Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-02-07

ipu hhoW dbOul ldJneT, now uTedulul III
is. 1t will get worse If the baby goes. I'm
sure of that. He loves baby. And now
mothers gone, I've thought his loving baby
so might help him to TO-"
Hetty paused she could not speak the
word that was on her tongue-but the
neighbor understood her.
"You are a wise little girl" said Mrs.
Wilder, laying her hand on the chid's head
tenderly, "and in the right, I'm thinking.
Now tell me freely all that is in your mind"
It's just this, Mrs. Wilder" said ITetty,
her manner taking on the thoughtful seri-
BUSINESS of a woman. Father loves baby,
and now that mothers gone he will feel
softer towards us all. Mary and | will do
everything TO make it comfortable for him;
and we'll always keep baby looking so sweet
and clean that he'll love to come home Just
to see him, instead Of going to the tavern
when he shuts down the mill. If Mrs.
Florence will give baby nice white frock,
and one with pink or blue spot in it, and a
pair of new shoes, could keep him look
ing oh so lovely. Father couldn't help
coming right home from the mill to see him
and who knows, Mrs. Wilder" Hetty con-
tinued, growing warm and hopeful, I" but
father might stop drinking altogether2 Oh
if Mrs. Florence would do this, and not
think Of taking baby awayP
"l'l see Mrs. Florence, and talk with
her" said Mrs. Wilder, as Hetty stopped
speaking.
"Will you ? Oh do please, and at once
Tell her that it won't be good for us to let
baby CO."
Mrs. Florence, when all this was related
to her, was deeply moved. She had lost
dear baby two years before, and the clothes
it used to wear had been folded away in
bureau drawer untouched since then.
"The dear child shall have her way" she
answered Then going to the drawer into
which she had not looked for many months,
she took out three almost new frocks, one of
white muslin and two of delicately figured
chintz also three pairs of stockings a pair
of morocco shoes, and some underclothing,
and sent them to the motherless baby.
On the next day, the miller sobered by
the loss of his wife, kept away from the
tavern, and tried to settle in his mind what
was best to be done. He had promised the
baby to Mrs Florence, but baby had given
him so tight hug as he kissed and parted
from him at breakfast time that he felt his
dear little arms clinging around his neck all
the morning as he went about the mill.
How could he let him go2 And Hetty was
good and thoughtful, and so fond of baby.
1t would break her heart to give him up.
" What handy little girl Hetty is the
miller said to himself, as he remembered
how nice breakfast she had got for him,
and how clean and orderly everything was
about the house.
As it grew towards noon, the miller began
to feel little anxious about his promise to
Mrs, Florence. She was to have baby that
day. What if she had come for him al
ready, and that when he went home at din
ner-time, there should be no baby to spring
into his arms and hug him round the neck
In the meantime, Hetty had received the
bundle of clothes, and with the bundle had
come message from Mrs. Florence saying
ing that she had changed her mind about
taking the baby.
"Oh, darling darling !" exclaimed Hetty,
almost with JOY hugging and kissing the
baby, who crowed and laughed and hugged
and kissed her in return, as if he under
stood and shared in her delight.
"Oh but won't he look sweet" she ex-
claimed, as she opened and admired the
beautiful baby clothes, finer than anything
he had ever worn.
"Father will be home soon," she said to
Mary. "You set the table, and I'll wash
Petty, and dress him in this pink slip with
the white rufiled apron, and tie up the
sleeves with bows of blue ribbon. He'll
look so sweet that father will hardly know
him.
So baby was washed and dressed in the
new clothes and can tell you he did look
lovely. There was not handsomer baby in
all that neighborhood
81 He's going to sleep said Mary, who
saw his eyes beginning to droop. "Oh! |
wish he'd stay awake until father comes"
But even as she spoke the long, dark lashes
fell lower aud lower until they rested on his
cheeks.
"You hold him until | put on a clean
pillow-case." And Hetty placed the sleeper
in her sisters arms. A soiled pillow-case
was changed for one of snowy whiteness,
and baby laid upon the bed where only
few hours before his mother had slept the
sleep from which none ever awaken in this
world.
How lovely he was No wonder the little
sisters fingered about the bed, so entranced
by his beauty that it seemed impossible to
tear themselves away
Father is coming" said Mary, who had
turned her eyes to the window.
Hetty looked out and saw him crossing
the road. His steps were quicker and tirmer
than usual.
81 want him to see baby all alone by him
self" And Hetty as she spoke drew Mary
from the room.
They heard low exclamation of sur
prise from their father when he entered, and
then all was still-stil for so long time
that Hetty began to wonder, and then to feel
uneasy. At last, pushing the door open
softly, she looked in, and saw her father on
his knees by the bedside his face buried in
the clothes. little while she Stood al
most holding her breath She was about
closing the door, when he lifted his face
from the bed-clothes and fixed his eyes on
the baby. Tears wet his cheeks. How
fondly, tenderly, almost reverently, did he
look at the sleeping child, pure as an angel
A slight movement drew his attention to
Hetty. He looked at her for moment, and
then said
"Call your little sister Mary, my dear"
The two children went up to him. He
took them in his arms, still kneeling, and
tried to speak to them But sobs choked
back the words he would have uttered. At
last in the anguish of repentance, and in
half despair of his own strength, he cried
out;
80 Lord and Saviour, help me to be a
father indeed to these motherless little
ones !"
Then deep quiet fell upon them--a still
ness as if each listened for an audible an
swer to the almost wildly spoken prayer.
Hetty was first to break the silence.
Dear father" she said, kissing him, and
tenderly stroking his cheek, " We'll do every
thing, Mary and |, to make it nice for you
at home Aud We'll keep baby as sweet and
clean as the richest baby in the land. Oh
isn't he darling !"
Then they all arose, and bent over the
sleeping baby, and, though death had just
taken their dearest one away, it was a long,
long time since the waves OF happiness had
flooded their hearts so deeply as now
The shadows that lifted that day did not
fall again. The miller had dragged himself,
by strong effort, through strength given
him from heaven out of worse slough than
Christian sank in ere he reached the Wicket
gate Once more ON firm ground, love fol
his baby that grew more winning every day
and love for his good children, Hetty and
Mary, who never tired of doing for theil
father, God used as the means of keeping
his feet in the safe ways of sobriety. He
never again gave way to drink but shortly
after became new creature in Christ Jesus
= -Bdnd Of Hope RevieD.
+ The other day an aged couple drove int
Indiana City, Ind, just as an undertaking
firm was moving into an old church, which
had been purchased for shop. The ole