Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-07-10

A little song by the church choir sung
little corpse TO the graveyard b. ung.
st Louis Journal
The Woman Who "Did Nothing"
Long ago when our country towns had
not the advantages of the present day. IL
poor, fai hful mnn died, and was buried in
the corner of the field, near the stone
wall which cast its shadow over half a
dozen plain, slate head stones. A kind
nei2hbor had taken his scythe, and. as the
last act of love, had moved down ten
years crop of tliistles, mullen, golden
rod and while everlasting, before the
burial
The scattered neighbors had planted.
reaped the crops of their deceased friend.
watched with him in his long illness. and
promised to do all they could Tor his family
when he was no more here to care for
them.
When all was over at the grave, they
gathered with simple country Kindness tu
pai take OF the buuntes their own wives
had provided, and to cheer away the gloom
of that gloomiest huUr in lfe-lhe evening
after one beloved in household has been
buried forever out of sight.
| The pastor had prayed, and q few SOL
emn hymns had been sung-nol songs OF
triumph in accord with the welcome of the
glortied spirit to Heaven which could lit
the heart of The mourner from the dark
ness of the grave to tie glory of the re-
! deemed who were shouting, " Thanks be
unto Him who givelh victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ"
Then came the mournful task of talking
over the widows plans for the future
Opening the subject iell-as Go too many
such painful tasks-on the minister. This
one was Il brother full Of kind thoughts
but slow of speech and il seemed lis If he
would never reach his point,
The dear man preached almost ser
mon on The virtues and piety of the dead,
and almost another one ON the love Of The
church and the neighhors for their afflicted
sister who had always shared their sor-
rows and their burdens.
And after descantng at length on the
duty of Christian charity and sympathy,
and working those present up to II high
pitch OF excitement ON the sui ject, he read
from slip of paper the disposition which
was to be made of the children.
Thomas, being strong and well grown,
will be taken for the remainder of his mi
nority, by Eben Harris; james, now four
teen, will be bound TO Asa Phinney Saran
eleven, to the Widow Jenkins; Martha
aged nine, to Walter Dunton; and it is
hoped that our atflct sister, with the aid
OF the t@ o youngest chilJrcn-they wert
six and four-wlll be able 10 carry on the
farm and provide for their wants, remem.
| hprinU aS we Sl,Dull all tlo that
"Mdn wants but little here below,
Nor wants that little long"
1t may be rs well to stale that this wild
ow had never been what was called /" " driv
er at farm work, or u " stirring woman.
Her children and her house were alway
neat, her food well cooked, and her dalr,
il model one. But she never drove |,
market to barter off the produce of farm
and dairy, nor TO watch her husband To Sc,
If he made sharp bargains; hut RENAME,
quietly at home with her children, le;tvin,
lne work to him. Thus she had beel
looked on AS utterly unacquainled will
3 business, and wholly unequal to The grea
7 burden that had now iallen on her.
l When, however, the minister had finish
ed his remarks, she spoke up, calmly
clearly, thanking her neighbors for al
their aid and sympathy, but declining tn
4 last offer, SO kindly meant, of relievin,
, her of her children.
} You all know, friends" she said
''that have never done anything in life
5 that | am shy and distrusliul OF myself
X. that l have no talents and very little learn
y ing. and less bodily strength for farr
; labor. But you all know that love N
t home and my children, and that shall d
I my utmost to earn an honest living. 1o
Z are all very kind; but if you take ava
4 my big boys, how am to support my lii
II lie ones? Our future was not left all at1o;
when my husband died. We had talked
all over, aud his last struggle in giving u
t life was over by the promise OF Thoma
Ii and my>ef that.lf God spared our lives,an
: gave US strength, We would keep the fam
u " together. The boys, under my dire'
II ton, will plant and reap another yeal
o and, il need be, will put my own han
IS " the work. All the children but two ca
II nelp me in some way, and | feel in IN
4 soul that we shall not be left to burde
1t our neighbors. But if any of my childfe
II were taken away, my heart would fail !
= once"
= But-dear-sister," said the ministe
y very slowly, you -cerlainly-canuoL-
1t realize-what it is-to cloLhe-aDd feed
,ix children; and you yourself not stron!
lu-lhe- multitude -counselors-thel
~ is wisdom ;--and you know-we are
II your friends"
in "Yes; but you will surely let me US
Il, my own Judgment, and try. Thomas AN
4 promised the dead most solemnly th'
VI we would do this, and we have no otll'
n thought or plan. If we fail, will bir
=, out the children, rather than let them su
+, er.'
+, When the frail, shy little woman a
i, peared for the first time al the stores wi
- iler butter. eggs, and fowls. the propri
=. .or treated her with the almost reverence
il, rhere was no higgling about prices. The
r. named the market value OF her articl
.. ind she accepted their word without
n. question. lhey would as soon have a
h. Jempled to cheat an angel rs this wonla
70 The boys were young and not used
= he care OF the burden of the farm wor
= 50 their mother directed them; and vei
- -, ,ften, on IL bright day, she. too. would
~ seen, with her girls. turning hay al
L. rathering corn, Some persons sal,
~ :: That is not woman's work." but 81
~ ~ .bouuht /" binding out your children" ar
" owing to strangers the beauty OF Il
y childhood, was "nota woman S work,
~ - al sha oould avoi1 ~