Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-01-23
BRATTLEBORO, VT, FRIDAY, JANUARY

never again WOUlu lIOttle accuse lul
dear friend and comforter of being want
ing in sympathy. Who else would have
borne so kindly with her wild bursts Of
impatient sorrow-her restless pacings TO
and fro--her passionate complainings ?
Who else so skilfully taken advantage Of
her better feelidgs to bring her to her knees,
and teach her to bow her head to the Di-
vine will7
"How good you are 10 me, darling moth
err" she sobbed, when Mrs. Warde had
prevailed upon her to lie down, and was
bathing her aching head land indeed
don't deserve it. l have been so selfish, so
uagraeful, that If you knew all my hard
and bitter thoughts you would surely cease
to love me at ailp
Mrs. Warde's only reply was 10 stop and
kiss her; and that uprooted the last fibre
of selishness in her child's heart. Never
again did Lottie let vanity stand in the
place of duty; and In the midst of her
trouble she could be humbly thankful that
this dear mother was still all her own.
All that night she wopt and bewailed
herself, but when morning dawned and
she saw how weary and exhausted Mrs.
Wardo was looking, Lottie put her good
intentions in practice and restrained her
grief.
While her mother rested, she moved qui-
| city about, dressed the little ones, whom
her altered looks and swollen eyes awed
into unwonted soberness nor was it till
every task had been accomplished that
could spare Mrs. Warde fatigue that she
seated lerself at her mothers feet and
wept herself into the sleep of exhaustion.
But stronger arms were sustaining her
when, with start, she awoke. 1t was not
the mild face of her mother that bent over
her and smiled at her, ii was Charlie Nor
ison himself, and for a moment she believ-
ed herself to be in happy dream.
"Can it be your" she asked wistfully.
"Speak TO me, for know not what 10 think
nor what to believe"
"You NAV IoIieve that Charles Morrison
has committed no act that disgraces him."
said her rejoicing mother, who stood by.
"Need we tell you more7"
Lottie pressed her hands to her head, and
looked from one to the other, till the Ten
der smile on Charles face confirmed the
tidiDgs.
~ seem loo much bewildered to be as
glad as should be" she exclaimed. "Am
| really awake?-has there been no rob-
berry after all7 That dreadful newspaper I
why did ! belieyethe dreadful paragraph
heard Sir John read from it?"
''Sit down here, you poor, pale child"
said Charlie, land let me help you out of
your mystification. l think it began the
night before last, when 1 sought you at Sir
Johns to say good-by before went on
hurried journey, and to tell you the two
fold object of it.
II had heard, dear, that the man who
was the cause Of all your fathers misfor-
tunes was at birmingham; and Messrs.
Smithson freely gave me permission TO 60
there, and see whether my remoAstrances,
and if those failed, my threats to expose his
nefarious proceedings, would not induce
him TO do justice TO your fathers widow
and orphans"
"And you succeeded p
Beyond my expectations. l have Just
had the pleasure of putting into your
mothers hands a sum that will enable her
- ~I'-s-I~ Ls~ children With es..sE~-.~"
Lottie was Obliged TO interrupt him that
she might throw her arms around Mrs.
Warde's neck, and congratulate her rapt-
urously. Then Charlie himself had to be
thanked in loving, fearful whispers; and
then so many pleasant little plans were dis
cussed for the widows future that some
time elapsed before they recurred TO the
explanation.
when l had completed my own busi-
ness, Meesrs. Snithsln desired ms 10 60 to
Sheffield and make some inquiries there
for them. The drft of these scarcely un-
derstood when stai ted, but 1 soon dis
covered that they had reference to certain
suspicious they were entertaining"
But not Of you, Charlie?"
mo, love; they never had any reason TO
doubt my integrity, and they have just
proved their confidence in it by promising
me an increase of salary. But another OF
their clerks, led into temptation by love
of gayety-"
81 see it all now," sighed Lotlie. poor
Austin -
Charles resumed "My father, for
whom, as an old friend, Messrs. Smithson
sent, 10 assist them in breaking the news
TO his parents, can scarcely dare TO speak
of the scenes he witnessed. Mrs. Crawley
is very i'll, Lottie. The truth was conceal
cd from her as long as possible. 1t was not
until last night she learned that it was to
hear the tale of her sons guilt that Mr..
Crawley was summoned TO the city; and il
appears that no one had suspected how,
while Austin was believed 10 be quietly
sleeping, he had packed portmanteau and
stolen out of the house in the dead of night
to embark for America.
And so Lottie's joy in her betrotheds in
nocence was tempered by the knowledge
that if his parents had been happily spared
such deep sorrow, others were enduring
it.
She spent her Christmas eve at Clapham
but not in tho dove-colored silk. She was
clad soberly in the dark merino, and heard
with dropping head and troubled con
science, Mrs. Morrison tell her how fully
she and her husband approved their sons
choice, and how her conduct as a daughter
and sister had won their esteem long since
"I am not half as good as you think me =
Lottie tearfully confessed, and deepeneC
their interest in her by her honesty.
Afler all, it was Mrs. Warde who wor,
the dove colored silk at her daughters we'd
ding. 1t was made up for her by Lottit
herself, who, as her needle passed in and
out Of her work, drew from the events con
nected with her purchase the lesson every
wise or foolish deed conveys to the hear
that is opened to rec oive it.
A CLERGYMAN's APPEAL.-A ministcri il
a Massachusetts, town near the New Hamp
! Sbfra limo uhnga caIoe, is In, N =