News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-11-02
TRUE AND STEADFAST.
BY JUDGE CLARK,

When George Carson was left desti
tute and friendless orphan, the towr
overseers took his case in hand an6
"bound him out to farmer Pendrew.
The farmer was thrifty but not un.
kindly man, and everybody said that
the boy, in falling into such hands, had
every reason to be thankful-which, in
deed was but the truth.
Still, poor George felt very lonesome
and unhappy at first. For, while his
new home, in every comfort and sur
rounding, far exceeded that in which his
life had hitherto been passed, yet every
thing was strange and new and, at
times, he felt a relief to slip off and
have good cry by himself. 1t was on
one of these occasions that little Ruth,
the farmers daughter, stole quietly to
his side, and, befoTe he was conscious of
her presence, took him gently by the
hand.
Don't cry" she said softly, as the
boy turned his weeping eyes whilst the
tears glistened in her own; "I know
you have no papa nor mamma, but I'll
be your sister if you'll let me-
1t was the first healing touch the
wounded heart had felt. George choked
back rising sob and thanked his little
could, how very much he would like to
have her for a sister.
Then Ruth showed him about the
place. The feeling of strangeness grad
ually wore of, and George began to feel
at home.
From that time, in his unemployed
moments, he and Ruth were much to-
gether, for children naturally seek each
others company, and farmer Pendrew
and his wife were not the people to look
down on boy merely because he was
poor and without friends.
1t was not long till it came Georges
turn to offer consolation. Ruth's moth
er died, and in the first outburst of her
wild, passionate grief, the child's heart
seemed at the point of breaking. But
when George came to tell her how very
sorry for her he felt, she threw her arms
about his neck and cried:
"OhI Georgei George neither of
us have any mother now T'-and from
this bond of sympathy the suffering,
childish heart drew its first drop of com
fort.
A fine, manly fellow George had
grown by the time he reached his
twenty-fr year. He had we'll i'm
proved the three months schooling
every winter to which his "indentures"
entitled him, and with that and the
reading he was able to do of evenings,
there were few better informed yonng
men than George Carson.
AS Ruth grew up into o beautiful
and charming woman, she and George
continued as close friends as ever,
though naturally there was something
more of reserve between them. They
still looked upon each other as brother
and sister-at least they thought they
did. AS for George, he would have
blamed himself severely had he detected
in his mind any secret aspirations in
connection with his masters daughter
inconsistent with the difference of their
stations.
George" said Mr.. Pendrew one
day, "your time will soon be up now,
but if you should like to remain on
wages"
81 should like it of all things" broke
in George, without waiting for the other
to finish.
You see," resumed the farmer, "I
don't like to be left quite alone in my
old days. There's Ruth she's going to
be married soon-leastways Richard
Harne has asked me for her, and think
she likes him well enough and, to tell
the truth, it's a match I've thought of
more than once myself, for Dicks an
only son, and his fathers land joins
mine. Now, you've been so long like
one of the family, George, that I'd like
when Ruth's gone But, bless me,
boy, what's the matterp ?"
And well might the farmer ask for the
young mans face was deathly pale and
his whole frame trembled.
Mastering himself by powerful ef-
fort, George managed to regain his
composure, and TO change the CONVEX
sation before Mr.. Pendrew had time to |
he had himself now first
discovered-that 1t was not brothers |
love he felt for Ruth.
At length the day came when George
Carson was "his own man." He had |
some time before thanked farmer PEN
drew for his offer to continue him on
wages, which, however, he declined,
declaring it to be his purpose to go and
seek his fortune in the distant West. |
And on the very morning his time was