Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-20
Lili's Withered Hand.
A STORY FOR THE OLDER GIRLS.

Lll was almost sixteen, that is phySi-
cdlIy, according to tho earth method of
reckoning time; and she hoped she had
been born again about two years before
How old that would make her SpirttuaUu,
it would be hard to tell, for in that life
one can grow wonderfully in five minutes.
or can almost stand still for five years,
very alarming fact, when one thinks of
it; there is sech danger of becoming
stunted and deformed, when one is not
growing hcalthily.
But ILL wasn't in the least thinking
about this, as she bustled about, preparing
to take walk that bright winter after
noon, with her best friend, Josie. She
was almost ready to 90, with her sailor
collar arranged just low enough on her
pretty white neck, around which she was
tying her largest aud warmest gold lock-
ct for it was II very cold day, when Jane
came in from the kitchen.
If you please, Miss Lill, there's poor
woman down stairs, and she says you
promised her
: Now, 10! cried Lii with such II frown.
Did you ever know any thing so provok-
ing 1t was only yesterday | was taking
walk out by the factories I'll neuer 90
that way again-and | was so unfortunate
rs to stumble upon that good Miss Harper,
who would insist on my going in to see a
Mrs. Meagher, this same wretched old
creature, with n wreched sick old hus-
band, and two dozen, mt least wretchcd
dirty children. Oills style was always
more remarkable for vigor than accuracy.
And Josie, you don't know how it made
fa,1 ,,,Ft e., I
see any one so miserable; and so | told
her to come right TO my house, and I'd
give her some stockings and things, and
some of my old clothes for the children.
But who would have dreamed of her being
so unreasonable as to come the very next
day. Maybe she thought I'd like to sit up
all night hunting for things to give her
Josie shrugged her shoulders at the
thought of such presumption, and lack of
the simplest common sense, on tue part of
Mrs. Meagher.
Oh. Jane, are you waitingP continued
Lii, putting on her gloves. Well, just
tell her havn't had II moments time TO
look for anything, and she may call again
next week. And I'm very much engaged
now, rerV, remember, Jane, in case she
should ask TO see me.
don't care, continued Lii, as they sal
lied forth, after peeping from The window.
TO avoid any embarrassing encounter
with the detected, patient old creature
slowly plodding home again. don t care .
busy have been this morning. In the
first place | was two hours trying to get
my hair up that new way. One must keep
II little in the fashion, just So rs not to at
tract attention, you know, said Lill depre-
catingly.
Josie as>entcd with promptmess most
gratifying and 500 hing.
And then | worked on my green silk
you know how it does absorb one, to cut
over II long dress, and get an upper skirt
and a'fouucce out of it, without SO fright
fully piccing the under skirt. 0, I have
just Slared; there is no ether word for it.
And then Christmas presents! Why, |
worked till alter ten last night, on papas
slippers! Now Jo, when could have hunt
ed up those old clo,hes?
10 again testified her belief that there
hadn't been an available minute; and Mrs.
Meagher was worse than an idiot, as she
seemed to suppose Lii had been Great cd
uSt to wait On her.
Poor Mrs. Meagher would probably
have been very much surprised at this rev.
elalon of the depravity Of her heart, but
this may be only another proof of how
seldom we see ourselves rs Others see us.
Lii and Josie, having disposed of this
di,agreeable subject. would now have
enjoyed themselves very much, had it not
been for II little obtrusiveness on the part
of Lill's conscience, which was one Of the
most troublesome ones ever known. 1t
Was gfandchid to very fine active moni-
tor, which had carried its possessor off to
be IL missionary, about half Il century ago,
and it was quite used to having its own
way. SO, although ILL and Josie walked
very briskly, and talked very fast, this
aboninable conscience walked Just us
briskly, and talked faster. Something in
this fashion: t..
How cold it is! remarked Josie.
Yes, answered conscience, though no.
body asked ii 10 speak. How blue those
| little Meaghers must be looking. | Won
der whether that youngest one will lose
those toes That were so badly frost bitten!
Indeed, it would be difficult 10 exagger-
ate the i'll bred persistence with which
conscience introduced this disagreeable
subject. Lii never got rid of him mo-
ment, till, stopping before the windows of
II grand book store, they went into ccsta-
cies over the beautiful books and pictures
for the holidadys. One picture, however,
sohered them both, while it greatly fasci-
mated impulsive Lill. 1t was AN Ecce
iiomo. the face full of divine sorrow, the
head crowned with thorns.
How strange it all is! said Lii, under
her breath. How did they ever dare-O.
10, doesn't it seem sometimes as if the
hands that made that crown ought to have
wlthered and dropped off when they went
to put it on?
Yes, said 10, II little absently; she was
rrljuviu1 hprsplf hv lookinU Mt suCh a can.