St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-03-03

known to give il little child Il smile. or
Il beggar II crust of bread.
Il have sometimes thought his heart
WAS like Il desert. without Il tree to
shade OF Il stream tn gladden. it. And
| yet it bore IL bright blossom once and
believe me, children, for it is the word
of IN old woman who has seen and
knows much of the ways of man. it is
always So. The heart may he a great
wilderness. but in some of its by-ways
there has grown Il flower"
Cora and | looked at each other. and
1T Uncle Charlie. just then Aunt Mary
came in. She had been ont. and had
not heard of Grandma Deane's visit.
But Cora stole up To her uncle. and
winding her arms about his neck, whis
pered:
Il shall believe il always, Uncle Char
lie, now have heard the story of Far
mer Keep, that there is IL blossom in
the wilderness of every heart"
1t WAS u sultry August day. in the
Summer | passed ut Meadow Brook.
The wind, low and slumberouS as the
hush of IL mothers voice ut nightfall.
crept up among the corn. and down
among the rye and wheat fields, that
lay like broad green folds about the
dwelling of Farmer Keep.
There WAS n" poem of flowers about
the front yard no graceful harmonic
ing touches of creeping vine or waving
curtains about the old red homestead :;
and Yet it had Il quiet, substantial mat
ter of fact phNSl"gnomy, that somehow
made Il home feeling about your heart.
| think il must have been this uncou-
sciouS feeling which decided the course
of the girl who stood at the point where
the roads diverge. and gazcd wisttully
: about her that afternoon.
She seemed very tired. and her coarse
straw bonnet and calico dress were GOV
cled with dust. If You had looked in
her face You would not have forgotten
it. 1t could not nave seen more than
fifteen summers. Ii was very pale. and
: its sweet. sad beauty made You think
. OF nothing but summer flowers drenched
/ with summer rains.
/ Her eyes We're of that deep moist
blue that rolls out from under the edge
of April clouds. and her lips. ripe and
full. had that touch of sorr"wtulnes,
l about them. which tells You always tn,
: heart beneath is full of tears
= The girls hand claSpcd tightly the
blancc between them would have told
You at once they were brother and sis
ter. but his lite could not have covered
moIe than Il third of hers.
The little fellows ewes were full al
tears. and the bright curI> that crepr
out from his hat were damp with m"I>
/ ture.
y few minutes later she opened th,
broad back gatc and went tu the kitch
: en door. Farmer Keeps houSekcepc
IN old woman. with yellow nightcaI
and check apron tied over her hnscl
wool skirt. answered her knock.
"Do You want any help. or do Nol
, know "t ANY one round here that does .!
l tinidiN asked the girl.
The old lady pcered at her with din
: eyes.
NO" said She. '.Thrre amt hu
tour on us Farmer Keep aud the tw'
>. hired men. aud me. Its harvest tim
Just now. though. and ! reckon N"u''
4 find place in the village.
- Thank YOU. BrnnIr heIr. my lirtl
brother i tired. for we walked from th
=, depot Can y"u let lis come i'll an'
rest awhile -
"Sartin You can.
The >itht of the child touched tn
-, heart of the woman. and tlIrl went int
, the large Kitchen. and sat down in TIA
- tiag bottomrd chairs. while with
glowing check the girl east about in hr
mind for the best manner III which (
= present her petition tol food.
II r..t,,. .h,. h,J dcri,i.d tL, mast,
' of the house suddenly entered th
, kitchen. for it WAS nearly dinner time
d ~ ,,,, I,,,,T..,l ,.,,, vim =, L.,r,
,,I,,.,,,,' .x,,.-.iou IN, hi. t,,. vhr,
e I,,,,;,,,';,,,r =, WI,
l.. ,h.:i, List,r,
y -, 81, ..,r. .,,;,
r. ne >'""' SUI "'.' H. H. ;s,'i,.','
!" -" II, Nv" ;,'. w.
an" NE ""H "''" '"'N' ~ us ,'a', '''
{, the %iil lhftW up 'Illild' hi"n'eh'
- glance Jhlo ihr %l""hIN ia'r'
n ~ on u"h KNOW oi any 'oiH l""i'
-. here that wants Il htI'' htIP. n" v
!, tanner asked me N"h'ail' mere
\. little g'rl that wants a place ana
ri she : walked iloh the depot t"Ih h'
she might come ~ ahh resi- Il hl' "'l"l
ut she went up INT" the village I" TRY IL
: luck.
II No" shortly answered the fame
= ..Dinucr ready ," And the rich IN;
turned away without one gentle wol
.,t or Kind look for two homeless childi,
whom God had brought to his door.
il. "I.ucI. Lucy. don't stay here: /
,f afraid" And the little huN's lip curl,
-. and uuivcred as he turned his face fro
h.. In. farmers.
- clancy. Lucv." how those little. treI
y bling tones went down. down. dow
., into the mans hard heart How ii