Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-12-30
A Cup Of Cold Water.

vpou me path. OF men.
Atlantic M.nfhyy yor January.
Cup Of Cold Water.
Anlnlnll li..o, ron nr sr,soy.
The December sun strcamed pleasantly
through the large window of Alice Clayton's
classroom. and, though late in the afternoon
aud the close of tiresome day. her face
wore % strangely clad.ome expression The
monthly report which She was making out
wa, enough 20 have drawn wrinkles over
her forehead; debts and credits would not
balance, the average proved a fraction too
small yet she worked patiently away. paus-
ing only now and then to rest her head upon
her hand, while the gladsome smile grew
brighter still rs she whispered. I'm a very
child ia my anticipation"
Once tir pcucilhug ON her sheet showed
marks o' dollar. and cents which certainly
had uaught 20 do with Hohby's attendance
or Jeuny'- absence, and from am envelope in
her drawer She took q roll of bills and
counted " twenty-five, thirty-iive, iorty-fve
fifty; yes, can surely spare ten this month 4;
that, with the fifteen at home, will Just do
it, aud he must know nothing of it till
Christmas cve-dear Ernest he shall be
proud of me for ouce,' and something made
the tear-drops fall on little band of gold
that looked too new to bee a wedding ring.
Poor Alice as if she needed to finger
those soiled greenbacks' when She received
exactly that amount Tor So many many pay
days. Perhaps You will be astonishcd to
letn that u had taken three months To save
the fifteen dollars, and now that the whole
amount was laid up She felt richer than you
could guess. Auce clayton dress was al
ways genteei the simplest delaine or cheap
est glnshan htted her "lth grace that
Others could not ieign. She liked pretty
things, and it was not easy TO pass the piles
OF heavy cameIs-hal or silky grenadme TO
the counter while She bought material
that cost hall as much but with the spirit
that pervades all trne hearts, she numbered
the blessings she had rather than those be-
/ yond her reach
When Ernest Dent placed the betrothal
ring upon her hnger and ,aid, "tor better
and Tor worse, my darling, she marveled at
! his choice. lie had been brought up in
ease, II not luxury and moved IN gay soci-
| ETY. TIL business called HIM to the city,
| where peculiar chain OF circumstances led
/ him a frequent visitor at her aunt's.
Ernest she had said, IL can give you
]
( which should be less because | ann plain and
unrollshed-on apoor teacher You laugh
now, but remember dear, binding yourself
to me. you will he obliged to make many a
sacrifice, and to bear with my life in ITS sur
I roundmgs Aunt James home IS very hum
be, but you VIII hhu welcome whenever
you come. cannot go iuto the circle "a
which You have been accustomed, and would
not II 1t lay IN my Tower for my aim ours
now. dear-iS higher one than mere pleas
ure seeking. VIII YOU he content with me
as ! am, save rs | improve under youl
guidance
Ernest Dent telt that he was making nc
sacrifice and wondered that Alice could have
even iancied any change ON his part She
did mt doubt his love- only with her wo
mans eye ioresaw hours when lac might wish
things different around and about her.
noble fellow, lac was working his own
way because he had preferred business
other than the profession marked out 10y hi
father and Alice was the very one to stay
his hands when they ialtercd. lie never re
allied how she hid her own WEAKNESS an'
showed CHEEKY couutenauce when he came
or knew how far the warmth OF the littl'
home wa- due to her influence TIL she wa
sick then the blind, were closed there Wa
no light IN the window Tor him and aun
Jane did not help matters 10y saying, "Iha
blessed girl was too good; She was wearing
her hie ont Tor hul, and be- too selfish to se
1t he'd lose her some day
Honest Aunt Jane always spoke the truth
he had once heard Mice remark.
How was he selfish aud what could he do
Then h' thought over the past Near-yes, h
I .'I "''''n unN'i'', Nc' y "lS uo'lil's pul ih
l'"''' "''' ~ W. ,, s'c,l'" w
S"''.''et 'l''s III ,i,s "vl9 I'lI uisayIe'
, u'h'S were over l''le in''ssi s,ls "su'n no
!" 70 'i' '"l" "h,i' nv u'g'u ner' ana Il
""' Valru n'' u"," i'i p'o'oniIis .0"'
""E, 'n,'' n1' az" "'1h ,Mo W. or ,hie
lu'l"'''' u a,",u' n' .li1 u.'l' ~, nN.u tll
Ui'iV %, N,N'e' 1nu "i'u u, ,ni'lh 'he reas"
VI MS I14''-nn,,'',g an was lrile III her allFail
, "nSt lug .''Nt ounu'y sue H"I' new u
, MS Ia'"'lu' sh9ue' ana uaih'y Palr q
, g'oNg' 20 "l".gn' ne 'eo9l'ot'h hv'dilg ne
nan" any Ni,n"lS ""u' Sh' '"uld a'Nhl
naNe hlus' h', wa long ago ana slne
= ,n'h we hsn',SV ~ N"HNl"'e nau slat'ne
/ nN'" ~" "e N""N ''''' '',', 'ig"' st''o"'
q ""'i ""uI"t ,""se %''ne h,ns 10 ~
rAcillh ul't " Wouiu nave pern wiser lo
, AnI1 10 nave t3ld MN All Even So d.
a W"nno'' YOU p'nn' il"u' ''u'er am tei
nis my s'p'N' ana so l"nS rs woman hghtei
4 tnl3 "o'Iu WIN u II presence so long VIII sl
\ ihake sael lnoeS Tor thoSe she loves countin
~ u S"r't',t service so 10 90 ana give.
Ern'stS error was tatner tnoughtiessne'
. 'han s'ih'nheSS' though "hlie Aliee Jay III h'
SleH-room ne p'rat'd ms conduct tlll ne w'
"eN-u'gn N,l'' ana He1t hef grapes ana nov
els' "hlch she declared were the cause oil h'
= recovery
& Thus the months had passed, he leanir
a slowly but surely more of her worth, till, r
g turning from visit 10 his home, he brougl
e word that his mother aud sister would speu
It the holidays in this city OF course, the
|, desired TO see Alice, and as she knew II
J. Sherwood with whom they We're going
stay, it would be 50 pleasant, Somehow 81
IT was very quiet over this news; aside from
Y, natural shrinking from strangers she dreadG
!, these people who would certainly crtici