Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-09
"And Little Child Shall Lead Thcm.p

his own hands
lie seldom visited and his neizhbors
knew but little about him. He had but few
friends, and no pets Of any kind so his
neighbors were ready to call him odd, and
even misery. Some even called him bard
hearted but he lived by himself just the
same, and never seemed to trouble his head
about any of them.
At the foot of his flower garden was .
high paling, and on the other side Of the
paling was tiny yard Of the greenest
grass, and cunning little brown cottage
sitting in the centre. 1t had been unoc.
cupod long time. One fine morning in
autumn, what was the establishment Of the
peace-loving old bachelor to see a wreath Of
smoke ascending from the chimney and o
cart Of household furniture standing before
the door. The house was actually lcs
He stared and stared from his cinmhrr
window, and when a carriage droEo gp apd
four lively children jumped out, folloyed by
pretty young matron, his indignation knew
no bounds. Four mschevous children =
The poor old bachelor thought Of hisSlpiee
plum trees aud his garden with di3hay.
And the two eldest were boys too.
lie soon Sound out that they ware the
merriest, happiest children that ever were
and when he saw their young mother romp-
ing in the little yard with them he lr4i hi,
window with the greatest disdah
He seldom saw their father except OF
Sundays, and then they all come out to
gether, the children looking so far aud pea
III their new clothes aud all walked together
to church.
Through the cold weather that followed
he saw but little of his near noighbors. Blu
it was because he would not, for they wer,
just as merry and busy as ever. They
even had sleigh.ride, and as their laughter
reached his ears he felt angry, he knew no
why, unless it was because he remembered
that he might have been just as happy if b,
had chose But with that we have nothing
to do. In the carly spring change cam'
over the inmates Of the cottage. The doc
tors gray horse stood at the gate every
morning for a week, and then he came nC
more. From his window the old gentleman
saw little coffin carried into the cottage
Why did be take of his specs just then anc
wipe his face all over with his hsndker
chief? Two days after he saw a mournfu
procession set forth from the door, bu
among them all he could see no little form
clad in the garments Of woe.
When be saw them all come home look
ing so lonely, he fairly jumped from hi
chair and called himself selfish old fellow
and as soon as he dared he sent his servan
over with basket of his choicest applo
aud boquet of his beautiful house plants
He then learned that the youngest Of thu
little flock had been called away to he
heavenly home, and that the others wer,
very i'll indeed After this, many gif
found its way from the mansion to the cot
tage.
One lovely evening in June as the oil
gentleman was walking in his flower gar
den all bloom, aud as beautiful as it coul,
be, he saw his neighbours little girl sitting il
her fathers door with large book lying il
her lap One slender, white arm lay acros
the open page, but she was looking upwsr'
toward the sky. AS she gazed, her eye
filled with tears, and be knew she wa
thinking of her little sister and paymat
who had left her all alone. lie gathered
choice boquet, and was turning to 60 back
when her low tones arrested his ear. M
was reading now, and these were tho word
she read "Come unto Me all ye that labo
and are heavy laden and | will give 20
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and lear
Of me, for | am meek and lowly in hear
and ye shall 6ud rest unto your souls
When he heard those words Ms bar
heart trembled, and he listened as she rca
on. Then he called to her, and put bis I'll
into her hand without word and went int
the house. His heart was not as hard 0
many believed, but it had been growing, ter
der long while, only ho had scapcel
known it himself. lie went into his room
and going to his bookcase took opt an oil
fashioned testament that looked yeyy oil
and worn, and turning leaf after leaf at lai
found what he was looking for--the WORD
the little girl had read. On the margin I
the leaf, in large, boyish hand, was wri
ten, "Text of my mothers funeral seunon.
Then he read the date, and could scsrcel
believe it had been so many, many year
since be wrote that down in the little lei
lament his mother had given him. lie r.
membered how full Of deep anguish was b
young heart when the aged minister aros
in the crowded church. and in his solem
tones read those very words. The good ma
had gone the way OF all the earth long agl
and he was now an old man himself, an
must soon pass away, Those words run
in his ears all night, and he slept but it'll,
He saw how selfshly be had lived, and tn
next day be surprised the neighbors by ash
ing the little girl to come over to his ROOF
often aud read to him. After that his dool
were open to his acquaintance, and to tb
little children especially. He soos learne
that they were very careful not to injur
the property of one who was so kind {
them and on many pleasant simme
evening he might have been seen sitting /
the arbor among his flowers, listening I
the soft voice Of some little reader. as the
slowly pronounced the beautiful words {
the good book. But he was more fond {
hearing his neighbours little girl sing in he
clear voice these sweet words:
"Come hither, all 20 weary souls,
We heavy laden sinners, eome
I'll give from all tntls