The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-19
BE Not Forgetful OF Strangers.
A HINT PROM EXPERIENCE.

HINT PROM EXPERIENCE.
Have you called upon Mrs. Alton
yet ?" inquired Mrs. Yelling, one of the
prominent ladies of Milton Center, of her
friend, Mrs. Judge Miner. 1t was
charming afternoon. Mrs. yelling was
taking her walks abroad, as many of her
particular acquaintance as possible to
see each of whom she was rather fond
of saying " belonged to the first circle of
our place."
"No, | really have not" was her friends
reply. Pretty Mrs. Miner toyed with
her large fan, and continued, somewhat
apologeticaly: g don't like to call on
strangers; at least, until they have be-
come little more our own townspeople.
Don't you think it's so stiff and embsr.
RAISING ? suppose some of the other
church people have been more friendly ?"
"Well, no, fancy not" returned the
elder lady, gravely "you know it's just
now busy time with us housekeepers. /
thought that l would leave cards; but
really, Mrs. Miner, my visiting circle is
80 large" Milton Center had popula-
ton of some two Thousand souls) "that l
concluded, just for the present, to leave it
to others OF you to pay your compliments
to these new arrivals. l understand that
Mrs. Alton is of very foe Boston fam.
ily-once quite leader of one of the first
circles there and Mr.. Alton (so my hus.
band tells me) is remarkably superior
man in every way. 1t seems they've been
losing considerable money"
"Well, must attend to the matter"
said the really diff lent young matron.
"But do dislike such calls dreadfully.
versation With entire strangers Of course,
everything that goes on in our commu.
nifty is uninterestiDg to them. DR.. Hill
will visit them, don't doubt; and min.
ister's coming always does much toward
making new family feel at home. l
think, however, that really must defer
calling for few weeks, at least. How
does your new second girl turn out p
and the conversation between the two
worthy ladies glided into new channel.
1t is hardly necessary to say more than
they have concerning the newly .settled
family mentioned. Mr.. Alton was an
amiable, cultivated gentleman-compara
lively young man. The sudden business
reverses alluded to had brought about what
he hoped would be merely a temporary
change of residence, while he should hold
the modest post offered him in one of the
great manufactures of Milton Center.
And his wife /? Those who knew her in
earlier and later days can testify to her
noble mind, her graces of department, her
sympathetic heart and her charming pres
ence. Her sensibilities were delicate, her
tastes cultivated. But the misfortunes of
her husband, working upon an originally
retiring spirit, had caused Cornelia Alton
to shrink from all that social life of which
she had been an unobtrusive but appre-
ciated ornament. Then had come her re-
moval to the village scenes. More than
all, to try her soul and cast down her
buoyant nature utterly, her beloved and
only sister had been called upward scarcely
Q month before Mrs. Alton found herself
and her household ia the cottage at Mil
ton Center. So much for the story of its
new occupants.
Weeks and months passed by from the
afternoon in which Mrs. yelling and
kind.hearted Mrs. Judge Miner had talked
of their respective calls on the quiet lady
in whom they felt due interest. But
those courtesies had not been rendered.
Furthermore, owing to similar remiss-
ness in the easy-goipg village, Cornelia
Alton was still left stranger in her new
home. Perhaps it would not be as strange
to those who did not know her. Those
who did can best tell what others lost.
She was very lonely. The mental ex-
ertion of reading she felt unequal to
sustain many hours. She had lost one
faithful servant but her little family
was easily ordered; housekeeping duties
were light. She had once dearly loved
her piano, and many had been delighted
with her exquisite performance. Too
many were the sad associations lingering
around the instrument now. "By.and
by" she would say to her husband "by-
and-by, dear, l will practice again. l
cannot now" And 30 the piano remained
closed and voiceless.
As Mrs. Judge Miner had surmised,
excellent DR.. Hill, long since widower,
did call at Larkspur cottage. He called
and came again, and was full of admira-
tion for the sweet and submissive spirit
of this new member of his flock. He re.
spected the clear mind and simple dig.
nifty of her husband. DIR. Hill spoke of
the Altons frequently and "really
wished some of you ladies of the church
would make an effort to draw them out
more" DR.. Hill thought that the effort was
in progress. 1t had never begun. Every
one was listlessly committing it to his and
especially to her neighbor. Moreover, DR..
Hills parish was large and his time for
pastoral visiting" amply occupied.
What about that busy, kind-hearted
Sorosis, the Dorcas sewing society
Why, in the Dorcas, it was constantly re-
marked over seams and breadths that
"thst quiet-looking Mrs. Alton ought to
receive more attention from us. She ap-
pears 30 very solitary" But almost al
ways sharp Mrs. Sillinger. or one of the
would look up and say, " But don't you
know, Mrs. Atoms in sffiction-I don't
that haa k..A L.