The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-08-22


What disagreeable people they must
bel"
"Why, no it is the same with almost
all boarders. The minute people 60 into
a clearinghouse they begin to expect all
sorts of things that they never would
think OF having at home. They want to
pay the lowest possible price, and then
they want the best of everything-cream
on their oatmeal, for instance, and veg
etables and fruit as soon as they come in
market; but suppose it is human ma
/ ture."
al suppose it is" said, =" but it must
be very hard for you"
" 1t is moDotonous life, but what else
could l dol My husband died when we
had been married only a year. 1 had
been teacher before was married, but
l could not teach or do anything else that
| would take me away. My husband was
widower when married him, with one
child, poor little crippled girl, and, of
course, on her account had to find some
thing that could do at home so 1
opened clearinghouse, that last resort
for poor forlorn women"
She said all this as cheerfully as l
would have talked of going to the sea-
side; but it sounded 30 unutterably pa.
thetic that could find no words to an
swer her. She went on:
"The greatest trial l have is that can
do so little good; and yet ] don't envy
you your opportunities, for your RESPONSE
bilitles are 30 much greater than mine."
You make me feel Inundated" /
, said, sadly, al never realized that l had
any special opportunities, and 1 do not
think in all my life have ever done any
thing for anybody that cost me any self
sacrifice"
"Then am very sorry for you," she
said, "and wouldn't change places for
all your wealth.
No one had ever spoken 80 to me be-
fore. had been petted and fattered; /
had been called liberal because gave
freely of money which had cost me no
trouble to gain but had never had any
one to show me the pleasure and Joy of q
self-sacrifcing life.
"Won't you have some more choco-
late 2" l said, feeling as if in ministering
to this plain woman was ministering to
one Of Gods chosen ones and then I
asked, humbly, "What can do l call
myself Christian, and 1 have always
fancied | lived as Christian should, but
you have made me feel as if all nv life
had been wasted"
al should think in q life as full and
rich as yours there would be 80 much
that you could make most of your days
thank offerings to the Lord. Why, be-
fore you get to the sacrifices there are so
many things that would be nothing for
you to do, and yet would give 80 much
pleasure to other people. There are your
horses and carriages, and your fruit, and
your flowers, and your dainty dishes, that
most people have neither time or skill to
prepare. My dear Mrs. Harlow, cannot
tell what your duties are; l can only see
what is on the surface. The real work
that the love of Christ ought to impel you
to do, that you must find for yourself"
"Can you give me the name of some
one in the village to whom could begin
to minister ?" l said. "You know am
such a stranger here, and one cannot send
even flowers promiscuously."
eyes, indeed" said Mrs. Brown; al
can give you the names of dozen.'
So took pencil and paper and wrote
them down as she told them to me, and
as soon as she had started on her errand
OF charity again, I commenced my new
labors.
They did not prove to be easy by any
means. 1t was no trouble to send flowers
to old Mrs. Bush, who was helpless in
valid; but when the servant who had
taken them finally brought back request
that L would 60 and see her-that was
hard and good Mrs. Brown, in her utter
unselfshness, never dreamed what cross
1T was to me to 60 to some of the places
where she took me-to homes where sick
ness and death had brought their shadow.
One thing led to 80 many others that l
had no more idle mornings to spend in
embrolderlpg and reading novels there
was always some one who needed some.
thing. There was sick child whom l
could take out riding, or an older person
to whom could go and read there were
baskets of dainties needed somewhere, or
there were bouquets to be made, or there
was some one to whom it would be a
treat to come and spend week in my
home,
There were 80 many things to be done
that the days seemed only too short for
the doing of them. It must be confessed
that longed sometimes for the fesh-pots
of Egypt. l thought regretfully of the
old weeks and months that had spent in
idle content; but every day made these
longings less, for grew to feel more and
more what l had not previously compre-
hended, the real joy there is in a life
lived not for self; and this JOY grows
fuller every year, as it must as one
grows in the knowledge that life is val
liable only as it is lived for the sake of
Christ; that ones time, and talents, and
wealth, and opportunities are to be used
always for him until the earthly life is
entered upon in the presence of the King.
Flora N. Wright, in Christian Union.