Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-10

Mrs. Longman escorted them TO the
kitchen to remove their wet wrappings and
to dry their shoes, and then took them to
the parlor where the other guests were
sitting rather silently gazing at the parlor
and its contents, which, though to some
persons might have been considered plain,
was to the boys scene Of unaccustomed
luxury; then she went back to the kitchen
to hold council with Bridget in regard to
that all important event Of the evening,
supper.
"What in the world will we get, Bridgetf'
said she, "there is eight of them in there
besides our own, which makes ten, and there
may be as many more for all know, and it
is too wet to 60 out for anything" =
The aisiest thing in the world, ma'am,
have been considering the same while you
were in the parlor. There's the chickens In
the yard, that you were fattening Tor
Thanksgiving, nothing in the world would
be suitabler than Them"
"But that would be only one kind of
meat, Bridget, and perhaps some of them do
not eat chicken and now that they are
here, l would like them all to be satisfied
"Trust me for that, ma'am, | never saw
a boy yet that could not eat his weight in
chicken, only give him the time. | will go
Immediately and tell the fowls their presence
is wanted at a party, and the kettle is sing
ing as though it expected broth of a
time"
"And | will make lot of biscuits" said
Mrs. Longman, "and while you are cooking
the chickens, will set the table,"
AN if you please, ma am, while the flour
and other things are around, ] will make
lot of my gingercakes; for next to chicken
stew with oceans of gravy, there's nothing
boy likes better than hot ginger cakes"
"Oh, Bridget, you are so thoughtful" said
Mrs. Longman, and somehow her heart be-
gan to grow lighter, and with cripple and
mute in the next room, she began to real
ize that she had much for which to be
thankful.
Several new additions were made to the
company in the parlor, and by the time the
supper was smoking upon the table, the
mirth was growing fast and furious"
The boys were almost da2zled by the
brilliancy of the dining-room the glitter of
china and glass and silver under the strong
gas light. Mrs. Longman had exerted her
self to make it feast indeed to those who
so seldom Jared except upon the coarsest
viands, and her table showed no lack of
dainty preserved fruits, jellies, and all the
little knick-knacks which she could muster
on such short notice. She knew that boys
leading the outdoor, active life of the ma
ority of the guests, were not troubled with
nerves." 30 coffee the richest, and tea the
purest, graced the board, while the perfume
of the baking gingerbread f1oated through
the open kitchen door, where Bridget, in the
goodness of her heart, was importing a
choice stock of horses, COWS, and other ami
mails for each and all of the guests, cut from
the luscious gingerbread.
Mrs. Longman took quiet observation of
the whole company while helping them, and
she observed one puzzle for which, in her
| own mind, she could find no solution and
that was, that the blind boy had carefully
laid his pieces of poultry aside.
"lIere is one exception to Bridget's rule, !"
she thought to herself. ado you not like
chicken, my boy ?" she inquired.
"Yes, ma'am, ! love it," he replied
with emphasis, "but-" and he hesitated,
his pale face grew flushed.
A moment or so after, he slipped from
his chair, and with the unerring accuracy
with which the blind calculate distances, he
came to Mrs. Longman and said, "Please
ma'am, may / touch your face ?"
Certainly, DEAR" she replied.
Very gently and speedily the little soft
hand of the blind boy examined each fea-
ture, and then, apparently satisfied, he
whispered al would like to take it to
Nancy, she is so good to me, she is sick and
cannot get good things to eat"
Quick tears of sympathy filled Mrs. Long
mans eyes. Truly she was receiving many
lessons this evening She was giving, but
it was being returned to her an hundred
fold. She kissed the boy, and whispered in
return, I" You are noble little boy to re-
member others, eat all you wish, will see
that your friend has some Also"
After supper was over, the table cleared
away, and the other boys deep in the en-
| joyment of many games, in which he could
take but little part, Mrs. Longman and the
blind boy had long and confidential con.
versation. She gathered from his earnest
| lips, that even the poor in purse can be rich
in spirit; that the milk of human kindness
sometimes made fertile hearts which had
never known anything but stern, unrelent
ing poverty. The one he called Nancy had
received him from the bedside of his dying
MOTHER and although she had to work early
and late to support her own helpless ones
she was to the best of her poor ability faith
fully fulfilling her promise.
The Longmans were not rich, but Mrs
Longman sadly compared her own selfish life
with its means of doing good with that Of
the poor woman whose opportunities WERE
so few, and yet whose life was a continued
sacrifice of self for others. Mrs. Longmar
was Sabbath-school teacher and her con
science had many times reproved her tina
she had not gone into the by-ways to brinl
children under the influence of the gospel
Here was her opportunity, and she resolved
to seize it. She argued with herself as to tn,
propriety of using temporal inducemen
for spiritual end, and her conscience upor
reflection approved.
In the meantime, Mr.. Longman cam,
home, and the cheerful smile upon his wife
lips, so different from what he was expect
ing, delighted him, and he gave the boys al
even more cordial greeting than was his wont
When his wife had informed him how it al
came about he resolved to do his part towar'
giving them a good time, so sent an abund
ant order for apples and the beloved peanuts
the delight of the newsboy's heart, and toll
them to help themselves, which they did +
: man.
Mrs. Longman, with Bridgets assistance
spent the balance of the evening maxim
packages for the boys, to take home wit
them, and the substitutes were not forgotten
With her husbands approval, she made
proposition to the boys at the close of til
! evening, and that was, that they should a
come one evening in every month and tax
supper with her boys, providing that all VIII
could go to some Sunday-school would
80. To her glad surprise the most of ther
. agreed to the arrangement, and those VIII
held back she found upon inquiry were col
. strained to object ON the score of clothing,
want which she engaged to supply. Sh
went further than that. She exerted he
self to obtain admission for the blind bo
= into an institution for the blind, and aftt
!, each of the monthly parties she paid him
= visit, taking his share Of the good thing:
= always accompanied by her own sons, an
sometimes by the Euening Telegram, Bull
d tin or one Of the dailies and one of til
, most useful lessons which Mrs. Longman r
ceived from her surprise party was this
q There is no surer remedy for low spiri
!. than doing good TO others. "-Seiecied.