Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-26

And that was the sum of Kates conversa-
tion with Aunt Mary respecting her nine
tecnth birthday
There are not many girls who are very
settled and very happy at nineteen. They
laugh and talk, go to parties, read some
books, make calls, alter their dres 'es, and
do thousand such things that are ncces-
sary; but by this time they haze done
them all a good while, And the thought
will not be crushed, "Is this the whole Of
life?n Now such = thought as this was
the actual knot in all the tangled mass of
thoughts that had filled Kate's mind
through the dull 10Th dayof December
her birthday. In other days only few
short years ago-a wreath of red berries
round little cake, and II special kiss all
round, had quite satisfied her; but even at
nineteen there are fewer lips to give the
birthday kiss. Besides. life had actually
come now. That wonderful future she
used to dream about was right here. She
was already in it, and the thought, indeed,
the question would come up" What am |
doing? | don't see but | am busy all the
time, but it isn't living. When | get
through | shall have nothing to show.
There's Annie Wilson. She can draw and
paint, and understands music. | sec how
she can fill her life up, well enough. And
there's Carrie French who is going next
month to teach school; but as for me, l
can't see my way ouA"
Poor Kate! Something definite was
what she wanted OF vague energy and
eagerness she had enough. She didn't
need so much 10 be taught, Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
might" as how TO find something TO do. 1t
is true of half the young Christian girls,
who want TO serve and live to real pur-
pose, but don't know where to begin.
When they come down from abstract
thinking to the regular, hopeless Monday,
and Tuesday, and Wednesday, it is as if
they had come into contact with blank
stone wall.
Kate's home was pleasant one Her
father was q stirring man of business
here and there and everywhere. The
only brother who was left, was in store
in the village-a kind, good-natured sort
of man, who moved on in certain even
way, loved Kate, and told her so some
times, but knew as much of her inner life
as the Queen of England. At home every
day with her mother, this unmarried aunt,
and one servant. Her mother was thor
oughly practical woman, busy with her
dairy and garden, and more industrious
than her sister who hustled about all day
long in a sort of disconnected way. Be-
tween Kate's secret thoughts and this
home circle, there was a most impossible
gulf. They could help her less than she
could help herself, only this night the bur-
den seemed too heavy for her to bear.
There was no use in going away to cry
over it. She had tried that before. She was
in no mood for reading; so she took an un-
finished dress, put the shade on the lamp,
and sat sown to sew on the braid.
"Tinkle, tinkle," went the door-bell
Dear me-" she said to herself. {. | can
not talk tonight" but she went to the
door.
90 Mrs. Jackson, good EVENING" AnC
this good lady had a hearty kiss and wei
come. Something in her quiet eyes mel
Kate's mood. She united the strings o.
her friends white hood, and she sat dowr
close by her with very wistful look. Now
they were alone, if Mrs. jackson would
only talk to her, and help her little
However, it was only by intuition one
could have known her thought. She never
knew how 10 speak first.
do you know, Kate" said Mrs. Jack
son, when they talked a little about com
mon place things, Il often wonder if you
are quite contented?n
Kate looked up quickly, and read some
thing in the thoughtful face that opened
her heart She hadn't much to say, fol
her trouble was rather in!angible-a blank
sense of life slipping away with no rea
thing done.
II sew" said she, "for John, and dust
the rooms every morning; but most of the
things mother would rather do herself
then auntie takes good deal of care, so
don't seem to be very necessary. Inc
weeks 60 on, and don't see what it al
amounts to-"
"You finished school last summer didn
you Kate?"
"Yes, father thought had been long
enough; besides my head troubled me 81
much when l was studying, it was no us(
for me to try to 90 on. Oh dear! Some
times wish | were so poor should have
10 support myself. | believe should b'
happier"
Mrs. Jackson was silent Il minute, pom
dering, while she drew Kate to her with ;
caressing motion. II understand" sai'
she, " I've lived through it all. thnl
the great thing for you now is, to know
lust what YOU ought TO do. You want t
find the right path between yielding IL
lazy way to circumstances and trying II
force your dreams against Providence
Suppose we think things over, and see !
little"
"Well." said Kate. Il have wanted
to 90 with Carrie French to teach school
I believe l know enough for that. But
YOU sec, / can't stir step. I'm the onl.
daughter, and they think Pm not strong
50 never could persuade father and moth
er that it is anything but nonsense. There
no use thinking any more of that 1t
lived in large town tbered be plenty t
do for poor people, but you know how
is here. There it isl seem to be 50 shu
up" And her lips quivered little as sh
went round the old hopeless circle again.
but Kate, dear, God means to hav
YOU do something that calls out all you
powers. If He shnts you up here in til
village, the work is here. | know wha
YOU want to say. You have lived here S
long, with everything going on in regula
way, YOU can't break through. You don
know how to get anything to begin with
1t is like putting out your hand to take u
apple in dream-jnst as you put it ou
YOU wake up" Kate looked up with
smile, and eyes brimming over. Thi
was Just the trouble.
Mrs. jackson was silent another minut
or two. She knew Kate didn't need to b
directed into seeing home duties bette
lust now. She was already good daugl
ter and sister. The finer shades of hcl
, and home service, she would find by de
orees, if she could start once in the rigl
,, direction. To 90 out was the best thin
for her first The silence was broke
rather abruptly.
"Can YOU sew well, Kate? Do yo
like itP"
; "Why, yes, pretty we'll but why2'
"Well, l have thought much of you, {
> what YOU need to assist you in your pres
,. ent state of mind. And l have though
, much of our minister's wife, of what sh
, needs in her feeble state of health. Di
!, YOU ever thind of what she has 10 d0-wit
: her feeble health, to take care of her hous
and sew for those three children? Yo
know she cannot afford-or rather shoul
, say zoe do not pay her husband suificier
= stipend to allow her to keep a servant, an
obtain tho holm she SjOuLI have, | kno'