Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-12-25

well enough to marry me ?"
Now, Mercy was not wholly unprepared
for this question, and yet, when it was
asked, il positively took away her breath
There was short silence before she re-
covered the power of speech.
al think | do" she answered at last.
Yes; I'm sure do, Frank"
Then the pair walked together to Mrs
Barlands gate, and on their way they passed
Mr.. Derby's own house. which was even
handsomer than the Barlands'. Mercy
thought Of all the art treasures which the
artists dwelling contained, and had vision
of the soft rich coors that made his room
so pleasant to the eye Was it really pos
sible that she was going to live there, and
be mistress of such beautiful home2
Before autumn set in there was a quiet
wedding. Mrs. Hardy and her husband
were present at the ceremony but Lydia's
face looked worn and old, aud Mark had
aded aspect, which did not escape Mercy's
notice. But there was not time for the sis
ters to say many words 10 each other, and
the Hardys went home on the day after the
wedding. Perhaps Mr.. and Mrs. Varleigh,
proud of the match that Mercy had made,
we're too much occupied to see the change
in Lydia and Mark Certain it is that Mrs.
Hardy was glad to get away, and said to
herself, with some bitterness, that she was
no longer person of consequence in her
wn family.
Years passed away, and Mercy and Lydia
met very seldom. Two little children had
come to Frank aud Mercy, and the sons and
daughters in Lydia's home had outgrown
toys and dolls, and were giving themselves
the airs of grown-up people Grandmamma
Varleigh used to say that children grew up
too soon nowadays, and did her best to keep
Mercy's little ones in their babyhood. Mean
while, neither the Varleighs nor the Derbys
knew how badly things were going on with
the Hardys.
1t was a very commonplace story, after
all--the story of a self-willed man who knew
that he must in the end reach the bottom of
the hill and yet would not be checked in
his career. II Lydia expostulated, her words
only served to make him more reckless, and
at length she held her peace in sheer despair,
and let him go his way.
There came a certain Christmas Eve when
it was known throughout the town that the
Hardys' circumstances were as bad as they
possibly could be. People discussed the
matter in drawingrooms and over tea-tabes
with that keen delight in having something
to talk about, which is so very human. And
while the gossips were busy with her affairs
| miserable to weep and too weary to think.
| Already the servants were beginning to be
| nsolent, and the table was covered with bills.
| Mark had gone up to town to face one or
| two of his principal creditors. Lydia had
| received letter from him by that mornings
| post, asking her to come and join him at
once, and saying that he was nervous and
out of health In the midst of all their ruin
| and desolation the love of man and wife was
| beginning, as it often does in such case, to
bloom atresh and poor Mark was feeling
that he could not do without Lydia. But
| he had quite forgotten one important fact,
and that was that Mrs. Hardy had scarcely
any money in her possession.
Incredible as it might have seemed to most
people, Lydia had only five dollars and fifty
cents remaining in her pocket-book. How
could she go away, even for few days, and
leave her children without money? And
there were her travelling expenses to be paid
| out of this slender sum. Go she must, and
| Adelaide and the boys must make the best
of their circumstances, for there was not
| one of those CAV friends who had been so
royaly entertained n the merchants man.
sion to whom Lydia could apply. She
shrank from asking favor, knowing only
too well that as rats run away from a fall
ing house, so do acquaintances desert
needy friend.
1t was already past noon, and still she
was sitting there with Marks letter in her
hand and her mind full of unutterable per-
plexitv aud confusion. When she wanted to
think, clearly aud steadily, about the pres
ent, her thoughts went straying back to the
past-back to winter afternoon long ago,
when it was Just before Christmas. She
saw again her fathers little parlor, and
Mercy sitting by the window in her shabby
serge gown. She saw too, the patient smile
of her sisters poor pale face as the carriage
rolled away from the door.
That five dollar bill Then, as now, she
had Just one remaining in her purse; and
then, as now, certain Bible words were ring
ing in her ears but they were not the same
words. "Give, and it shall be given unto
you; good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, aud running over, shall
men give into your bosom. For wlh the
same measure that ye mete Uthal shall be
measured 10 you again"
Surely the words of the Great Teacher
are verified every hour in our own lives, and
| in the lives of those around us. He who
for three-and thirty years took our nature
? upon him, and walked our earth, has left us
no warning more solemn than this. For the
first time in her life poor Lydia realized
how thoroughly our Lord knew the human
heart, and how, in his infinite love, he strove
to guard it against the agony that it is prone
to bring upon itself.
e Her head was bowed upon her hands, and
T her whole frame was so shaken with sobs
that she did not hear the opening door. 1t
1 was not until an arm was put tenderly round
) her shoulders, that she looked up. Mercy
S was by her side.
. 4. I v1i ha
last night aud told us all. have come to
take you and the children back to town with
4 me, and we will have happy Christmas,
+ please God, in spite of the troubles. | dare
' say you have forgotten our old servant Eliz-
abeth. At our suggestion Mark has written
y to her, telling her to come and take charge
a Of the house till your return. Don't break
y down, Lydia; all will be well yet"
y "Ohl' sobbed Mrs. Hardy, resting her
r head on that kind breast don't you re-
e member the time when Belmont failed, and
e father was thrown out of his situation
r I've been sitting here and thinking how
e saw you in need of aid and hardened my
y heart. When | came in on that winter al
II ternoon, and heard that you were going Il
t the city, had Just five dollars in my purse
d aud voice seemed to bid me give it to yor
n to pay your travelling expenses. stihet
|
rs you know how much money have got now
II Just five dollars and few cents"
:; Mercy was silent for moment. She re
d. membered how, at that time, she hat
t. thought it more than possible that da.
a like this might come to her sister
n Lydia" she answered at last, "when W
1t get the first clear glimpse of our real selve;
it is always an agonizing moment in ou
" lives. But it is the most blessed INC
er ment that we can know on this side of tn
~ grave"
er Just as the winter dusk had set in, Mr.
Derby aud her charges quilted the great lu,
is urous house which had never been a tru
,r- home, aud then followed the three hour
it Journey, and the arrival in the darkness c
ed the December evening. 1t was impossibl
is TO forget that it was Christmas Eve, fc
1e, crowds were coming and going, arrivin
", and departing, as the trains came and wen
lr, What happy meetings there were on thi
eli vast platform Parents and children, youn
er- men aud maidens, friends whose hearts ha
to never been severed, although their paths
lg, life lay far apart-all these were coming b
re- gether to spend the worlds great holy da
the blessed Christmastide.
he "On earth, peace said Mercy to h,
'as sister " BE assured, Lydia, that this peac
se' is meant for you"
4 Il A.