Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-22
The Silver Necklace.


1t was about two feet high, and had four
rooms furnished as neatly as rooms in real
house in which grown people live.
The ladies were getting up a fair for the
Orphans Home, and Dorothea's aunt Hell
enc was embroidering sofa cushion for it,
and mamma was painting some pretty pic
lures, but Dorothea was doing nothing.
One day mamma said to Dorothea
/" What does my little girl expect to do for
the fair 2"
"Why, don't know, mamma" said Dor
othea. / can't sew much. Even my dolly,
Wilhelmina Blanca, don't like her clothes.
Maybe little girls needn't do anything"
"They need not" said mamma, but you
want to, do you not? You would like to
make a little girl happy, wouldn't you? If
you cannot make anything you can give
something"
ayes, mamma" said Dorothea slowly.
She thought of her playhouse, and lump
came into her throat. Oh, no; she would
give away anything but that.
She went into the garden and raced with
Ponto, and then Aunt Helene gave her big
seed-cake, but neither play nor goodies could
Danish the thought of the playhouse, and
how happy it would make some little orphan
girl from her mind; so at last she crept
into the parlor, and begged her mamma to
tell her story.
"What shall it be about ?" asked mamma.
ooh, | don't know" said Dorothea.
PRODIGY, mamma-probley you'd better
tell me bout somebody who gived away
something they didn't want to-"
Mamma smiled at the flushed cheeks and
downcast eyes of the face leaning upon her
| shoulder
"Once upon time said She before the
fairies were all scared away, there lived a
little girl named Bertha. Her parents were
quite poor, and their home was far up in one
of the passes the Alps. Bertha had no play
things such as you have, but she had tasks
of knitting and lace-making. Her only
treasure was a silver necklace, beautifully
chased and ornamented, which her uncle,
who was rich and a burgomaster, had sent
her. because she was named after his wife.
zone day when she was quite alone, but
busy at her knitting, an old woman stopped
at the door and begged for food. Bertha
gave her a cup of milk and piece of bread,
and invited her to sit down and rest.
"I've come a weary way said the old
woman taking the offered chair Il have
walked here from the heights, and am on
my way to the village, where | hope to get
medicine for my son who lies at home griev-
turn, and unhappy that | am haven't a
groschen to pay for the drugs. Alas, what
if | am refused 7
"The old womans hair was white DIS
milk, and her back was bent like tightly
strung bow, and when she spoke of her son
she wept bitterly.
"'Good mother said Bertha, full of sym
pathy, my father is guiding some travellers
across the mountains, and my mother is at
the pasture minding the sheep. Would that
| could do something for you, but cannot.
But as she spoke her hand touched her
necklace
90 Age and poverty are double burden,
said the old woman, with a sigh. Time
will surely lay one of them upon you, but
may the good angels preserve you from the
other =
al do not know what my mother will
say, if give you this, said Bertha, unclasp-
ing her necklace, She would not send you
away empty-handed, for she is good and
generous, and she often tells me to give is
to gain, and she laid the trinket in the
old woman's hands.
9" My daughter, you will find the saying
true, ." To give is to gain"' said the old
woman, and giving Bertha her blessing she
went on her way.
- DeIlud = lDUJHtT TcpltJltu JHdJ JIt Slt
of the rich uncle had passed into the hands
of an unknown old woman, but she would
not spoil her daughters generous deed by
Gliding.
"A month slipped by, and brought with
it only the usual routine of industry, but
one bright morning when Bertha awoke,
she found upon her pillow pretty jewel
casket, made of pearl and silver. Within
it was a necklace like the one she had
given away, save that this one was of gold
and here and there between its links glowed
an amethyst
Gifts brought by unseen hands were fire.
quent after that and so well did Bertha and
her parents prosper, ano so happy were they,
that their home came 20 be known as the
Lucky House. and Fairy's Home and
they as the most fortunate and most kind
and generous people for miles about"
'Do you s'pose, mamma, that I'll get IA
nicer playhouse, if | give mine to the fair p
"No, dear, Bertha did not give away her
necklace from any such motive; besides,
there are no fairies now"
"But there's Santa Claus, and what ,0al
| haveY"
"You will learn how pleasant it is to
make other people happy" said mamma, and
as Dorothea made no reply she continued
NOW IL you knew Jndt SOME lltlle plTl WIG
I was never visited by Santa Claus could be
made very happy if you gave up your play
house, couldn't you do It'll"
"Oh, yes, mamma, if | was quite sure
though anybody ought to be happy if they
had such pertJfe elegant playhouse" said
Dorothea. Sand mamma---you eau have
it for the fair, and welcome"
=, "Thank you for saying and welcome,
: my daughter" said mamma, kissing her,
! Some benevolent lady bought the play
e house and gave it to the Orphans Home
and when Dorothea saw it again, it stood OIL
a table by the bed of little crippled girl
who could not go about except in grea
wheeled-chair.
: "You were just lovely to give us this,
r. said she to Dorothea
+ That night when mamma bent over Doro
, theas pillow, to give her a goodnight kiss
e two plump arms chung around her neck mo
4 ment, and Dorothea's voice, grown strangel
l. husky, said at was better than the splen
did necklace, or pertihe elegant play
know what you meant now, mamma. IT