Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-30

~ III ~ hAAho VI y Jby WV IOa bo
true TO your name and to your God. o that
last adieul She did not tarry TO hear but
the first sad story Of your downfall.
1 say, you wore away from your home q
name the world would have been proud TO
honor now you wear n name that the low
est of the low despise-a mock and q derisIon
In the street where you are known. And
you dare to come here to claim as your own,
my charity and respect. No, neverl This
home and the bright hearts who dwell here
shall not be blighted and cursed by your
presence. l say before heaven, gol And
never darken this threshold again, until you
come as you once were, and as you now
ought to be-"
She turned from him, heard the door close
and all was still again except the low moan
ings that rose from the soft cushions in the
corner not soft enough now to rest the wea-
ry heart, the wild tempest tossed heart, hid
den In them.
MY home, my children, l must live now
for them. 1 must fight this dreadful battle
for them. ., my poor long lost brotherl l
would give my own life to save him but not
my ohildren's; l have lone everything to re-
claim him but this, no. not this l cannot
run the risk of introducing to my children
such a misshapen life, as their uncles, and
claiming their respect. lie has cast away
my tears and entreaties, now l must cast
him of. This is my last resort to recall him
to better thoughts and ways. o. will he ex-
change all OF the sweet influences of home
for-O God in heaven, was | rightp or was 1
wrong?"
An elastic step came up the gravel walk,
and Mr.. Matthews stood before her, and
much surprised in finding his wife in such
an unusal state, said GLOW is this Bertha,
what Is the matterp you look very sick"
III nave n nervous headache; l will go to my
room and please tell Martha that | cannot
see the children tonight" answered Mrs.
Matthews.
The next morning Mrs. Matthews resum-
cd her accustomed place ia the family, try
ing to make home pleasant and her children
happy; but she could not get out froni under
the cloud so easily, (the only cloud that had
ever cast its shadow on her path now she
had seen the wreck of n brother. lie had
for several years avoided seeing her, and
the pleading letters she had sent so often he
seldom noticed; aud she found that in her
imagination, she had failed to reach the ex-
tent of his degradation. Although she felt
confident that she did right in sending him
away, yet the question was ever before her;
was it wrongp
We will leave Mrs. Matthews with her
own conscience, and follow the stranger n
while.
CHAPTER H..
The brother stranger, picked up the little
worn satchel and replacing his hat, started
from Mrs. Matthew'S house. stunning the
way he came, though hardly kuowning why.
lie turned off into a by-road which led
through q forest-climbed the hedge and
struck of into the midst ofthe forest; travel
ing through swamp and underbrush, over
fallen trees and broken branches, which had
been scattered by the storms of many years.
On, and on, he went, with no design but to
get beyond those dreadful words :-"What |
used to be! My wasted life" Over and over
these revolved in his mind, but kept grow
ing more distinct, until they seemed TO be
n presence pursuing him, as he hurried and
stumbled on, until he suddenly fell to the
ground ins~nsible. He lay there a long
time under the kindly shade of the heavy
oaks, while the pines a little in the distance,
kept singing andsoothing. singing and sooth,
ing, in low refrain, until his feverish trouble
was lost and n gentle dream stole in
dreamed that he was suspended from the
hn.,nha 81 tka t.oo, l., N n.oIIo L..I.oA --l
his own dear mother sat by his side swing
ing his cradle bed back and forth softly anC
gently; he thought he was going to die with
the pain that seemed wrapped about hi,
head; but he looked into his mothers eyes
those same loving depths of blue, and sh,
said: mo, no, my little boy must not die
my little boy cannot die-no, no." lie
awoke. and saw the green spread out abov,
him just as he had seen it in his dream ant
exclaimed, "Where am Ip back in the ole
green woods of our school %days-little Bet
Leen-raising himself and resting his hea
oh his hand. he looked around. On one side
all was forest still on the other, was al
opening, and away in the distance lay q
small lake bordered with shrubbery and
wide stretching meadows; the sun wa
throwing back upon the water, and thu
mountains beyond, the softly tinted light o
his adieu slowly came into the mind of thu
stranger, the memory OF low soft tones read
ing; OF a Gland where everything grew tha
, was pleasant to the sight, and of "a pur,
river of water clear rs crystal, us this tina
> landP His eyes CHANGING to fall back upoI
, his w rusty garments, his head droppe
= heaily to the ground again; notin happy un
consciousness this time, but to recall ali tina
. had passed that day, and through all tn
days of his past life.
; "'What ! used to be- these fresh gree
woods tell too plainly; what l am to-da
= these garments tell, and my burning throat
What | ought to be- that is impossible! q
my beautiful sister, IN her beautiful home
What have l thrown away, and what is I'll
" exchange? o, my parched lips! My nlothe
does she watch me stillP My sister, 1 ca
. never merit her respect; between us ther
= is a great gulf. Those burning word s; the
= will surely drive me madr A small voiC
whispered: "Why not drive thee towards
better hfep"
After n while he rose to his feet with
quiet, yet determined look, and began
consider his best course to pursue; he chos
~ the way out into the clearing. Going owe
a little rise of ground he came suddenly uT
on a rude cottage; he raped on the oil
"a weather beaten door where many a storJ
70 had tried for admittance in vain; but
always opened to the weary traveller;
le Can you give me a trile of supper, ma
10 ann" the stranger asked of the kindly lool
ing woman who came to the door.
"Shure an we can git some supper for Il
ID likes o. ye; an what wud myself ha' do
r.. when we be first coming to this country
As somebody had niver guy me n bite TO ateP'
"How far is it to the nearest s%tationP"
- innuYrad