Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-08-20
The Heart Of q Stranger.

iuiiih anu oJutT SOTJ Ol - DOuleS ASKING
favors that day; and the little lady of the
house was weary, and had lain down on
lounge i'll hes own room with new book in
her hand. "Tell her | am lying down, and
bring up her message" she said without
taking her eyes from her book.
The girl soon returned, saying, ats work
she's wantin, like all the rest NV EN-,
ma'am; but can't repate half the gibber-
ish she tould me to-"
"Tell her have no work, and know of
none elsewhere" was the answer.
The door closed heavily under the hand
of the heartless girl and the lady felt that
she had done wrong. and almost heard the
words, For ye yourself know the heart Of
a stranger" And the days came back to
her with strange power, when she. a young
and beautiful orphan, had crossed the sea
from England to gain her bread by her ac-
complishments and she remembered how,
after only one year of toll and loneliness,
when kind word was as jewel to her,
she became mistress of this beautiful home,
and the mother of the lonely little ones who
had been her pupils before. She wished
she had seen this "furrin sort Of body I"
and listened to her story, if nothing more,
and cheered the heart Of stranger"
As the poor applicant descended the
steps, after receiving the cool message, made
cooler by the servants heartless tone she
looked up the street and then down, as if
not knowing which way to go; and then
moved off in an aimless sort of way, and
was soon lost to sight.
She went up one street and down another,
occasionally ringing at bell, only to be
told that the lady was out, or that she could
not be seen. She was stranger in the
city, and soon got confused in her wander
ings; but she kept the street and number
of her temporary home She was weary at
last with her ringing and inquiring, and
asked a boy the way TO Il street. He
directed her, and she turned her face thither,
When she was seized with sudden impulse
TO ring one more bell.
Ascending the long flight of stone steps
before her, she did so, and was not a little
surprised to see the same stern cold woman
who had repulsed her an hour ago-miles
away as she thought.
Before she could frame a question, she
was saluted with "What are We back
again, after the lady tellin' ye to be gone,
that she had neither work nor charity for
ye And tell We -"
Catherine" called the lady. who had
heard the heartless words, =" want to see
that woman in my room. Send her up
"She's the very same furriner ye sent
away an hour ago, ma'am; she's Just per.
sistin' on yer helpiu' her whether ye will or
no." said the woman.
"Send her up, Catherine" was the soft
reply from above.
Aud. not a little crestfallen, Catherine
pointed the way upstairs without word
The lady was surprised to see, in place ol
the rough creature she had pictured to her
self a well-developed girl of twenty years
with cheeks like roses, teeth like pearls, and
with flood of golden hair which the proud
est belle might envy-a buxom, rustic beauty
"Well, my girl, what can I do for you n
asked the lady kindly.
"You gives me york does it good for
small moneys. | walk, walk, all days, four
week, and ask much lady will she give me
work. But no work yet When passage i,
paid has twelve dollars, aud pays Ludwig
Anderson wife two dollars week, and wash
aud irons aud sews for my home till | has
work. Now six week gone, money gone
sleep gone; Ludwig sick, and must work
hard for his childs and wife, and | can nc
more eat his bread for no pay. | talks some
| Sweden who has been five year in 'Merica
| dud AuOlC 4 iChih Oh oulB dud Vi lltliNdt
family in home with Ludwig Anderson, sc
ladies have no trouble with my Svede talk.
"What can you do 2" asked the lady.
"All things. spins aud weaves thi.
gown aud shawl and all my clothes. car
sew for queens | can knit stockin', vast
good, makes breads, cooks dinner, all, al
things for few moneys. | good to littl,
childs and always smiles do all the cry il
nights, when 'lone;" aud here her voic,
broke, as if she were breaking this rule TO
| once.
"'But why do you ever cry, my good girl p
asked the lady.
"Oh, lady, Sweden so far, far away III,
vun brother so long gone to sea my mothe
so sick, and SO hopes | will send her none,
aud some days bring her to me. But ge
no work. aud moneys all gone. My mothe
pray, pray to God, and myself pray all tn
time but no friend only Ludwig from m
place, and he sick and poor. Svede minis
ter home, and Svede minister here, Civ
me good paper for houest, God-lovin' girl.
And she handed her recommendation
from clean envelope, which was wrappe,
carefully in snowy handkerchief.
"You may come TO me tomorrow an
stay for week, and il you are good sean
stress will get you all the work you ca
do" replied the lady kindly, after readin
the good paper"
Selma dropped low courtesy, kissing tn
ladys hand, aud said solemnly " God, h
thank you my sick mother she thaok you
and myself thank YOU"
How strange" thought the lady, afte
Selma had gone to tell her Joy to Ludwig
wife, "t that no one engaged her before sa'
her. Who could withstand her innocenc
and her beauty Z"
There was good reason why no one ha
lightened the poor girls burden before. n
lady had seen her All had left it to til
Judgment of weary or thoughtless servant
to decide whom they should see aud whoi
they should not
When Selma had been week in th
house she was found to be necessity ther,
No one could sew and darn like her; no on
could SO gently and tenderly wash and DIRE:
the poor little invalid boy Of the house; u
one could charm away a headache or sing
baby to sleep as she could Another help,
had not been dreamed of in the house; bu
once Selma was there, life took on ne
charms for the whole family. Home gre
brighter for the father, because he sa
more of his wife she was relieved of muc
care, and had time to read and make herse
interesting; and the children were ente
tanned and instructed aud loved by the gi
who served them so faithfully. No work wa
sought for Selma elsewhere.
When she had been two mouths in tn
house her friend Ludwig appeared one da
with letter from her mother in Sweden.
Aud after laughing and crying over /
and kissing 1t tendery many Times, Selm
gave this English versiou-of it TO her mistress
"When you go away from Inc, child b'
loved, my heart was dark like night-tim,
You on the great sea, aud many days til
sky black, aud wind loud and me lone an
with pain. Neighbors come aud talk kline
but want only God then. When you Z,
to land say in heart, My child no home, n
money; maybe Ludwig dead, aud she b
with bad stranger Many day, many weel
| cry and pray, and then come letter-yo
sale with Ludwig, but hald times and u
work. want wings To fly over the sea +
my child but have no wings, 80 must 81
still. My heart near breaks. All days
thinks and all nights dreams of only Selma
Selma. My heart be great load, and IN
! tears fountain like King David, and