Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-15
Mistellanu.
Mercy for Maiden Sisters.

fgT
,ybo ia uccectfuI daughter will be auentiv>.
wife and mother only from a mean motive"-Jo-
0uHd Baltic.
WHO of us can not point to more than
one of these oppressed single sisters III the
circle Of our friends?
Many are the unwritten romances that
lie withercd and cold in gentle hearts, and
carefully hidden from the gaze of the un
foclinr world Now and then the vail
fall, from some poor patient life and we
SEQ the wound and pity the sufferer; but
thousands Of lonely women 90 down to
thc crave in silence, and their life's Sc
,retS are buried in its dust and darkness.
The setting sun was casting a strange
Wild Glory over forest. pasture and brook,
and nrcpinr with lurid glance through
fine lone row of ancient elms that separat-
ed, spacious old mansiOn-house from the
highway. Over the gateway that led to
the broad avenue was Il faded sign, bear
inc the name of the once famous physician
Of the region: and above that, on an iron
arch. a large lamp, which was never
trimmed nor lighted now. Ruin and de
cav were written on everything around.
The hand of the healer had lost it, cum
ning. and his mind its strength The
whole artIor of his dying mental powers
WA, fixed on the one great passion of his
Iife-the pride of his profession. ~ he
could no longer heal others, he pracuced
ON himself: and a troublesome patient he
had. lie would sit for hours feeling his
own pulse. examining his own tongue in
the class. and writing out Latin pre>crlp-
tin,- When he Grew weary of this fruit
less work ne would insist on his daughter
takin~a nau-cou> draught, or applying
some external but needless 'rcmcdy.
Once. apoplcXy became his hobby, and
he saw symptoms of it i'll the butcher and
tile milk-man. and every one else who
...nc in. But they being blind to their
danrcr. and laughing at his offer of aid
ht- suddenly saw rush of blood in the
u3lid face Of his daughter: and forthwith
vhcttcd his lancc-if that i what surgeons
call Sharpening their instruments-and She
only escaped being blcd by slipping out Of
the house and remaining away till he had
forgotten the whim-
The Door old man would talk necessarily.
and he had mind enough left to know that
Ic ought to have a listener. When his
daughter filled tl1t wclriS1mc place, his
theme was always, Every thing has
changed since v0ur mother died and the
-irl~ were married; nobody cares for me
now You don't play or sing Us Julia used
to. To please me- TIIc had %iven the piano
to- Julia. although music was half the life
uf this faithful daughter You don't even
ride Jenny now, [Jennv was worn ont
and dead and no other horse had ever fill
al her ~taU.l Itis sad and lonely; sad and
lonely,
If old Nanny the lifelong friend and
SOLE. remaining servant, was the listener.
li~ theme Wa always: Nobody cooks IL
INV mother used to cook, and nothing tastes
road now Folks cook poultry In tie sun
uow. aud boil beef steak in the pot with
the POTATOES: and YOU mix rhubarh III place
of mustard for my coned beef q dear.
I'm so hungry, shoes all pinch now, and
tho. print j. iii so fine that | can read even
through three pairs of -pectacle~; and
folks alI talk 80 low that they might a. well
mot talk at all. They don't want me to
hear. sab and lonely sad and lonely,
1t WIS sad and lonely for another
ihan hc-for Mary. the flower of his flock.
whose Youth had faded, and whose middle
life was now burning slowly out on the
home altar. without the aid or the >ympa-
thv even of the sisters whose burdens, a.
we'll a her own, She was patiently bearing
here.
" the sun was setting, on the evening
Of which we write. 4" Miss Mary passed
through the long hall and the dining room
with it, sombcr drapcry and faded turni-
lure, and seating herself in Vine-coVcred
.irbor i'm the rear Of the house dropped her
hands hclplc>Sly in her lap, and sighed out,
q. my poor tired heart
Ina moment Nancy. her humble friend,
was at her side; and. with look of sur
prise. She eNcIaimed. WHY, Miss Mary.
what on arth brought YOU out to my little
3rl,or. when You Sc got such Il nice piazza
un the front of the house?
I'm trying to run away, Nanny, re-
piled the lady, with a weary smile.
Who from
From myself, Nanny.
WHY. what's the matter, Miss Mary?
Them letters had MT no bad news in 'em,
had they?
Miss Mary then suddenly remembered
that those letters ought to have brought her
iov. SO with smile, she replied, %,
Nanny. | forgot to tell You that Julia and
the boys are coming home to stay six weeks
with us-coming tomorrow.
Goody -ahe> alive" cried Nancy.
Miss Howard amt comm home 50 quick
agin. with them rarin', stavin boys, and
that are toppy nuss-gal o hern' W hat
~arvice is a home to her.
Her husband Is going away, and Sue
thought She ought to come and comfort
poor father.
Well. | can tell you them boys won't
comfort him much! They nigh about fin
i-hed him up last time, Don't YOU remem-
Der. his head felt 50 that he rot conceit
that twas vourn that was unsettled, and
>ot ont to bleed You for rush o blood? II
it warnt for vollr sake. dear. I'd run away
and hide myself till they was off. What
does Miss Howard think you and mes made
on that we can stan them boys and that
nu~s gal, beside the doctor? GOody, how
he will feel his pulse and look at his tongue
and make you mix messes when the up
roar begins!
We must keep them all quiet" replied
Miss Mary
Yes. and we must stop the risn O til,
tide. too. if we can retorted Nancy, Sar
casticallv Can't you write and sto /
en-. and so save life and limb for yoursel
and the rest of Us?
Miss Mary did not write and. i'll "A few
days Sister Julia " appeared with hel
twin-boys and nurse and half dozen gre;l
trunks. which Nancy and Miss Mary hao
to unpack in the crhall, and then trans
port. with all they had contained, upstairs
This " raid as Nancy called it, more thai
doubled the work of the family. and IN
creased to an alarming degree the restless
ness of the old gentleman.
BY and by all was quiet in the house
and the sisters We're alone in what wa
lone their mothers room
Wen, Molly dear, it does seem so goot
to he at home again" exclaimed Mrs
Howard Il She twisted and twirled the dia
monds i'll her ears and on her fingers
How | do envy Your peace and rest. Al
i such noise and hubbub in the city, sucl
Il whirl Of society. that it half bewilder
me"
why don't You keep out of it and de
vote Yourself To the boys?"
Mercy, | give my whole life up t
them NOW: and Ncre'S 4 cart, You an