Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-11-12

mo. II was not we'll Of thee, friend Brill, Il"
she repeated.
II hate begging" answered tho farmer.
rallying himself.
"Tbat was not common begging, and thee
knows it," replied the stranger.
THE child's father should have had fruit
on his own trees, But he was too idle to
plant them, and now his children 90 begging
of his neighbors"
That is not his children's fault. II the
poor little ones are hungry for apples, and
thee has more than thee can use, why shall
thee not be better father in regard for them,
than he who is their own flesh and bloodP
Would thee not give thy own children
applesP'
my own children That is another thing
1 have taken care of my own children
"The earth's is the Lords and the inllness
thereof, and all we are His children an.
swercd the little woman. "He gives in
charge to some His broad grain fields and
fruitful orchards, that they may fill barns
and storehouses. and lay up food for tho
hungry and seed for the sower, so that His
people die notfor lack Of bread. Does thee
think that thy trees bear fruit and thy fields
bear their harvests for thee aloneP If thee
does, thee has not understood the ways Of
God with men,"
The farmer did not reply. lie was dumb
in the presence OF the stranger; dumb be-
cause of sudden convictions, and new light
breaking into his soul that blinded and be-
wildered him.
Thee hast sought and cared only for thy
self and for thy own until now" said the
visitor, "but there is truer and better life
before thee. Thee must become giver in
stead of only receiver of good things.
saying, To give is to live viii thee not
20 with meP''
And the little woman turned from the
porch, Farmer Brill rising and following
her.
'Thee must bring basket Of apples with
thee" said the woman, pausing at the gates.
The farmer filed the basket and took 1t on
his arm.
at is SO kind of you. sir!" said the weary
looking woman in whose poor little home he
set down the basket. And her grateful
looks and tones sent to his heart feeling OF
warmth and pleasure. purer and deeper than
he had known for a long, long time.
Thee understands, now" said his COM
panion, as they left the cottage, "what a true,
sweet life thee may live, II thee will. God
has given thee of His earthly bounties more
than n hundred fold beyond thy own needs,
and leisure to care for thy ncighbors, and
health in thy declining years. And yet thee
is not happy WhyP Thee is still trying to
live for thyself alone" .i,U..
The words of the speaker died on Farmer
Brill's ears; and at the same instant an
other voice reused him to another presence,
1t was that of his wife.
"How sound asleep you wore, Andrew!
don't like to have you sleep so heavily in the
daytime. 1t isn't good" ~
The farmer started up with bewildored
air.
"Why, Andrew! What ails you? What
have you been dreaming about?"
"Ohl II was dream! Yes, see. Dreams
are strange things"
And the farmer settled himself back In
his chair, and dropped his chin upon his
bosom. not to sleep again, for he was very
wide awake now, but TO ponder on what he
had heard from the lips of the monitor, who
had come to him in vision.
As his wife went back into the house
Farmer Brill heard the sound Of horsei
feet in the road, and looking up saw one o
his neighbors little way off. 1t was nov
five years since he had denied some triflinl
favor to this man, and there had been cold
ness between them ever since. At sight o
him the farmer seemed to have an uncom
Portable feeling. and dropped his eyes in
tending not to see him. But this only mad
HIM feel all the more uncom Portable. So
with self-compelling effort he rose from hi
seat, and, walking out through the gate tina
opened upon the road, met his neighbor
saying in as cordial tone as he could intro
duco into his voice; go cd morning, Nj
Holden"
GOOD morning, Mr. Brill" returned thu
neghbor, little surprised at his unusua
iriendliness. He drew up his horse anC
leaning over took the farmers offered hand
"How is Mrs Holdenp"
"Well, thank you! And how is Mrs Bril-? ?
r Hearty for one OF her years"
"And your own healthP"
. Cant complain A little stiff with rheu
matism, sometimes; but suppose ough
! to be thankful that my limbs are not nj
twisted out of shape like old John Gardeners
q By the way, how is Gardner9"
| Very badly off," replied the neighbor
a with pity in his voice. HAS not been abb,
4 to do days work these two months"
| "Is that SOP Poor fellowr' Farmer Bril-
dropped his eye to the ground and stoot
q thinking. And then the words he had hear,
in his dream began repeating themselves IL
a his thoughts.
n "He gives to some His broad grain field
4 and fruitful country that they may fill BARN
and storehouses and layup food for the hun
o cry and seed for the sower, that his peopl
die not for lack of bread. God has give
Q thee of His earthly bountes more than hun
T. bred fold beyond thy own need, and leisur
d to care for thy neighbors, and health in tn
: declining years. And yet thee is not happy
n for thee is still trying to live for thyse
4 alone"
s GLOW does he liveP" asked the farmer
I. raising his eyes from the ground and lookin
n up into his neighbours face.
Ellis family would have suffered in man
n ways, and his children gone hungry to bed
# if some of us had not looked after him"
II had no idea it was so bad, &" said the iaI
d mer. Hungry children! 1 can't stand thai
t / must go and see him"
o 81 wish you would. It's a real case {
Q charity"
y an go right off" said the flrmar, turnin
9 away and going into the house.
~ wonder what's come over the oil
n mani" So the neighbor unused as he rod