Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-07
4 Day with a Courteous Mother.

one forget the discomforts of the Journey.
II was plain that they were poor; their
clothes We're coarse and old, and had been
made by inexperienced hands. The mothers
bonnet alone would have been enough 10
have condemned the whole party on any Of
the worlds thoroughfares. ] remembered
afterward, with shame, that ! myself had
smiled at the sight Of its antquated ugli-
ness but her face was one which it gave
you a sense Of rest TO look npon-it was 80
earnest, tender true, and strong. II had lit
Tie comeliness Of shape or color in it it was
thin and pale she was not Young She had
worked hard; she had evidently been much
III but | have seen few faces which gave
me such pleasure. think that she was the
wife of poor clergyman and | think that
clergyman must be one of the Lords best
watchmen of souls. The children-two
boys and two girls-were all under the age
of twelve, and the youngest could not speak
plainly. They had had a rare treat they had
been visiting the mountains, and they were
talking over all the wonders they had seen
with glow Of enthusiastic delight which was
TO be enyied Only word-for-word record
would do justice to their conversation no
description could give any idea Of it-so free,
so pleasant, so genial, no interruptions, no
contradictions and the mothers part borne
all the while with such equal interest and
eagerness that no one not seeing her face
would dream that she was any older than an
elder sister. In the course Of the day there
were may occasions when it became neces-
sary for her to deny requests, and to ask ser
vices, especially from the eldest boy but no
YOUNG girl, anxious to please lover, could
have done either with a more tender cour-
Gla haI lar l. f,,
could have been more tender and manly
than was this boy Of twelve. Their lunch
was simple and scanty but it had the grace
of a royal banquet At the last, the mother
produced with much glee three apples and
an orange, of which the children had not
known. All eyes fastened on the orange.
It was evidently great rarity watched
to see if this test would bring out selfshness.
There was a little silence just the shade of
a cloud. The mother said How shall !
divide this There is one for each of you
and shall be best Of all, for ] shall expect
big tastes from each of you"
oh. give Annie the orange Annie loves
oranges" spoke the oldest boy. with the sud
den air of a conqueror. and at the same time
taking the smallest and worst apple himself
"Oh. yes, let Annie have the orange"
echoed the second boy. nine years old.
Yes. Annie may have the orange, be-
cause that is nicer than the apple, and she
is a lady and her brothers are gentlemen"
said the mother, quietly. Then there was
a merry contest as 10 who should feed the
mother with largest aud most frequent
mouthiuls and so the feast went on. Then
I'M ~ ",ie "ll''g, "'.u
bits out of the cheeks of Badwins and, as
ga. yai''''s ','i i''.e''';S' s''e suu'''"'
gu 90" =" il'fiis ~ ''y i.''s '''Vs
P."I7 ~ W Nv, ou, Iu'. w VI
. lsI o''.s', i''' ny rIy on 3o9 3 m,'i. Ia
','9'' w iI me We.
s'ai'i''lsi9 WIN S;.,i, SsiI 10, 'iaiiH YOU
yTu St u's,i so''S''"' '''''7 s'i' ! 'o'i '"''
"'t',' a. u,a.lsV9' r bo1 to.1;o,. ;,..,n,..t ,r
-. u0oi We n"t V..'iO'' nc, at =.
Nai',ns al !" ui'a'y s's,iuil' ,af say io'
wv oIiS oa' a ii'.iiT" .;i, wiz" Wv
II. sIi, .'',' -. o i;tia I oI1 1e
oiaesV S''9 lt'i9 io' ieii Vi.G 9ouns
ess I',i.u III ., IN In ~ nv, VIZ Z S''' Ne,
.i''',,i II L5 -, ~ - - 'lii Nv ~.
anu ',iti ne i1oA'u ~ az "e'; anu 'ic''
uaIS AZ .o "Soy anu az i''se s'',u .otiii''oii-
Ialii !" .ile S'ol W. ~ peooliie iase llleIus
~ 1il's ~, j.. iuil'iy, " 'illN 'ia'
was SNo' ~ ~Snl''l ~ Ns '"ls o"py anu Papa
says ula' tneu "'"'iii'i" WIS "n'osV h''ie
sl,I I'll, herseH' ,,, -.
ne TWO o.ntr Ili'lu.en we're tol,'ng up
anI Gown tle paiks u .le Iailioau srack'
plGA'i9 oA,eye uai1ss' 1i, out'ele'psi anu s1l-
REL lney "olAsu it le pe1sers, "a anu soon i.,i tne
punS''es NJ "liiios' voo uis 10! t'eiI nt.lc
nanus, ii ineh MY came running I" give
'ne'h u, 70 'le', !. ,iio.ngr,
VII ueai' ,i,ous'is !, iIoM % u'a' iooi ,irsu
woman WIZ ia.e 20 olen ner Eye. anu sue
heNe. ca,i taAe tllese EreaV pu.cl'es Vi com
mon iadlng noWersI N auullloh 70 all her
ouhdies l, aiu pags. l wa I!I lnlseaSeIi
Vh' .'ia"H No., YOU ny u'iIlnss iioT sns Alnu
you Mere. oo'i no,' " tireu A.'iu 3' n1Me.s, Us.
NOW tnlIs'S 1ioi i9VA .,v ~ 'iTy Mii on's TX
ana Keep alNe tlli We set nonle, We WI
MAKE ,neIn very hnppy III some "ater won
we ana you sh"il put one pti'ch ny papa
plate, and one ny mine'
sweet ana happy' the weary ana hushed
niue e4lldren s,ood io1klhg up IN her laee &C,
whlie she talhedi thelr heaits tnilihhg "ltl,
compassion loi tne uiooplhg mowers ana
Win uehehV III tle sNulg ol uielI silN
linen she to0k great troh9ie 70 get a strlng
ana tle up tle noNe's, elu tnen 'ne usin
came ana we wen. wn,inhg iiIiig alohs aga.n;
soon II grew 1arh a,iu nttle AIinle heau .al
houueu; me = he"'u 'ne niutner say 70 t,ie
o%ldes' % ooy, Dear, ate you 700 .i'tu 70 ,ee
liVV,e hilhie PuS n1I neau On SouI siiouluei
ana take nap we Shaii get hef nome III
much pettel cast 70 see papa IL we can man
age 10 give her niue sieep' 10" many
boys Oh tWeNe near such words as tllese
from tred' oferpurdehed mothers
soon came the city, the maj station WIN
its DuStle ana noise fingered 10 waich my
happy iahily' hopihS 10 see uhe iather'
why, papa isn't here exclaimed one DIS
appointed niue voice aiter another, " Never
mlnd, SAID the mother, with Stli deeper
disappointment IN her tone; perhaps ne
had TO go 70 see some poor body VINO is slek;
IN the hurry Oh piekihs up All the parcels
and the sleepy babies the poor daisies aud
buttercnps were ieli iorgotten IN corner OF
the rack. wondered IL the mother had not
intended this' May ! be forgiven the IN
Justice a lew minutes aiter passed i the