Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-08-14

don't think could, my chld2 You do not
want poor old man like me ?"
Something in his look revealed TO Nelly
the truth-the utter loneliness Of the old
mans life, the hungry craving for love and
companionship, which she had never given
him. She held his hand in hers a moment,
stroking it, and then kissed it. She could
not speak.
al will go, my child"
Her fathers voice was strongly altered.
He went into his own room, and did not
come out again.
Nelly was busy until late in the night.
There was a tongue TO boil, and certain
kind of cookies to bake. The boys lowered
over her, happy, meddling at every turn,
but singularly gentle and affectionate.
"Mother used to make this kind of cakes.
Amt they nice 2"
Alice had her sleeves rolled up and her
apron on. Never was anybody more busy
or more important Nelly joked and laughed,
and made more fun out of the packing Of a
basket than was ever made since time began.
But her heart was sore within her. What
triHe was needed to make these children
happy, and to bind them to home How
solitary and cheerless her fathers life had
been these many years little out-spoken
love, little cheerfulness, was all that was
needed, and she had been blind to it all these
years
The picnic was a very simple matter.
People who can afford pleasure every day
would have laughed at it. They went out
to the park in the horse cars. Then they
sailed up the broad, bright river to Rock
land Then Mr.. Bigelow found a dark pool,
and rugged his old rods and taught the boys
how to fish. They found out he had been a
famous fisherman in his day. He told won
derful stories of old exploits, brought up old
Jokes, and was not little vain of the boys
shouts of applause.
The children actually never had heard
their father talk outright before. They felt
they knew him for the first time. Thad
was moved to confide his scrapes with the
Latin teacher to him, and little Joe fell
asleep with his head on his knee.
Don't take him away, Nelly" said the
old man, when she would have removed him.
If only my children would come closer to
me in this way Perhaps they will
Nelly left Alice to preside over the dinner,
She spread it on a big rock. Her father and
the boys kindled fire, aud Mr.. Bigelow
cooked the three fish they had caught.
You never heard such Jokes and laughter
you never saw people with such ravenous ap-
sweet little pipe of voice, sang some songs;
and then Mr.. Bigelow asked them if they
knew "The Bay of Biscay, oh !" and sang it.
1t was moonlight when they came home,
| floating down the river between the dark,
wooded banks. Nelly sat with Alice cling
ing to her. "You are the best sister in the
world !' said the child.
| Her father took her hand in his. " 1t has
| been one of the happiest days of my life,
Nelly. | thought my children cared nothing
| for me, but shall never be alone again"
Years have passed since that day. Thad
and Joe are now sturdy young fellows, and
engaged in business. Alice is a gentle, bright
faced girl. Nelly is happy wife and mother
Her old father sits by her freside, and her
children are his pets and darlings. There
has not been an hour in which she has not
striven in little ways to make Others happy.
But she never forgets that first day when
she learned the lesson Of sef-sacriiice, nor
the tone of her fathers voice as he said, /" |
shall never be alone again.-Selected.