Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-11-17
MY Early Home.


gables aud massive chimneys; over il hung
the drapery Of two proud elms, twin sisters,
which had grown in beauty side by side in
the great front yard green moss had al
ready begun TO gather on their huge trunks,
and, here aud thgre, a dscayed or decaying
| branch refused TO bear tho foliage Of its
fellows Bright lights streamed from the
half-drawn shutters of the parlor, and ear
nest voices broke the stiffness of the street.
Behold what merry-making within The
chairs were carefully sat against the PANELS
the lamps burned bright on the mante a
fender closely encirced the blazing fire and
there, in the middle Of the room, stood
group of rosy-cheeked, laughteroving chill
dren. A boy, just blind-iolded, stands by
himself, crying, Ready ready 2" "Not
quite !" "Yes." ayes" lie listens a soft
football hers--a suppressed twitter there-he
darts forward-what a running here, and
running there Away and around, he
dashes on, pell-mell, huryburly, in close and
hot pursuit. A gentleman is one of this
gameSomc troupl 10, the blinded boy
catches fast his leg. Tie children set up a
shout with great clapping of hands, aud
much skipping TO and fro. Father It's
father !" exclaimed the boy. ayes, yes,
father, YOU are caught Now you must be
blinded |" cried another, glcefully. To this
law of the game the father smilingly con-
sents, and the kerchief is tied round his
eyes. Then what scampering What hid
ingi What tiptoeing How the little folks
evaded his grasp Sometimes crawling
through his legs--sometimss creeping behind
his back--somstimes manfully facing him,
with the right-about air Of Catch me if
YOU can I" Then there was one he caught
up in his arms. Its me, sir it's me l'
softly whispered the struggling little maiden.
"Ah, Fanny well, have caught Fanny
said the gentleman, removing the kerchief
and displaying his fine thin face, lighted
with the excitement of the scene. She's
told Fanny's told 'tisn't fair Now, father,
you must catch somebody else /" exclaimed
two or three voices, all at once. 40, but
knew it was Fanny by her long curls," said
the gentleman, putting her down; land
now Fanny must blind" 90, do let George"
besought Fanny, escaping away and hiding
herself among the group. Well, George,
you AXE it-Fanny will never catch us, de-
clared the master of ceremonies, tall dark,
handsome boy, whom they called Eben; and
George nowise reluctant, was soon blind
folded. What havoc did George make
How rapidly he flew under tables and up in
corners In what hot haste did they scam
What scrambling and jumping and laugh
ing Nobody minded when and how fell lit
tie Alice Half playing, half looking on,
with big doll in one hand, and box of
wooden cups and saucers in the other, gifts
of the day, little Alice only now and then
mingled in the busy sport. 40, its only
Alice, never mindl - shouted Ralph, and
round and round went the noisy troupe. Al
ice rolled oyer-the doll went one way-cups
| and saucers another-tast and thick came
| children's steps nobody needed where--no-
body heard the cracking of cups or the
| breaking of saucers. Alice burst into tears
! The gentleman, absent an instant from the
room, stepped suddenly in and picked up the
little unfortunate in his arms. How is all
this ?" asked the gentleman, Alice in tears
on her birthday !" A quick pause among
the children, as they crowd around. One
sought the doll-behold departed nose
Cups and saucers were gathered up, Behold,
4 in what disiointed fragments Alice hid
| her face in her fathers bosom and wept Bit
! tery. " Sad work, this ~ said the gentle
man, as one and another began to account
| for the disaster" 1t seems Alice, her doll,
and her tea-set, have been run over and over,
and nobody minded to pick them up" con-
tinued the gentleman; q" these friends, who
are celebrating Alice's birthday, were so
eagerly thinking of themselves, they did not
think Of her, Somebody said, its only AL
ice, never mind that was u selfish boy, so
intent upon his own amusement, that he
could not stop to sympathize with his little
sister"
Perhaps only little careless, father"
remarked Eben
"To be careless OF the rights and happ.
ness of Others is true selhshness," replied
the father. Poor little girl" aud he ten
derly caressed this nursing of the flock.
1--WE could not help it," said Ralph, ex-
culpatingly; "we should be caught"
mot helping it, is the reason all people
give for doing wrong. Ralph, have at heart
the good and the comfort OF others; possess
this wW, Raiph," and the father looked
keenly and impressively upon the boy,
"have this ,cil, aud you will always find the
ray"
"Father, need she have had all these
things IN her hand ?"
"Does that excuse you for not aiding her
after she had fallen, my son 7"
Fanny drew close 10 Alice, and lovingly
stroked her hair.
al am really sorry think we might have
stopped exclaimed Robert,
:" We ought to-" said Eben, decidedly.
doll" declared Ralph
No, this doll must do for the present
Alice must learn sometimes to bear unmer
tied injuries the injury is done, and YOU
cannot repair this, as you cannot many other
injuries you might do ; a new dall would not
be the doll Aunt Mary sent her, Let this
teach you heedfulness. Strive 10 avoid do
ing an injury, and then you will have moth
ing to regret, or repair" Thus spake my
father. Thus listened Eben, Robert, and
my own small self, Ralph the youngest OF
the brothers. George Preston, with his
sweet sister Fanny, aud some half dozen OF
the neighbors' children, we're invited guests
to celebrate the fourth birthday Of our little
Alice. We all looked upon our fathers face
as he spoke, and then beheld in each other.
faces what yet remained unuttered on the
lp--that, as forus, we would hencsforth take
heed in time 10 come. A side-door opened
aud the cheerful voice of our mother spak,
peace TO our troubled spirits, in these word'
-" Come, my children, supper is ready"
The merry hours of my boyhood How
they lie fresh and green, on the sunny side
of the long past Birthdays celebrated
, Thanksgiving frolics, New Years gifts, deal
festival seasons, when our parents partooi
OF our pastmes. Father and mother wer,
, the life of our games, Without them, every
thing was tame, dull, joyless. Their judg
ment planned for us their authority re
/. strained us their quiet love tempered the
, impetuous outbreakiug of wild and buoyan
, youth. Warmly Sympathizing in the frolei
and the accidents of childhood, their dignit,
was never compromised, their authority
never degraded they could be, as it were
= children, and yet parents. No stately dis
! lance separated their hearts from our hearts
and yet there was power IN the calm and
. Just reproof, "sharper than a two-edged
sword" which seemed to follow us like q
second conscience, with majesty we dare
not disobey. Throughout our household,
! there ever reigned perfect yet cheerful obe
dience TO the wishes and laws OF our parents
and yet our father governed BY reason-a
Q mode of management much admired and
y much censured Parents 100 frequently
I are signally unsuccessful In attempting tc
. govern their children thus. My father, in
1 reasoning with us, never descended TO an
/ equality with his children. lie did not ad
nit us 10 n knowledge of his reasons, and