dark. He put his
strong arm around Milly and said
Don't you be afraid, little one. know
that ere Stiles. He shan't get you away
from me nohow."
AT that moment the man entered the
room
Hey day, neighbor Tuthill !" he cried
with an ugly grin, you've got company
haven't you? Hard.iooking lot they are
too; but you will have your little joke"
81 don't remember that | asked you to
partake," said the farmer shortly, while his
wife sat up as prim as pea-pod, but with
eyes flashing at the overseer.
"No, no but fact is, there's a little gal
took out Of the poor-house to do chores
for my old woman--oh there she is now
, They told me she'd run down here. III
. just take her along with me, if yon please ~
"Oh don't let him !" screamed thC
A child, her eyes wild and distended, her fac,
: white with terror, her breath coming il
quick gasps. Let me stay oh let me
stay with you"
A " Don't cry, Nlilly, you sha'n't 60" sale
. the farmer; then turning to the overseei
with face in which some hidden emotion
was working, and drawing the child uT
tight to his breast, he said " Mr.. Stiles
you won't get this child ever to beat again.
The Lord has blessed me in all ways but
one-He never gave me a child. Friends
and neighbors ALL" continued the good
man, looking round the table, call you
to witness that from this hour | take little
Mily to be my darter, lovin' and true.
And may God deal by me as | deal by this
orphan child Amen !"
f" Hooray !" cried the one-legged sailor,
while the rest followed in mingled maze
of pleasure and wonder at all this fuss over
a poor-house child But the overseer only
shrugged his shoulders, aud said with a
sneer
Take the snipe and welcome nobody
q wants her. You can settle yourself with
, the selectmen." And turning on his heels
he strobe out Of the house. The poor folks
I drew a long breath of relief when he was
gone, and fell upon the apples and cider
/ with renewed appetites.
, And little Mily staid, and was the joy
and comfort of Benajah and his Polly,
lighting up the old house with her pretty
wiles growing fairer and sweeter with each
, year. And every Thanksgiving sees, and
will see, gathered into the now cheerful
homestead, the needy, the lame, and the
blind to be made glad by Farmer Tuthill's
+ bounty. He will remember the poor in
their afiliction, even as the Master shall re-
member him at the Last Day.-Hedrh a.
Home.