The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-09-10
Religinns Misrenaw.
Parakletans.

litely, struggling around the backs of a
wilderness of chairs, and nearly upsetting
the "society work-basket, on her way TO
the quiet corner where that lady was
sitting.
The cheerful, sweet-faced woman, busily
finishing the little gown to help temper
the wind to poverty.shorn lamb in North
Dakota looked up with glad welcome.
to her with their perplexities. Ever since
her own little ones had all gone away to
God her lonely mother-heart had yearned
wistfully toward the fresh young lives
about her.
al cannot help thinking about our
Biblecass lesson few weeks ago." be-
gan the girl, abruptly, settling herself on
q stool at her feet; "that Sunday when
Paul was singing in the prison at Phil
ippi, you know. d. you remember how
Mr.. Inmsn said we were not at all done
with prisons in these modern days, but
that most of us were in some kind of a
one now, or would be sooner or later 1t
wasn't very encouraging view of life |
thought at the time, but it was every bit
true, wasn't it, Mrs. Hammond ?"
A respondent ring in the words made
Mrs. Hammond look up quickly and won
der that she had not sooner noticed how
pale and hesvy-eyed the girl had grown
since last she saw her. Whatever had
come into her life, it was evident that
some stern trouble was holding her back
from the laughter and lighthearted free
dom of her young comrades to-day. For
some wise reason bonds and affections
had been appointed her; some of the
many bereavements, disappointments and
limitations by which our souls are bound
in chains-held back from pursuing the
earthly happiness most sweet and dear to
us,
Eyes, it was every bit true, Miss Mar
garrett" said faded, white-haired little
woman sitting near, Gas | think have
more reason to testify than even Mrs.
Hammond. Skin for skin, yea, all that
man hath will he give for his life,
said some one who ought to know; but
all the wealth of the Indies cannot buy
back health. For twenty long years l
have been in prison of illness, and some
of the time in torture-chamber. Once
in while am allowed to take short
walk like this, but never without con.
seriousness of my letters, never without my
keeper, Pain. II any one would like to
measure chains with mine, think you
would fnd few that are shorter"
Well, Mrs. Barre" said a tall, gaunt
woman, dropping the apron she was hem.
ming, and trying to pull her worn cuffs
over her Thoroughbred hands. al know
good many quite ready to measure if
you say So. In all your sickness you
have never lacked luxury nor the best
medical advice, and you have had a ser
want to every finger. How do you sup.
pose people feel that don't know how they
are going to pay their next months rent,
or buy another ton of coal, to say nothing
of the plainest food and clothes; people
whose life is just one long No; who don't
dare to even look sidewise at pleasure
for fear their short chain will trip them
up against the narrow wall But the
worst of it is when there is preaching
about the missions, and the Helping
Hand, and the church debt, and all that,
and the minister asking, as he always
does, If there isn't some Mary with an
alabaster box she wants to break at the
feet of the Master. Aud their hearts, of
course, getting warmer and warmer, till
they feel as If they must 60 forward with
all creation in their hands, and then sud-
denly remember there isn't even an old
tin pail they could spsre Ga, it is awful
to be in prison so narrow that you've
never once stretched yourself out easy-like
in all your life But | know plenty of
people in such prisons as that" finished
Mrs. Bolton, in tone of such acute sym
pathy that Margaret smiled family, feel.
ing that one of those prisoners of poverty
could not be very far away.
"But there are things far worse than
that" began young Mrs Linke, and then
could say no more.
Mrs. Hammond looked up with mist
in her kind eyes, remembering the dear
little frst.born laid away under the winter
snow, not three months ago.
1t is all great myster y, but if there
is God suppose we shall understand
it some tim" sighed Miss Knight, a lady
who prided herself on her vast intellectual
attachments, the fullness of her breadth
and culture, but whose faith was in such
reduced circumstances that it never ap.
peared in public without borrowing cloth
ing of doubt
al say if there is God" she continued,
adjusting her spectacles, "becsuse if a
Being of love and boundless power really
exists, it is hard to see how he bears the
continual signing of the prisoners that
come before him, and never, in these
days, sends earthquake or angel any more
to open the prison DOORS"
"He bears it because he knows what is
coming of it, as you know quite as well
as !, Miss Knight" said Mrs. Hammond,
smiling. Somebody has we'll said that
all birth is preceded by pain, as truly
in the intellectual and spiritual rea Inns rs
in the physical; and my whole experience
makes me 80 sure of it that never see a
friend bearing heavy trouble without
looking confidently for increased power
and beauty and usefulness in that friends
life. This, for some wise reason, Is the
divine order-pain and struggle first, and
then great gift, growth, a develop
ment that could come in no other way
our lives growing more and more full, till
we are lost in a pleasant wonder of what
may come at last of that great travail we
call death I"
Sand that is the reason why you can
sing" said Margaret, in low voice
"that is what | wanted to find out. Yes"
smiling at Mrs. Hammonds look of BE-
wilderment, "you are different from all
the prisoners | know; while the rest
OF us are complaining and selfish, bur-
den to ourselves and others, you are al.
WAYS so bright and helpful: like Paul vou