Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-18

nOflOlS Will ulOiC llOutSIy. IL WstS dlSO
said of Commodore Macdonough that his
steady mind Il would say his pious mind, }
remained the same when victorious and
honored as before. sure accompaniment
of talent, of piety, and nObleness of heart.
Such pious and prayerful men, such noble
and worthy examples should be remem-
initiate. / refer to his example, not only
but by all in every condition of life, and
especially by the young men of the present
age, upon whom so many and so great re-
sponsibilities are resting and pressing.
Nellie Willis;
OR, a LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM !"
1t is Saturday night: cold, boisterous
night it is. Many little children are in
their warm nurseries, where the fire throws
a red glow over the room, and dances on
the white tea service and on the copper
kettle; others are waiting on the stairs to
hear knock and ring, and to run down,
shouting, Here's papa!"
In an attic, at the top of a very high
house, stands a little girl, peering out into
the darkness till her face seems glued to
the window. Before you speak to the lit
tie girl | want to show You the room she
lives in. The floor is rough and dirty,
and full of holes; the walls were once
papered and the ceiling plastered but the
paper hangs in strips, and flutters in the
cold gusts of wind that come in through
the broken windows; the rain has made
great black patch in the plaster, and some
has fallen down, showing the laths under
Meath: the window has but two whole
panes out of six-one of these is open, and
lets in the wind and snow, the others are
patched with newspaper, or stuffed up with
rags; straw mattress, with a ragged
counterpane, and no blanket, is in Il cor
ner of the room furthest from the draughts.
\ round table, half broken down, one or
two chairs which do not look as if it would
be safe to sit on them, a rusty CRATE, with
a bent poker lying before it, but no fire in
it, complete the furniture of the room
which little Nelly had to live, and sleep,
and eat, and play in.
The clock struck five with a loud BOOM
ing sound in the church tower close by,
and the chimes began to play. Nelly loved
to hear the chimes, and she listened until
the last note died away. "What pretty
music" thought she :. wonder whether
that's like the music they play where
mothers gone to; mother used to talk
about beautiful music, and she said she
should soon be singing, and that if was a
good girl, should sing too. But, oh. |
can't sing; We got no one to teach me. "
Her gray eyes filled with tears, and her
little pinched face looked paler than ever,
as she clasped her little hands and said,
20 God, please teach little Nelly to sing
= IL Il, 4
voice, as a man came in, with basket of
tools in his hand, his head and shoulders
white with the fast falling snow, which he
stamped from his feet, leaving pools OF
water on the floor - what you are a talking
about learning to sing? You need mt ask
God; uncle Ben will teach you some of his
pretty songs. Eh. what's the matter,
little 'un? Don't stare out of the window
at the snow; you'll get your death of cold.
Why, look here, there's no fire.
oh, uncle, don't be angry; the coal
was all gone, and Mrs. Green, she said
that if YOU wanted it you could fetch it,
and pay for it yourself. And oh, uncle
she said something else that made me cry
so, but | mustn't tell YOU
"Out with it this minute Numbered
Ben. kicking II ricketv chair across the
room, us though he wanted to punish it.
Nelly hesitated, and hung down hel
head. and at last sprang into Ben's arms,
and hid her little face in his rough, wet
coat A few tears dropped on his jacket
and rolled down over his rough hand, a:
she whispered, {" She said that there woult
be more fire and all sorts of good things i
YOU wouldn't 90 TO the Green Dragon;
and | asked God not to let You 90, and
hope He won't" The last words wer,
said with a bitter wall, and the child hid
her face in her hands.
Ben sat gloomily, his feet stretched on
his hands thrust deep into his pockets
The child's little thin hand resting on hi
arm, seemed stronger than an iron bar
At last he got up, emptied his tool baske
and went downstairs. Coming up again
with it he filled it with small coal an,
chips, and busted himself in lighting th,
fire and putting the old kettle on to boil
and then he opened a cupboard, took on
half stale loaf, two cups, a black broker
teapot, some coarse brown sugar, and
little screw of tea.
Nelly curled herself up in the warmes
corner and began repeating to herself, hal
out loud,
Here we suffer grief and pain,
Here we meet TO part again,
What do You call that Nelly?" salt
Ben. as he stopped down to blow the fire
and his voice shook Il little What d,
me | We heard them before, but | don
like them" He paused, with the bellows
in his hand thinking. Ave-" whispere,
he at last, and big tear gathered in hi
eye, but he brushed it away with the bac
of his hand, mother learned me that
your grandmother, Nelly-she learned m
and Bill, your father. How well / min
his saying it all through without missing
word Poor Bill, | wonder whether he
alive; his ships been due for weeks, but
can't hear about her at the docks. Nov
don't you cry, Nell" whispered he, as til
child climbed on his knee and hid her iittl
face on his shoulder. Father'll com
:. back all right, and I'll learn We to sin
that pretty tune
Nelly's tears stopped, and her eye
sparkled. "Ah, uncle Ben, learn me
sing. Why, that's what the angels do"
Ben looked troubled I'm not a
l angel, nor like to be one; but it won't
no harm to teach You what | know
: He leaned back in the chair, and hun
S med the tune once OF twice to himsel
e and then sang the verse right through
4 Nelly joined in with her little voice in tn
chorus, and the deep tones of Ben and tt
/, silvery tones of the child resounded throug
I the room.
d As the last sounds were dying ava
. the door was gently pushed half open, ar
n Il tall, weather beaten man, in blue shi
d and trousers, with his cap pushed back c
e his head, stood listening; he had sprun
b up the stairs two or three ut time, ar
y was prepared to burst open the door, wit
a loud halloo," when the singing mat
e him first slacken his steps. then stop al
e listen, pushing the door open that he mig
g hear the words:
: "Oh, how happy we shall be-" etc.
The sailors dark face looked thought
as the first lines were sung. but when Il
/ chorus sounded out, he pushed open II
/ door with q loud shout of ioY