Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-11
The White Lily.


Please, said wistful voice, =" give me
flower. Tom is fond Of flowers"
Ella Bronson was on her way TO friends
with bouquet of choice flowers. She stop
ped at this appeal, and looking down, saw a
little girl about twelve years old
And who is Tom 2" asked Ella, touched.
My little brother. lie fell and hurt his
back, and now he can't move himself The
doctor says he'll never get well aud he does
wish for flowers So"
Ella hesitated for a moment, but only foi
moment. TO take single flower from hel
! bouquet would spoil it, so perfectly had il
been arranged; aud it was for a friend
moreover, who was about TO be married.
But the pleading face of the child, and the
sick brother, were more than she could bear.
She remembered too, the words of Scrip
ture, % -lnasmuch rs We have done it unto one
of the least of these, ye have done it uuto
me-" She selected the finest flower in the
bouquet-a large, white lily-and gave it
to the child.
"There," she said, "put it in water, and it
will keep ever so long. And here" she ad-
ded, as the girl, with grateful looks, turned
TO run away, 81 is something to buy few
cakes for your brother. Where do you live p
The child told her, adding "Oh, won't
Tom be glad aud then disappeared.
1t was not long before the little thing
reached her home. It was a close, hot room,
at the top Of the house, looking into a dirty
enclosure beneath.
"ls that you, Lizzie 2 4" asked weak
voice d" I'm SO glad"
The speaker was lying on a straw bed on
the floor, and he looked up, smiling, into his
sisters face.
" See here, Tom" said the sister, produc
ing the cakes these are the very kind you
like. But that is not all" she added, tri-
umphantly producing the lily; "just look at
this -
TOMS eyes fairly glistened with delight.
In his eagerness he half rose in the bed, ex-
claiming "Oh, what a beauty Where did
You get il 81" But the exertion was too
much for him, aud almost as soon as he had
gr,sped the bud, he fell back on his bed.
" How pure it looks " he added, weakly,
after pause {" it makes me think Of the
angels. You good, good Lizzie "
" See, I'll put it in a bottle" said Lizzie,
"with some water and it shall stand on the
floor by you. 1t will last ever 50 long, now.
But why don't you eat your cakes 2"
Tom shut his eyes. can't, Lizzie" he
said, " | amt hungry. You must eat, your
Lizzie was frightened. Tom must be very
bad she knew, II he could not eat cakes.
Eat a little bit, dear" she begged. " 1t
will make you feel better"
81 don't think | shall ever be better
answered Tom.
The tears rolled down the sisters face
don't talk so, Tom" she sobbed, YOU
shant go. | can't live without you. Who
will be here 10 take care of Inc 2"
/ Awe been thinking" said Tom, gravely,
81 think 1 great deal lying here, that when
I'm gone, father will be different. You
know"-and here he dropped his voice and
looked carefully around, as ii TO see lest any
one might be listening, "you know that
father drinks, aud that's why he comes home
SO late and says he can't afford 10 send you
TO school and why he is so cross and why,
sometimes, he beats you"
Don't speak OF it, dear" sobbed the sis
ter. 81 wouldn't mind, If it wasn't for you. !.
but do mind il, Lizzie; and it breaks
my heart 10 lie here and see 1t. But some
times think, when die father will be diff
ferent. lie says he loves me, and ii may
make him good, you see. What is it the
Bible says Through much tribulation y
Yes. II is through much tribulation we win
the crown, What was the verse we learnt
at school ? | keep forgetting. The one
about being tired"
"Oh | know" said Lizzie. "'C Come unto
me all that are weary and heavy laden, and
will give you rest"
"'Come unto me- lie does not deceive,
Lizzie lie loves you and me, too, and lie
will take care Of us. lie is going to give
me rest up in heaven"
But the sister was not TO be comforted.
Tom was all the world TO her To lose him
was TO lose everything.
The day wore on. Night came. Tom lay
looking at the lily, and no one knows how
very many sweet thoughts il suggested TO
him. Now and then his sister left her work,
and came to see il he wanted anything. lie
always thanked her with sweet smile.
"Father is late tonight" he said at last,
when darkness came; and he sighed
lie will be here soon," said Lizzie, utter
ing words of hope, in which she hardly be-
loved herself. "Try to sleep little, dear"
So Tom at last fell into doze. Ten O'Clock
came, and yet no father. Worn out with
fatigue and anxiety, Lizzie crept into bed by
her brothers side, and sank 10 sleep also
II was midnight when the father came in.
The noise woke Tom up. lie half rose on
his elbow aud looked around. AT that mo-
ment the moon emerged from cloud, aud
its light falling through the window, lit up
the sick boys face with o glory as OF a
seraph's.
The father started back, sobered at once.