Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-01-07


Tell US a story, grandfather" said one
of group Of boys, and all the others
Joined in; yes, grandfather, tell us
story"
"Shal it be about the four wo,ds2"
asked grandfather.
Yes they all cried with one accord.
But they did not know what the four words
were. Grandfather told them, as you will
now read
My father grated a pear tree it was O
very choice graft, and he watched it with
great care. The second year it bIossomod
but it bore but one pear. As there were
no more that year, my father was the more
anxious about it. lie hoped that no rough
wind would blow it off; he looked at it
every morning and evening, and was glad
| to find it all safe. He told all the children
on no account to touch it, for the fruit was
tender and must not be handled | do not
believe the thought ever struck him that any
one Of his children could wish to steal IT,.
Every one who came to see my father
was asked to look at that pear aud thoy an
agreed that it was likely to ripen into a
irst-rate fruit; they also said the tree
would bear many more next year, aud that
he had made capital graft.
never touched the pear with my
fingers but my eyes we're often fixed upon
it, and my heart coveted the taste Of il. |
did not keep my heart from this wicked
coyeting, and therefore | became a slave TO
it. The desire Of this pear was my mas.cr.
Zone night after we were all in bed that
master would not let me sleep. crept up
and went to the window. My father aud
mother were not at home, but the back
door was left open for them to get 10, If
they came late put my head out Of the
window and saw the tree; after awhile /
saw the pear. | thought my mouth was
parched, and | must have something juicy
to moisten it. crept down the back
stairs on my naked feet, out at the door
and to the tree. \ thought came to my
mind, What will father say Z? and au.
swered, He will not kuow So | had
already settled it in myself that | would
take the pear aud eat It, | stood under
the tree; | looked up with my hand
stretched out, and | saw a star looking
p down upon me through the heavens Al
at once it was as if heard the iour words
"Thou God seest me- | put my hand,
before my eyes, and ran as fast as | could
,, to the opened door. up the back stairs, aul
. to my bed. There | stood, trembling
knew that God had seen me, and | though
! my father aud mother and the servants an,
, the neighbors must know it, and that ey
! erybody would call me a thief But
crept into bed, and after a while | felt 81
= glad that | did not take the pear and
fell asleep and slept sweetIy. As soon a
| saw my father on the following morning
:, | marked his face, it was so pleasant b
4 said the pear was ripei it might be take
down and eaten; who was to have it2
cried out hardly knowing what di,
God was to have it,. This was SO strang
an answer that my father aud mothc
a, looked wondering aud father said, yer
SS grayely, What put that into your head 3
% 81 felt that my cheeks were burning no
d tears came into my eyes, and tremb.lu
=, came over me again. began to sob, an
Ii to tell all about it how was tempted
steal the pear, and how | was kept from
i. Ny mother cried aloud; father himsc
=. wiped his eyes, took me very tcudcry
< his breast, and said Then 1t shall be
y you say; God shall have the pear and
nj shall be a treat to one of Gods dear CHI
be dren. Are you willing he asked mothe
90 that we should give it to poor little ANN
90 who has been so long on her sick bed, q
of ten with parched lips, and rarely anyihiI
er to refresh her but cold water ? Moth
d. consented willingly enough. She hersC
CO. went with me to carry the pear to the dea
- patient sufferer and oh how she enjoy
it and thanked us 1t did me more go
than if | had really had dozen su
:, pears given me freely, to cat without ie
~ or trembling.
Since that day, l have had the 10
words on my mind more times than l C
ne count up. Ask of God, my boys, to WI
be them into your hearts, that you may ney
'~' forget, in the time of temptation or
T. want, of sorrow or Of peril, this tru
which warns, restrains, aud comforts
he "Thou, God, seest me"