Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-23
Mary Whites Song.

go mother, Pm so thirstyl" and fever
ish little face was held up to the poor, worn
looking woman who brought broken glass
containing water TO the side of the bed as
the child called her.
81 wish father would come he said
he would bring me an orange;" and
Jessie sank back, and began again her rest
less tossing from side to side, while every
sound on the stairs brought an eager, ex
pectant look on her painfully.pinched fea
lures, as If she were waiting for some one.
The mother sighed. Her soul-her whole
life burden was in that sigh. Poor woman
She had long since lost all trust in her hus-
bands manifold promises, for a passionate
love of drink had taken hold of him--such
hold, that it brutalized the man, and he
could bear to see his patient wife and pretty
children suffer rather than deny himself the
indulgence which was rapidly running both
soul and body, as it had already ruined his
prospects and his home.
Hours went YEARLY by, but no father
came to little expectant Jessie, who moaned
with pain, aud turned away from the dry
bread which was all her mother had to give.
Not penny was in the house-no firing, no
food for the sick child; and poor Mary
White sat with her infant in her arms, try
ing TO hush its cries, as she pondered over
the thought which had been in her heart all
day.
That thought was this-how she might
earn a few pence to get food for little Jessie
she could not leave the little ones and go to
work, even il she had been strong enough.
She had not a friend in all the great city to
help her, for she was a stranger, and coun.
try-bred. Only month before her husband
had brought her to London, with the promise
of keeping from the vice which had dis
graced him in his own village. That month
had been a time Of worse suffering than
before. Not only had James White given
way to drink, but Mary herself had been i'll,
and now poor Jessie grew worse daily for the
want of proper food.
All this the agonized mother thought over
| during the long day.hours, and she could see
but one course before her. She had still a
clear, sweet voice and, shameful and de-
grading as it seemed to her, she resolved as
evening fell to go out into the streets, and
| try thus to earn trifie with which to buy
Jessie her orange
"Mother'll not be long, darling" she
said bending down to the sick child, as she
fastened her shawl round her with trembling
| fingers. Mother is going to get you an
orange, and she'll soon be back"
A faint smile passed over the pinched little
face, and Jessie lay still listening as her
mother went down the dark, creaking stairs
with the baby in her arms, and out into the
sharp, keen night air. The child was con-
tent, knowing that the promise would be kept.
Once in the street poor Mary White
walked on few yards in doubt where to go.
1t must be somewhere away from her
wretched room, in some road where mothers
lived with happy, well fed children in com
Portable homes-mothers whose hearts God
might touch with pity for the poor singer.
On she went, till streets and courts, and
dirty fever-stricken alleys were left behind
Turning into quiet road where she saw
lights shining from behind the drawn cur.
tains, she began with trembling voice, to
sing a little ballad she had sung in her
happy girlhood, many time as she cheerily
worked by her mothers side in her country
home
No one needed the singer. Her song was
ended and no voice called her. What
should she do -? A picture of Jessie lying
On her miserable bed rose before the brave
broken-hearted mother-of Jessie crying
with pain and WEAKNESS.
"OGod have mercy on me- Send helE
to me in my great need" was the cry of the
burdened heart, and once more, with tearfu
eyes and quivering voice, Mary sang-dn ola
pldintipe song. The tones of her voice grew
less agitated, for something seemed to assure
her, she had not asked Gods help in vain
Presently curtain was drawn back from q
window, and fair little face appeared.
Mary White saw the small hand pointing
her out, but she could not hear the childi
appeal to its mother for "the poor woman
and the little baby" She felt, as she wa
called TO the door that I'D had answered
her prayer.
Back now, to the narrow streets and pas
sages but oh, how light and thankful wa
her heart Sixpence in her hand, besides
pieces of meat bread. and other thing
wrapped in parcel, and carried under he
shawl. What riches il seemed
Entering shop, Mrs. White bought tw'
oranges, and took them up to the waiting
child, who smiled with almost inexpressibl
gladness at the sight.
at was Gods doing, Jessie, darling" SAT-
the poor mother. I'm afraid ! have beef
forgetting him long time, and yet he i
good to me. | asked him to touch som
ones heart, and he did it."
"Perhaps he would make father good i
you asked, mother" said the dear child
forgetting for moment her unaccustome'
delight.
Far into the night Mary White though
of those words, as she waited for her hus
bands staggering step, yet waited in vain
Never yet had she made that prayer to God
but she offered it then and asked, oh, 8
earnestly, that her husband might be brough
back TO his old self-the steady, honest ma
he was when she married him.
A week went by, and nothing was seen Q
James White. Again and again his wifi
went out in the evening to sing, for thu
only could she find way of earning bread
and though sometimes she merely brough
back a few pence, she never came in empty
handed. But her oft-repeated prayer for he
husband remained unanswered Gods tim
had not yet come.
Meanwhile ,Jessie's little Pickering lii
failed fast. No food, no care could help he
now," the doctor said, as he went away on
evening from the cheerless and desolate a
tic. All that night Mary White sat by tn
dying child, with hot tears falling down h'
thin, sorrow-stained cheeks. As mornin
dawned heavy footsteps came up the mario
stairs straight to the room where Jessie la
half.unconscious; but the sound reused he
"Father father T. she cried, as the dot
opened, and White stumbled drunkenly i
"you didn't bring my orange, but moth,
did. She went out and sang, and God mao
the rlch people sorry LOT her' " iather !
good to her, for she has been praying for i
and there'll be no one but you left, exec
the baby, for I'm dying, the doctor says
= and the dear child sank back exhausted.
That last word went good way to sob
White. Dying His little Jessie dyinl
lie had cared for her once, until the cru
drink had drowned every good and father
feeling. Now he went with unsteady ste
to the bedside.
"Jess, look at me-" he said, am bril-
you an orange. don't want to be b
father to you. III mind, that will" b
the child's eyes had closed forever TO tn
world, and she would need no love or ca
from parents again.
For days James White sat in heavy, sile
grief in tine darkened room, thinking
morsefully of the past. 1t was then he So
the sin aud folly of the course he had be
following; it was there, by his dead, coffin