Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-12-22
Starting Afresh.

"lve come again, Aunt Sophy, said Alice
Maynard, as she sauntered into the room
where a grave, elderly woman sat at her sew
ing. Mrs. May was Aunt Sophy 10 every
body in the neighborhood. Her great, moth
erly heart held larger parcel Of young folks
confidence than any woman in town. The
visitor helped herself TO a chair by her kind
friends side, with the ali Of assured welcome.
"Of course you've come again, Allie"
"And with special request Of you this
time, Aunt Sophy. This Is my birthday.
I'm twenty years old to-day
Twenty years oh, how the time does go :"
" II don't seem as old as it looked four
years ago. feel just as young as ever.
But life has different aspect after all. /
don't feel 50 careless. | want to be, Aunt
Sophy-oh, | want to be a good woman, a
better woman than | ever used to think Of.
And so I've come to talk with you about it ;
maybe you can say something good TO help
me and | want your blessing. That would
certainly give me lift towards goodness"
"My blessing, dear child why, You have
that all the time :"
But want something in particular to-
day; it is a solemn sort Of a day TO me- in
spite Of the presents. and the kisses, and
all the good wishes There's always any
amount Of advice to young people, but
don't see exactly how il is 10 get me pre-
pared for the future the solemn duties Of
life, as the preachers and writers are wont
to say"
" DO YOU want | should tell you what is
the very best preparation for the duties of
tomorrow, near or far p
" Oh, yes, Aunt Sophy, do
" Well, it is simply to do promptly aud
faithfully the duties of to-day. II ! could
inspire YOU with that one idea, Alice, it
would be a rich blessing to your birthday
=" | thought, aunty, You would offer great
strong prayer for me. and God would hear IT,
and should be blessed"
" And so will dear, ask for you, Ia ear
nest prayer, a very great blessing. 1t shall
be this that you may have the disposition
TO be diligent, 10 be punctual, 10 be thorough
in everything that belongs to You to do
Aud then you must yourself answer my
prayer for blessing by becoming diligent and
punctual and thorough every day. A birth
day is a good time 10 turn over new leaf,
and get a new blessing. Praying and doing,
you know, must go together. God wouldn't
mind much about our prayers Tor pTepara-
ton and for special blessing, II we didn't
rouse ourselves mp to grasp the blessing with
our own hand. Praying that does not take
hold Of doing is either hypocritical or senti-
mental neither the one nor the other makes
a woman much better
" I'm afraid my duties don't amount to
much, Aunt Sophy."
"Theu, dear | suspect rs because you
don't take hold Of them rightly. Lets see
You get up in the morning, of course.
wonder if its always promptly, so nobody is
hindered or tried with your tardiness ?
And if you 60 at once about the care OF
your room, or the breakfast, or of The chill
dren, no matter what, anything you have
TO do ?"
80 aunty, mother has been telling of me,
know she has"
=" No, indeed you've been reporting your.
self to me, little by little, these two years
And so | am master OF my opportunity to Of
fer very great blessing. I've been to your
home. too, good many times. What was 1t
that you were saying the other day about
your sewing getting behindhand, and about
falling back in practising And especially
about the hooks and buttons that tore off so
much, as if they were never properly sewed
on Seems 10 me you confessed, too. to
reading more novels than anything else, and
to forgetting for lack of review, the science
1
school. On the whole. if YOU were 10 sit to
Miss Ophelia for daily picture, I'm afraid
that woman would label you with her terri
bic shiftless.'"
Alice began 10 cry. 80 Aunt Sophy, do
show little mercy Why, you are as bad
as my mother when she gets out of patience. "
"Cry away, child you know mean only
/ love hy talking 50. Such tears are what
/ Mrs Browning would call salt and bitter
| and good I'm sorry for mother, and sorry
/ for YOU, and so | deliver my blessing to
/ YOU, even as the Lord sent you here to
1 receive IT,"
"Tt's MI right, | know, Aunt Sophy and
| true, aud ought TO thank you, | suppose.
But didn't think of being blessed IN this
way, by confronting my faults
"You thought | would say some loving
tender words, and pray for some spiritual
blessing and then you would feel 80 sweet
and happy, and in some mysterious, spirit
ual way you would be made better by 1t
You would go home and be very nice and
kind to everybody for little while, and you
would do some things extra. that happened
TO please you TO do; and then when the
transient impression had worn off, you would
be lust as before. But you may be SURE
that is not the way God gives blessing. His
blessing for birthdays is a new inspiration
that doesn't die out through the year. i
holds on day after day until another ami
versary comes around, aud then it start
afresh. His blessing is vigorous self-disci
pine; it is putting ones hand right int
the duty--no matter what it is--that be
longs to the moment, and compelling onei
self 10 be thorough in it. His blessing i
hard work for other people as well as 70
self. His blessing is being patient will
slack and disagreeable folks, while you ar
prompt and well-behaved yourself. A ney
resolution in Gods strength to begin a
once and be this and do this, is Gods bless
ing on your twentieth birthday. This i
what makes woman good, better, best"
Alice was crying heartily by this time
and tears were dropping on Aunt Sophy'
folded work.
Now let's 60 aside, dear, and lay tn
case before your Father and mine"
They knelt down together, the gray-haire,
matron tenderly clasping the youthful hand
"Shall ask Him for this blessing, dal
! ling--this that can come only by your owl
earnest persistent will in everyday doing, an
everyday prayer ?"
Slowly and carefully, Alice replied " Ye'
{ Aunt Sophy, even this; I've felt FOR lon
time that | must turn over this new lea
and | need-you know am so slack an
careless--all you can ask God for TO kee
me TO the resolution. Ask Him for His II
spration, His strength"
1t was precious season to both to Alie
it was the golden opportunity to begin ne'
year by renewed life. This twentieth blrtl
day has but just passed We shall see !
another twelve months what comes of tru
resolve in a sacred hour.
Again and again in our lives, God take
us by the hand" as the old Moravian hym
!. sings, and says, " Start afresh. ."-Adroed