Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-09-11
A "Reminiscences.

My dinner table was laid for invited guests.
and everything was ready for them to be
summoned into the dining-room. gave
parting glance at my well-arranged table,
and felt proud and pleased. | knew that
the dinner was well cooked and the feeling
of satisfaction which possessed my soul
more than compensated me for the extra
labor and care had had in preparing it. |
seated my little girl five years-old, fresh and
sweet in her clean starched dress, in her
high chair, and was about to turn to go into
the parlor to call them to dinner, when a
sudden cry from her made me look back.
She nad, by some terribly unlucky accident.
overturned tureen of gravy, and the greasy
liquid was rapidly spreading itself over the
table. My temper rose in twinkling, and
an angry exclamation rose to my lips. ]
was overwrought with work and excitement,
for the dinner party was not a common oc-
currence in our quiet household, and our
guests we're those of whom, to tell the truth.
| stood somewhat in awe. A minute before,
everything was so auspicious-and now, what
should do 1t seemed drop Too much
for my tired nerves-many drops too much
for my tablecloth. | was about to jerk my
child down angrily from the table, when
blessed influence held me. | caught the ex-
preston on her face. Such a sorry, fright
ened, appealing look never saw, and sud
denly picture of the past came, and stood
out vividly before my miud's eye. My childs
face revealed feelings which | had expert
enced twenty years before.
saw myself little nervous girl, about
eight years old, in the happy home of my
childhood. 1t was a stormy afternoon in
winter. 1t was when coal-oil lamps were
,,tr fath hal
very handsome one. The snow had drifted
up against the kitchen windows, so, although
it was not yet night, the lamp was lighted.
children were gathered in the kitchen, to
keep the noise and confusion away from her.
| was feeling very important, helping get
supper; at any rate, imagined was help.
ing, and, in my oficousness, | seized that
lamp and went down cellar for some butter.
tried to set it on the hanging SHELF but
alas didn't give it room enough, and
down it went on the cemented floor. never
shall forget the shock that gave me. !
seemed almost paralyzed | didn't dare to
go upstairs and | was afraid to stay down
there, and, to make it worse, heard fathers
voice in the kitchen. He had cautioned us
all, again and again, to be careful of that
lamp, and now, there it lay, smashed to
pieces But his voice seemed to give me
the impetus needed to go up, and meet the
scoding or whipping, or both which felt
sure awaited me, and which | really felt
deserved. So | crept up over the dark stair
wav, and as | entered the kitchen ! met
father, with such stern look on his face
that was frightened. saw that there was
no need to tell him what had happened. He
had heard the crash, and if he hadn't,
guess nv face would have told the story.
The children stood silently around, waiting
to see what father would do, and saw by
their faces that they were horror-struck, for
that lamp had been the subject of too much
talk and wonder to be smashed without
creating sensation.
As for me, felt so frightened, so confused
and sorry that couldn't speak. But upon
glancng again at father saw the angry
look die out of his eyes, and one of tender
est pity take its place. | doubt not that he
saw the same look in my face then that
saw in my childs face to-day. In minute
he had lifted me in his arms and was hug
ging me close to his breast. Then he whis.
pered, OIL SO kindly, can hear his voice
now; Never mind, little daughter, we all
know twas an accident, but hope you will
take the small lamp when you go down eel
lar again" Oh what a revulsion of feel
ing experienced. 1t was such surprise
to me that | was suddenly overwhelmed
with feelings of love and gratitude, and
burying my face in his whiskers, | sobbed
as if my heart were breaking. No punish
ment could have affected me half as much.
aud nothing can ever efface the memory of
it from my mind.
How | loved my father to-day, as the
sight of my own little girls face brought it
all so freshly before me viii she love me
as dearly wonder, twenty years or more
from now, because, moved by the same God
given impulse that stirred my fathers heart
in that long-ago time, | was able to press
the little frightened thing to my heart and
| tell her kindly that knew she didn't mean
to spill the gravy, and that knew she would
be more careful another time? Will she
be helped by it, when she is mother, as |
have been helped day. Oh how impos-
sible for parents to estimate the effect of
these seemingly little events
If it had taken as long for this to pass
through my mind as it has for me to tell it,
my dinner would surely have been cold, and
my guests tired Of waiting. But it was all
done in twinkling and buoyed up by a
new and sudden strength, | quickly wiped
off the soiled table-cloth, spread thickly
folded clean one over the place, and called
my company to dinner. Strange to say, the
awe | had been feeling for my guests wa,
gone. ! felt easy and tranquil, and such g
remarkable spirit of happiness and sociality
prevailed, and everything passed off Sc
smoothly, that couldn't help feeling as il
unseen hands and an unseen presence haC
helped me through it all.-Christian Weekly