Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-08-28

come unto my house and abide
there"
Lydia felt as if this was mes
sage, reminder; she knelt and in
simple words told the Lord she would
use this room as his; if he needed it
for any one she would gladly take
the other room and then the little
girl, with an earnest desire to be
faithful, asked help to keep the room
ready-tidy and nice. 1t seemed no
effort after that prayer to fold hel
clolnes carefully, to put her soiled
collar in the bag and lay out fresh
one for the morning, Mrs. Paul,
coming in for mothers last look
an hour after, noted the open Testa-
ment and carefully folded clothes,
and felt that the guest chamber was
already influencing her dear little
daughter.
"Oh, mamma p exclaimed Lydia
about a week after they had been
settled in their new home. EfUncle
Rob says one of the telegraph opera
tors-a young lady-in his office is
breaking down. He wants to know
if you could find her a cheap board
ing place out here"
Mrs. Paul waited for moment
and then said, "Perhaps Mrs. Kant
might take her. I'll-"
"But, mamma, couldn't you-don't
you remember mamma, the guest
chamber? Wouldn't she be-
Lydia could not get on, but man.
ma understood, and kissed the eager
face, saying:
''Yes, / think she would, dear,
and if you give the room l will glad
ly give the board
''Oh, how nice May | write to
Uncle Bob to send her at once?
Everything is ready. Mamma, it is
an upper room furnished,' she add
ed shyly.
g Meet for the Masters use.'
Indeed, 1 am thankful. Run, my
own Lydia, and ask this girl to come
into YOUR house."
sOh, mamma! You've noticed it,
too! l do want to be found faith
full"
/ "And 1 think yon are: but it is a
daily fight remember
A few days later very plain al
most shabbily dressed girl rang the
bell at Mrs. PauPs. Lydia who had
been expecting her guest, opened the
door herself, and, truth to tell, eX-
perienced a great shock. She had
expected some one so different
Somehow she had made up her mind
that her guest would have ''liquid
blue eyes''-Lydia's were gray-and
wavy brown hair. Hor droee, tfe>.sIi
it might be plain, would have an air
of "elegant simplicity" and, in fact,
all was to be so lovely-and here
stood this plain, shabby girl or wom-
an!
SIS this Mrs. Pauls ?" she asked
shyly, and Lydia instead of beaming
and dimpling as she would have done
to ''liquid," ETC., answered shortly,
eyes, you are expected" and show
ed her up stairs to the cool, airy
room, and then went up to her own
little room, next to Bridget's, inclin-
ed to cry or to be cross.
At tea the new conner was most
awkward; she spilled her tea, crum-
bled her bread, and answered sc
awkwardly to Mrs. Pauls kind words
that that lady considered it the tru-
est politeness to let her alone. They
all assembled in the parlor, where
the boys played games, Lydia sang
and only little Carrie made friends
with the guest she took the little
girl in a corner where they chattet
together, Mrs. Paul not liking to senC
the child to bed and so bring back
Miss Liscomb's nervous shyness, un
til Carrie fairly dropped asleep in hel
new friends arms.
Lydia was disgusted; she resolv
ed that she would not again ask any
stranger into the house and be de-
prived of her lovely room for such ;
common person-Uncle Bob said ;
lady.
: s'And so she is; but nervous, shy
, poor, and ill.," said her mother; but
Lydia was incredulous, and left he
, guest carefully to herself.
r Miss Liscomb had been with then
t a week Mrs. Paul was beginning t.
: find out how much real worth ant
cultivation lay beneath such an unat
tractive exterior, when one day Lydi;
: fell ill. The doctor was sent for anC
l | pronounced it a low fever and nigh
r turn to typhus all depended on tn
e nursing.
} 'Mrs. Paul, if you will help me
e we can bring her down to that lovel..
room l have been using, and if Mis-
Lydia is willing-I am thought to b
e a good nurse"
!, And good nurse Lydia found her
e She could sing-old ballads, and th
: hymns Lydia liked so much; sh
!; alone seemed to guess just how muc
S light was pleasant in the room, jus
e what the sick girl would fancy, an
a the plain, despised guest nurse
b Lydia so faithfully that she was 500