Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-01
1 Serene Old Age.

once knew a dear old lady--so sweet, 30
bright, so clever; wearing her eighty years
as lightly ~ fowsB.r When you talked
with her you would have thought her a
woman Of thirty. 50 full was she of all the
quick sympathy of youth, the wise tender
ness uf middle age. Of the weaknesses of
old age she had absolutely none Her inter
est IN all those about her was such that she
never seemed to think of herself at ALL No
complaint no murmur at her own ailments
and she had ailments and soTrows too
ever fell from her lips her only anxiety was
about the cares of other people, and how she
could tighten them. IN great things and
small Iler bounty knew no limits except
her means, which were not great but"
she once said, smiling, 4" | need 80 little and
then you see, my dear, always pay my bills
every week, so as 20 give no trouble to any.
body afterward." Thus she kept house,
with the utmost order, yet with ceaseless
hospitality. 1t was indeed the House Beau
tilul, from whose gates all who came departed
refreshed and strengthened, and whence no
creature who came in want or grief was ever
sent empty away. | need not name it,
many now living will remember it and none
who were familiar there could ever forget it,
or her, as she sat in her quiet corner, with
her sweet old face, and her lovely little
ringed hands-peaceful. idle hands since
for some years before she died she was nearly
blind Yet her though, coming
so late in life, it made her very helpless
never made her sad or dull she could still
listen to and Join in conversation, aud she
greatly liked society, especially that of the
young. There was always tribe of
young people coming about her, telling
her all their doings and planuings,
their amusements and their troubles.
She was fond of them, and they-they
adored her One girl in particular owned
that the first time this dear old lady volun.
tarily kissed her she felt "as if she had been
kissed by her first love" When she died
at over eighty, certainly, but her executors
had TO guess at the date, for she was an old
maid, without any near relation, and had
often said she did not even know her own age,
il was 20 long since she was born-when she
died there was found among her private
papers a portrait of young man in a foreign
military dress. No one could guess who ii
was the name-there was a name-no one
had ever heard Of At last some old ac-
quaintance recalled far away tradition of
her having been once about to be married
somehow the marriage was broken off, but
the two remained friends, and, it was be-
lieved. corresponded and occasionally met
till his death, which happened when she
was about fifty years old. For his nephew
and heir, he having died rnmarried-had
then been To see her; somebody recollected
having met the young man at her house, and
her introducing him by the name on the
miniature. After that all was silence. She
was never heard to maine the name again
Yet she lived on for thirty more years
What do you do when you are quite alone r
was once asked anxiously of her, when she
was too blind either TO write, or sew, or read
What do do 2 My dear, | s, and think
have so much to think about--and SO
many" "And are you never dull 2" "Dull
Oh, mol ! am quite happy" She was, !
am sure. You could see it in her face
Her last act-the last time she ever crossed
her threshold-was | remember, visit OF
kindness, partly as an excuse to take for a
drive person who was too feeble TO walk
much. She was then extremely feeble her
self, and, climbing steep stair, one who
assisted her said anxiously " fear you are
very tired ?" Yes" she replied. (" am
always tired now. But" she replied turn
ing suddenly around with the brightest of
smiles, "never mind, it will be all right
soon Four weeks after she lay in her final
rest looking so young so pretty, so content,
that those who best loved her choked down
their sobs and smiled, saying, 1t was like
putting baby to sleep. Sermons out Of
Church, by Mss Uuioch.