Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-08-16

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wander round alone in the woods better
than to be with other boys. People
laughed at him because of his queer
some ways but he couldn't help it-he
was born so and it would come out +"
HE was what Aunt Becky calls shift
less, guess. She says you are but I
don't mind as long as you take care of
me and tell me stories"
The boy sighed and shook his head
as if whole swarm of gnats were an
noying him now. "He was grateful,
anyhow, this fellow I'm telling about,
for he loved the good folks and worked
on the farm with all his might to pay
them for their pity. He never COM
planned but he hated it, for delving
day after day in the dirt made him feel
as if he was nothing but worm"
1--WE are all worms" Deacon Hurd
says, $50 the boy needn't have minded, "
said Ruth, trying to assume a primly
pious expression, that sat very i'll upon
her blooming little face.
but some worms can turn into but
terfies if they get a chance, so the boy
did mind, Ruthy.'' And Nat looked
out into the summer world with long
ing face, which proved that he already
felt conscious of the folded wings and
was eager to use them.
"Was he God.fearing boy? asked
Ruth. with tweak of the ear, for her
friend showed signs of wandering off,
again into world where her prosaic
little mind could not follow him.
.'He didn't fear God he loved him.
Perhaps 1t was wrong; but somehow he
couldn't believe in God of wrath when
he saw how good and beautiful the world
was and how kind folks were to him.
He felt as if the Lord was his father,
for he had no other and when he was
lOnesomest that thought was right COM
Portable and helpful to him. Was it
wrong 2" asked Nat of the child.
"I'm afraid Aunt Becky would think
so. She's awful pious, and boxed my
ears with psalm-book, last Sabbath,
when L said | wished the lions would
bite Daniel in the den, was so tired of
seeing them stare and roar at him. She
wouldn't let me look at the pictures in
the Bible another minute, and gave me
a long hymn to learn, shut up in the
back bedroom. She's a godly woman,
Deacon Hurd says; but l think she's
uncommon strict
''ShaIl tell any more, or are you
tired of this stupid boy? said Nat
honestly.
Eyes, you may as well finish. But do
have something happen. Make him
grow great man like Wilmington, or
some of the story-book folks, it's so nice
to read about" answered Ruth, rather
impatiently.
81 hope he did something better than
trade cats and be Lord Mayor of Lon
don. But that part of the story hasn't
come yet; so I'll tell you of two things
that happened-one sad and one merry.
When the boy was fourteen the good
woman died, and that nearly broke his
heart for she had made things easy for
him, and he loved her dearly. The far
mer sent for his sister to keep house,
and then the boy found it harder than
ever to bear his life; for the sister was
a notable woman, well-meaning. but as
strict as Aunt Becky, and she posters
the lad as aunt posters me. You see,
Ruthy, it grew harder every year fol-
him to work on the farm, for he longed
to be away somewhere quiet among
books and learned folks. He was moi
like those about him, and grew more
unlike all the time, and people often
said: He's come of gentler blood, that's
plain to see He loved to think it was
true-not because he wanted to be rich
and fine, but to find his own place and
live the life the Lord meant him to
This feeling made him so unhappy thai
he was often tempted to run away, and
would have done it but for the gratitude
that kept him. .
"Lack-a-daisy What bad boy
when he had good clothes and victuals
and folks were clever to him. But die
he ever find his grand relations ?" ask
ed Ruth, curiosity getting the better o
the reproof she thought it her duty t,
administer.
81 don't know yet. But he did fine
something that made him happier anC
more contented. Listen, now; for you'll
like this part | know. One night. a
he came home with the cows, watching
the pretty red in the sky, hearing tn,
5 crickets chirp, and picking flowers along
4 the way, because he liked to have 'en
in his room, he felt uncommon lonesom,
and kept wishing he'd meet fairy wh'
f would give him all he wanted. Wher
. be got to the house, he thought the fair
| had really come; for there on the door
a stone stood little lass looking a: him
! A right splendid little lass, Ruth, witt
brown hair long upon her shoulders
!. blue eyes full of smiles, and a face lik,