Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-03-05
Letters for the Children---No. II.


BY REV. D. A. BATES woloorr'
Now stop moment, Tom. Do not say,
"There, Just as expected" Let me tell
you [ never had any more respect than you
have fol- the preacher who says so often in
his sermon, aud has it written down, too,
"Just one word more aud | am DONE" and
then goes on and reads dozen pages more
or for the man who says he will only talk to
the children for three minutes and then
talks for fifteen minutes.
But honestly | did not think | should
send you any more letters through the
WATcHMAN. But here comes letter from
our good friend, the editor, saying, go on, and
here are some of the little folks who seem
to think it is not quite fair for me to take
them out to Ceylon and leave them there yet
But, children, that is just what want to do,
take you out there and leave you there. And
if thought that by writing any more should
keep you away from those poor heather who
want you to come and tell them how to be
saved, certainly would never write another
word. But little Nellie isn't old enough
yet to stay out there alone, so we will go with
her again, and stay awhile longer.
We will go the shortest way this time.
Which way is that, Tom Can you point to
Ceylon the shortest way? | asked that
question once of some Vermont Sunday
school children and they at once pointed to
a map with Ceylon on it, which was hang
ing on the wall of the room. But that was
not quite fair answer. Yes, Tom. That
is almost right Down under us. A little
towards the south aud right through the
earth. Right down through these snow
drifts, through the frozen ground, through
the hard rocks, and out on the other side.
Here we come right out in our old Chava.
gacherry home. Now let us look around us.
Let me see. 1t was in February when we
left Vermont, wasn't it ? Yes, and Winter,
too, cold enough up there TO freeze us all
Snow from two to ten feet deep. The men
used to wear great buffalo overcoats, and at
night the boys would bring in great logs OF
maple wood and pile them on the fire To
keep little Nellie's ears from freezing before
morning And how do you suppose it is
down here? No, Tom, not exactly boiling
hot. They do some things down here in
just the opposite way from what we used to
do them in Vermont, but not everything
When two carriages meet here they turn out
ON the left side instead of the right When
they have heavy load to carry they take it
on their heads instead of in their arms And
they put the words that ought to go first at
the last end of sentence when they write.
But in some few things these Ceylon peo-
pie are not, after all, very much behind
us. So now in February it isn't mid-sum-
mer here in Ceylon. 1t is only about the
end of Winter. Yes, Tom, it does seem
about right now. Much pleasanter than it
was that hot day when we went over to the
Island to visit the school. But after we have
been here throue h one or two hot seasons this
cold season will not seem so pleasant to us
1t isn't cold The thermometer will call i,
only about seyepty.fve degrees above zero. 8
pleasant simmer heat. But I remember
used to think that the mercury in our tber
mometer had got az accustomed IN stavino
nm about one hundred degrees above zero
that II couldp,t cat down anv lower Jwoulf
go N l,ot at II thinking IL was cold enougl
to freeze and il would he what wa called
vs,v hot in vermont Wbv one White,
here in Cevlon a thick coat was comfort
4: alba and ono dav IVA eva, had fra If cocoa
mt sbe,ls IN a nan IN warm ourselves with
when If was about as hot as II was on IN,
hottest dav I ever saw in Varmont
Rnt this ia strance hind Of n c,;mata
ps,bans from Jsnparv until Sen,emhar tber,
will not be a cloud on the skv. The air i,
: what we call nerfectlv TRANSPARENT. or 8,
clsar that Won can zee THINGS a great wa,
off much nlainer than Won can see then
close by in Vermont. WHY, YOU can't lool
at tbe SIM here Tom. as Won could in Yer
mont II is too bright. And at night Their
are not any such hazy clouds between II
, and the moon and stars. so that they seen
" IN shine much more brightly than they di,
< in Nav England. And see how beautiful
: those stars are tonight. WHY, [ thinI
those bright ones that mother saws are i,
Oron's belt. are each as bright here as tn
: evening star ever used To be. And that LONG
crooked line of stars, that Tom said were
scornion. and that were not very bright il
Z Vermont. are as bright here as the Dippe
| .a Al no nm, thara Rut wa have mn tim