Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-29


many around her.
Just here the door opened, and Katie,
without saying BY your leave ushered in
anothervisitor. Seeing the traces Of tears on
Mrs. st. Johns face, the lady apologized for
her intrusion, saying she would call some
other time, if il would be more convenient.
"Oh no can attend 10 you as well now
as at any other time" said Mrs St John,
wondering II she had patent shoulder-straps
for sale. OF were getting subscribers for some
new book. just here Willie, who had been
unusually quiet for long time. took it into
his curly head TO climb upon the what-not,
an experiment he had never tried before.
Down came the what-uot, OF course, scatter
ing books and trinkets far aud near. rp-
setting Willie, humping his head, and wax
ing baby who added her voice 10 the din
aud confusion. Poor Mrs. st. Johns cup
was full. Courage aud patience well-nigh
deserted her, and she could scarcely stiile
the impulse 10 shake Willie then and there.
"Let me take the baby" said the stranger
lady, you'll have your hands full to quiet
the little boy" Remembering that Katie
was busy Just at this time with fine shirts,
and the children's dinner, she thankfully
handed the frightened baby TO the lady, and
went 10 the rescue Of Willie. II was some
time before he was quieted and the swollen
head bathed, but at length she seated her
self with him in her arms, and turned to
thank the lady, who had Quieted the baby
and rocked him TO sleep again. " You are
very kind, Mrs -. lay baby in his
crib then | will not take more Of your
time, which must be valuable
Let me hold him a little while, il you
don't mind. It's long time since | had
baby in my arms, and a treat that you
mothers whose arms are full all the day long
do not understand. But | have not told
you my name nor my erand. | am Mrs.
Phillips, living on this street in the old Fur
guson House. ! have started a school for
young ladies', aud called to see if there were
any here who were not already provided for.
The speaker was a middle-aged woman,
with a quiet face and manner.
No. | wish my Susie was old enough
to 60 to you, if you could quiet her as read
lily as you have that baby said Mrs. St
John. " But she is only nine years old
You are a stranger here, | think" And so
the conversation began.
Mrs. st. John was not one to speak of her
feelings TO people generally, much less Of
trials and burdens, and to strangers she was
quite reserved, but some words that Mrs
Phillips dropped led to the subject, and be
fore she knew it she was back again where
she had been half an hour before, when her
visitor entered
II seems to me sometimes as though my
life were nothing but an endless succession
of little duties, and very tiresome ones, too.
| hate the very sight of the mending-basket,
yet there it stands, week after week, ready
to be filled again as soon as emptied. get
r d. 4
sadly fear cross TO my husband. And what
am | to dof
Mrs. Phillips brushed back a curl that had
fallen over baby's forehead, and answered
You forget sometimes that you belong
| to the noble army of mothers, and read 1t as
the prayer-book does, martyrs
Yes, | do. | forget all the blesscdness
Of it, and think only of the trials Of mother
hood. Have you had these experiences,
Mrs. Phillips 2"
The visitors face saddened for a moment
as she answered, Yes, these and others
which hope it may never be your lot to
/ know. These were the first few years of
my married life, when no little ones came to
/ fiji my empty arms, and my heart cried out
! like Hannahs. Then God sent us deaI
! little boy. In year his sister followed, and
in two years more another little one. My
health was not very good and our incomI
small so that he could not hire the help W.
needed, and the burden was heavy for botl
of us. But looked back to the years wher
we were alone, and thanked God for Hi
precious gifts, and vowed if ! could give my
children no other inheritance, they should
at least find a welcome when they came into
our home. | am happy now TO remember
this, for our two older children were only
lent us for a little while. My husband fol
lowed them, and my little daughter and
are all alone. But it was not OF this
meant to speak | wish could help you t.
sec your life in its true light. ! doubt no
YOU do ordinarily-this is one of the darl
DAYS that come TO us all sometimes. |
makes all the difference in mothers III
where the center of that life is You kno'
in olden times, our world was supposed I
he in the centre of the whole solar system
and sun, moon and planets 10 revolve OBJ,
diently around it, created solely for our us
and pleasure. Afterwards we learned wha
a poor little atom our world is compare
with its sister stars, and how with them
circles obedently around its great lord, tn
, sun. SO in mothers life, If self, not ht
individual self, but the self of motherhoo'
which takes in the little ones, too-if sci
1 even in this broad sense, is the center, Il
! wonder things 60 hard. Little discomfort
: become magnilied. Everything is estimate
as it contributes to her comfort and the GOO
of her family. Trouble and sickness are ei
. emies to be dreaded and the lines deepe
q on her brow as the years so by. But whe
n she learns to call God the center of her b
ing when she lives in Him first and f
n Him always, she finds these other things a
: suming their true proportions. The tria
r. NAV be the same, the burdens just as heav.
N but she does not bear them alone, nor do
o she live in her own little world apart. III
i, heart goes out to those who have the sar
. troubles, and she comes 10 understand tn
p in belonging to the noble army of motht
,e aud trainisg her children for Him, she
= doing the noblest work any mortal can {
ar Pardon me doubt not YOU know all Il
to better than |, but the best Of us forget
L soon"
"Yes, yes, know, but do not do.
ir forget they are His children as well
,u mine
m m And then, to-" said Mrs. Phillips s
st is only for day at a time. If he said
he you, This one day take this child, and tr
ST it for me-, he time would not seem 10
y. Our lives are made up of days and ei
We night we eau lay of the burden ON him, v
nm cares for us aud our hearts and bruises m
10. tendery than you do for little Willie tn
in in your arms
av Again Mrs. ST John was left alone,
/ her thoughts ran on not as before. IL
nd a prayer now: not complaint, that fell Fl
rs. her lips. 4" Help me 10 find the center OF
:" life in thee, and inspired by thee, 10
ne. faithful each day TO my children, to my
n band, to all my duties, doing even the
as unto thee !"
Oh Are you crying, mamma. cause pu
Ter over the whatnotY Did | broke IL Y
ur bad I'm real sorryl"
nd "We'll go and see, Willie, and pick
the books and pictures before papa cont
,er With the traces washed of from b
en faces, and only dark spot on Willie's h
m. TO tell of the mishap they welcomed pa
on and when Susie and Jamie came in fl
school he was prancing around the re
,w with Willie on his shoulder while mot
ife sat mending Jamie's torn trousers aud 81
as ing softly to herself
or That evening when the children W
ye asleep she told her husband the days
fe tory, adding, " II seems rs though
MI taken a new hold of life as though &c
,et angel brought me courage and peace
IN mind when | was well.nigh dishearten
W ~ 49,. tf 4 ,an ,,tVa ms abi IA