The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-23
Miss DOrcas' Story.

Miss Dorcas' Story.
Yes, Pm going to do it when the right
time comes
"Well, l do'no what that means, Lily
Cranel"
"Why, Miss Dorcas, mean 1 am wait
ing for leading of providence"
"What do We call leadin' of prov
idence, Lizy?"
Miss Eliza Crane laid down her work
and looked out of the window; she was
one of the best women, in some ways, that
was ever made, but her mental processes
were rather vague; she lived alone in her
small house, Just as Dorcas Winkwire did
in hers, but she did not have to work for
her living; she had MEANS" as we say
in the country, and she had woman to
do her work, who came in daily and did
all that Miss Crane needed, so that her
hands were free to serve others. She was
kind to the poor, helpful to the sick, COM
forting to the dying, and welcome guest
wherever she entered, full of eccentric
thought, that came out in odd phrases, but
strangely wanting in the clear.cut sense
and speech that made Miss Dorcas'
utterances as refreshing as a west wind in
hot day. Eliza Crane was also a
woman whose desire and intent was to do
right from the Christian standpoint; she
meant to please God in everything she did,
but she was human, and, like all the rest
OF us, infused her peculiarties of character
into her spiritual life far more than
she realized. Miss Dorcas loved and re.
spected her, but with her keen eyes and
intuitive perception of character she saw
that Eliza was making some mistakes in
furious to herself and those about her,
though with the best intentions.
don't know how to explain to you,
Miss Dorcas," she said at last, withdraw
ing her eyes from the snowy, dreary outer
world, and looking straight at her neigh
Dor.
81 have always felt" she went on, Gas
If the Lord would indicate to me what 1
should do, and have waited, generally,
for such Indications"
"You think the Lords goin' to work a
daily merracle for ye, do you ?"
"Whyp said Miss Crane, with
startled expression, don't regard it in
that light exactly; but you know the
texts about asking the Lord to SHOW us
the way wherein we may walk, and the
thing that we may do and. . it is not in
man that walketh to direct his steps !;
also, thine ears shall hear a word behind
thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in
itT Don't you think these mean some
thing ?"
"Well, yes; but every one of them
texts is in the old dispensation. The
new one says, Il am the Way Christ
bein' the speaker. He told the apostles
to foller him. He didn't say nothing
about voices; but they was to be like
him in the best of their abilities. 1 take
it he meant us for to ask when any ques-
ton come up, or rather, to try an think,
what he'd ha' done in the like sitooation.
You don't wait for no indication of provi-
dence to go to the meat market, do ye ?"
Miss Crane looked a little shocked.
"Of course not, Miss Dorcas; that is
matter of no Importance"
"Ain't it You think it amt no mat
ter to have fit and prepared food to keep
our bodies-temples Of the Holy Ghost,
Scripter calls 'em-in condition to serve
the Lord in daily duties If daily bread
amt OF no consequence, Lily Crane, why
does the Lords own prayer ask fort 7"
swell, l suppose it is but / have a
kind Of feeling that we don't have indi.
cations except on matters of great need,
or unusual, orr
Sunday religion, eh? And you're to
jedge, be ye, what it's that's important
enough for the Lord to manage, and what
amt My land / if 1 didn't think he
tended to everything about me, same
as ne does to the sparrers, l should
give right mp. l tell ye, Lily, the
Lord has given most folks their share
OF commonsens and l don't b'lieve he
meant US to bury it up in no napkin
and hang onto what we call leadin's.
b'lieve he meant and means us to love him
above all, and our neighbor Jest the same
as ourselves, and dom them two things
will walk us straight enough without
them indications you tell about.
"Now, we're onto this matter, I'd lest
like to tell you about old Miss Abbott It
used to know over to Endicott; mabbe
twill save you some trouble in the futur'
to know how she come out; for she had
the same idees that you have, only more
30. She wasn't very rugged woman,
though she's livin' now, sickly folks do
most always wrastle quite spell before
they give up, and the seemin'ly tough
ones up and die when you don't nowsys
look for 'em so to do.
"Twas all of thirty year ago t lived
In Endicott, and she teached the Bible
class to our church. Well, used to sew
for her considerable, and liked her and
so did most folks; she was as pious as
could be, and dreadful good to all the poor
and sick; but she would'n never do a
thing OF what she called any Importance
without waitin' on providence, as she
told about
swell, the was lady to Endicott that
had niece, her stepsister's child, and the
two had growed up together more like
sisters than what they was, for there
wasn't more'n five year between them