Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-20

Brother Ned.

pity you If you never had Ned in the
family-a loving, happy, rollicking, mischief
loving Ned, with eyes brimful of fun and
heart brimful of joy-at once the pride
and plague of the household. / am sure
you never saw quiet, sedate, studious Ned.
An affeminate, stupid, cross-grained Ned
is an impossibility; but was that Ned ever
born who did not continually rush headlong
into some scrape or other, or who spent five
consecutive minutes without plotting mis-
chief to some devoted head ?
My brother Ned o memory, how faith
fully you paint him How the very name
brings back to me the 1.-the, active frame,
the round bright face, the dancing hazel
eyes, the large clever mouth, the straight
brown locks, and that peculiar, shrill boy
whistle which always come from between
tight-set teeth and open lips. Who shall
describe the strange, half-laughing twinkle
of those merry eyes, sure harbinger of COM
ing trouble ? How mothers needle and
thimble would disappear just as she was
iChuy w uoC bhCmj hOW ehO hiSO PiOeO Vi
buttered toast or loaf-heel, safely deposited
on my plate, took wings to itself just at the
wrong moment; how all our dismay and in.
| dignation gave way before the comical de
mureness of the face opposite 1t seems
but yesterday that sister and l were per
suaded to remain at home from school ar
hour to help him in some task, and dismissed
at last with the promised billet of excus
only to find, to our utter astonishment ant
chagrin, that the teacher had been instructed
by all means to punish us, as our tardines'
was quite unnecessary. o brother Ned
brother Ned, yet how we did love you
Aud why not We remember well how the
dear hands wrought-those rounded, boyish
hands-to keep the wolf from our Widowed
mothers door how the proud boy shoul
dered horse and saw, when other labo
failed, rather than have want touch us. Car
we forget that the few spending pennies al
ways bought sweets for our lips; that tn
boy-hero, alone and perseveringly, mastered
a skillful trade, despised not midnight toll
that little sisters might have waterproof
like the other girls, might never lack books
and still enjoy privileges he must forego
o precious brother Ned how you stood
year by year, in your youth, your very boy
hood, by mothers side, between us aud th
cold, heartless world how, denying your
self, even of life's necessaries, unselfishl,
you wrought, laying every penny in he
hand, until comfort reigned in our humbl
home Earth has its many heroes-wher
one like to you2 Blessings-blessings OIL
your memory, my brother Ned
When was he too weary for the after-suI
per romp, too busy to examine the fruits o
my youthful muse2 What adulation could tn
world offer to-day as satisfying to my hear
as the honest praise of brother Ned ? Coul
any critic wound as severely as one of hi
jesting comments ? Back, time My hear
still holds its faithful idol2 With moistene
eyes and throbbing heart l stand before tn
shrine of other days, and sweet remem
brances, like golden halo, surround tn
head of brother Ned.
All, brother Ned, how the world has com
between thy life and mine since those chile
hood days. How it has buffeted and bruise
usl Thy merry heart has been crushed
thy choicest fruit crumbled to ashes Tho
hast wrestled with the world for very lif
since. Too manly to give DER, too great
souled to be rich, the very largeness of tn
heart and life crowding thee into sorrow, tn
tenderest love embittered, thy dearest, dear
est ties severed,-O brother Ned
They say that thou art changed But not t
me, not to me. Thy heart still yields it
sweets to every touch of mine, and under tn
grim rubbish of years, under the callous 0
unrequited love and toll, l find still tn
blessed blossoms of truth and affection
and, now and then, a shoot of old.time mel
riment that assures me this is brother Ned
The world cannot kill such as thou arr
neither can it altogether crush the boy-hear
out of this toiling man. Nor yet can sin ii
all its hideousness, nor time with all its fluc
tuatious, nor eternity in its vastness, blot iron
my heart the mighty love for thee enthrone'
there. Let all the world forsake thee, ye
will not |. The years in their flight shal
but carry freshly to the throne of grace pet
tions for my brother Ned.