The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-31

ilbOibSiJ5 WIZ P"iSVh NohS' J SHNSi
day"
HOh, he didl"
eyes. We were sitting here sewing,
and all of a sudden, before we knew it,
in he came. We hustled Tillie into the
closet as quick as we could-the girls
couldn't bear to have the new minister
see her, an she wasn't lookin' quite so
well as usuel, even--had on that old
plaid dress, same as she's got on this
mornin'; we'd been busy an I'd forgot
to have her change it. She never thinks
of any such thing herself, you know.
Well, we talked along, and, all of sud-
den, while we were right in the midst
of the convesation-Tillie was tryin' to
listen, s'pose, an you know the but
ton to that closet door never was over
strong, an off it come, an out sprawled
Tillie, right in front of the minister. l
was that ashamed, Miss Sykes, | could
have wished l might be swallowed up
like Korah's troop"
81 hope it didn't hurt Title"
Hurt Tillie? Mercy, no! She was
gigglin' as hard as she could, an seemed
to think it was great fun. Poor Row
eny an Helen never said word. Some
how, we none of us could Then he
put out his hand, an says he, Who is
this, Mrs. Wickett?' cob" sobbed
Mrs. Wicket, overcome by recital of
of her life, and had been made even
harder by being so ridiculous, "oh, to
see that he didn't turn from her, the
way a good many do! 1t went to my
heart. l got up an, says /, This is my
daughter Tillie, Mr.. Miller. She wasn't
dressed much this afternoon, so she
was in the closet He kept hold of
her hand, an, says he, | am glad to
see her. How do you do, my dear?'
She went over her rigmarole that she
always says. Yet he never seemed to
mind it bit. you are in the fold,
Mrs. Wickett,' says he, an these two
lovely daughters of yours. Is this one in
the fold, too?' Then blurted right out
that she hadn't never been to church.
He looked pretty grave at that.
didn't like to tell him that our other
minister an his wife had been so par
ticular,' or sensitive or whatever
you may call it, that we hadn't been a
bit encouraged to take Tillie out; but l
do think that was one reason. An
there's so many to get good bonnets an
cloaks for!" sighed Mrs. Wicket, who
was weak, rather than bad, sister,
and whose poverty was real excuse
for good many rather questionable
things which she did. She had been a
widow for many years, and her little
property, coupled with the hardest
kind of work, hardly sufficed to buy
bread and clothing for her three daugh-
tiers and herself.
We'll, I'd take her now," said Miss
Sykes, vigorously, San I'll go right
home an see if l can't help you fix
her up SOS to 90 next Sunday"
Miss Sykes was as good as her word
and thus it happened that the very
next Sunday, neatly dressed and quite
attentive, Tillie sat in the family pew.
1t is true that her expression was va
cant, and that she was unable to tell a
word which the minister had said
when afterward pressed by her sisters
but she appreciated being admitted tc
sanctuary privileges" and was ever
after, no matter what the weather
might be, constant attendant al
church.
Good Mr.. Miller, whose white locks
were but the type of the Christlike
white soul within him, came often tC
the humble cottage of the Wicketts
and never without inquiring for Tillie
Little by little, he CLEANED all the facts
about her and her character. He had
supposed, and so had many of the
neighbors-for Mrs. Wicket was not sc
foolishly frank with everybody as she
had been with Miss Sykes--that Title
was always the good-natured, silly cir
she appeared when in company. But
this was not so. Sometimes she was
almost viciously snappish; again, she
sulked for days together. The cause
of her " tantrums," as they were desig
mated by her mother and sisters, were
usually of the most trivial sort, anC
were matters often entirely UNDECIDED
by her-a failure to provide baked APP
| pies when she had expected them fol
dinner; an unintentional push, wher
she stood in the way of her busy
mother; cross hen, which sometimes
flew at her.
Mrs. Wicket did not think that Title
could help these hayward impulses
To do her justice, she had been pretty
patient with Tillie when she wa:
naughty.
Mr.. Miller asked if he might see hel
alone, and he held several brief inter
views with her thus, concluding then
with simple, humble prayer. TO hi:
utter establishment, after he had laboreC
with her for the fourth or fifth time
and had just concluded his short ant
trustful petition, Tillie broke into VIC
lent weeping. He was about to rise
from his knees, but seeing that she die
not follow his example as usual, he re
sumed his position and waited for he
to grow calmer.
80 Jesus!" she said at length
" take poor Title. viii you take poo
Title and make her heart as white as
snow?n
Over and over she repeated thes,
words-words which she had caugh
from the PASTORS prayer. She gave
every evidence of feeling them-o
understanding what they meant. The
good minister, who was really taken by
surprise-as who among US has no
been in similar cases?-by this suddeI
intimation that the Lord was answering
his fervent petitions for this unfortu
nate one, did not dare to say anythin!