The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-11-26
Select 9flistellanp.
King Alfred's Motto.

King Alfred's Motto.
"What curious rooml" exclaimed
Lily Thatcher, as for the first time size
stood behind the heavy curtains which
guarded the entrance to her cousin
Bela's "snuggery "a room which
Lily had longed to explore during her
weeks visit at her uncle's house.
As Bella left her, telling her she
might examine anything she chose,
Lily looked around with great interest
at the many quaint and curious things
which her cousin had collected in this
cosy retreat. As she was looking at a
queer old German photograph on the
wall her eye was suddenly caught by
something which seemed to her the
most curious thing of ala frieze of
golden letters on dark ground, run
| ming around the top of the wall. On
looking more closely, she found them
to be notices or proverbs, some of
which were appropriate to the special
| articles of furniture over which they
were placed. Over a large chest of
drawers was the motto, "Order is
heavens first law -; over the workable,
GA stitch in time saves nine" But
more than all the others, Lily's atten-
ton was attracted by motto which ran
along the wall just opposite her cousins
easy-chair and writing-table, where she
spent most of her time Count that
| day lost in which thou hast done no
good deed"
Just then Bella returned, and seeing
Lily's gaze riveted on the frieze, she
said: "Ah! you have discovered my
| pet motto; il was favorite saving of
good old King Alfred, and l try to let
no day pass without acting on it, at
least little, or else it reproaches me
whenever my eyes fall upon it. And
cannot tell you, Lily, how much hap
| pier my life has been since King AL
| fred's rule. Now that | have once be-
gun to look out for chances to do good
deeds, the days are not long enough to
| do half that | might
A call to dinner here interrupted the
| conversation. nor was there any chance
to resume it before Lily's departure for
home on the following day, but the
golden motto on the frieze refused to
be forgotten, and during her journey
on the cars the words kept running
through her head, keeping time with
the JOG of the wheels in an odd way.
like this:
Count that day
Lost in which
Thou hast done
No good deed"
Before reaching home she made up
| her mind to try and act out the motto
for herself and see if her cousin Bela's
words were true.
Lily Thacher was a sweet-tempered,
merry girl of sixteen, always ready for
ga good time" and great favorite
among her friends: but till now she had
lived careless, merry life, enjoying
the good things which fell to her lot and
thinking little of looking out for the
| happiness of others, and yet she was
| not any more selfish than most healthy,
| hearty girls of her age. only thoughtless,
for she had yet to learn the exquisite
happiness of definitely seeking others
| happiness as well as her own.
The morning after her return home,
she procured piece of white cardboard
about foot square, painted on it, in
large blue letters, the motto, and hung
it by blue ribbon at one side of her
looking-glass.
"There!i' said she, Il shall be sure
to see it at least three times day, any
way! And now for to-day's good
deed what shall it be? | must hunt
up some poor woman to clothe or some
sick man to send flowers to-"
Just then her mothers voice was
heard calling, Lilly. will you help
Hugh mend his kite? l know this is
the last day of your vacation, but have
all the weeks mending to do, and
haven't time to help him.
Lily ran down into the sitting-room
and patiently helped Hugh with his torn
kite. She was then just about to run
off to see the girls whom she was wild
to tell about her visit, when her heart
suddenly smote her as she noticed how
pale and tired her mother looked bend
ing over the great basket which held
the weeks mending Something within
her said 9 Charity begins at home. >
and she determined to try one little
good deed"
Dear mammal she said, 90 do lie
down Just little while, you look SC
tired. | will look after Hugh and you
will be so much fresher for the clothes
afterwards
Mrs. Thatcher, after some coaXing
consented to lie down for little while
for she had slept little during the past
night. Indeed, so tired was she that III
a few minutes she was fast asleep.
Lily, in the meantime, had set Hugh
to playing blocks, and had herself
taken her mothers place by the basket
If there was one thing which Lily
hated to do above all others it was to
mend, but she resolved to surprise hel
mother with the sight of the empty
basket; so, with little sigh at the
thought of the girls, she began dis
tributing the clothes in various piles
mending all that needed it, and after an
hour and half of diligent work she
had the satisfaction of putting them all
away in their respective bureau drawers
She had hardly finished when Mrs
Thatcher came from her room. Lily
was a hundred times repaid for her self
sacrifice at the sight of her mothers
mystified face as she spied the empty
basket, and more than all, with the low
| inc tender kiss with which she re.