Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-12-21
thought sadly. With strange freak
of memory she found herself repeat
ing little verse her mother had
taught her when a child:


taught her when child:
CT ask Thee for a thankful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
To wipe the weeping ewes,
And the heart at leisure from itself
To soothe and sympathize.
She thought again of their unvary-
ing kindness, and of her poor return.
ayes, l have been thinking of my
self, and of nobody else, all the time,'
she said to herself humbly. $ "A
heart at leisure from ITSELF is the
very thing l need. 1t is that which
makes little Mary Lou SO lovely.
No one ever thinks her beautiful; I
doubt whether she IS really any bet
ter looking than l am and she turn
ed to look at her own pale face in the
little old fashioned glass above the
bureau. :'Nor does she ever make
witty speeches to cause laugh; yet
what would the house be without her?
and just because she is always think
ing of others rather than herself"
There she lay: longing to be like
Mary Lou; longing to be back again,
that she might at least try to show a
more grateful spirit. ''And the more
unlovely and unattractive | am,'' she
thought, "the less use or comfort
there is in thinking of myself, and
the more need to do what little I can
to be helpful, if can not be agreea-
BILE. O., to be back with them once
more! but how will | ever get there?
That dreadful walk % She shuddered
and trembled at the bare remem-
brance, and buried her face in the
pillow.
There is sound of tramping feet
at the door, and quick, imperative
knock, that somehow startles her as
if she had something to do with it.
The door is opened and in walks
great coat with head all muffied in
comforters, out of which two bright,
piercing eyes are peering eagerly
around.
AT first jamie uttered little cry of
glad surprise, then covered her face
with her hands in bitterest mortitica-
ton and penitence. But the cry had
betrayed her, and she is soon clasped
in two strong, loving arms, too glad
to remember that they might be lit
tie damp from the night air. But joy
of heart wards off many a physical
i'll, and she was none the wo"se for
| it.
1t was too late for them to 60 home
that night, but messenger carried
| the glad news, that none should sleep
in sorrow another night, but be ready
to give jamie bright welcome in the
morning.
And what has been going on at
home all the time? jamie soon knew
from her uncle and with many blush
es of shame and sorrow confessed
her mistake and begged forgiveness.
We will learn it from little Mary
LOUIS broken sentences, as she stands
at the window trying to penetrate
the darkness either with eyes or ears,
in hopes Of gaining some news.
sFather said he would come back
just as soon as he found her," she
said with a sob. and he has been
away all day this time
"Perhaps," said her mother hope
fully she has at last found some trace
of her and wants to follow it up
"What can have become of her? ?''
exclaimed the child drearily. 1t was
50 dreadful for her to get lost the
very day such dreadful snow wss
coming. I know she must have froz-
en- to death that very night" and she
sobbed bitterly. They had all gath
cred in now, watching anxiously from
windows and door. SO it had been
every day since the first, when, with
excited CONSERVATION the family
learned that jamie could not be found
for supper.
"And we are going to have such q
happy Christmas, most all for her,
too, and make her have q happy time
whether she would or no." moaneJ
Mary Lou.
"Mother, why was it jamie always
seemed to think we did not love hel
or want her with u.s."
II SUPPOSE" replied the mother
"it was because she felt shy anG
strange, and you all being at home
forgot sometimes that she had te
learn to be one of u.s.
eff we can only get her back sht
; shall never think so again shall sht
girls but it is too bad all our Christ
mas fun is gone" :"
, so, but it isn't said Flora, skip
ping into the room from q little re
connoitering trip to the kitchen.
/ "Here's note from father and
Ben says he's got her; will bring hel
) home in the morning.
The note added; have as mucf
!. Christmas as you like, and be sure
that everything is as happy as possl
BILE; jamie will be we'll enough to en-
joy 1t, l think
Who does not know how quick {
; cure pleasure can sometimes make
No patent medicine in the world car
equal it, and Jane was almost ready
to resent her uncle's suggestion of g
cozy bed extemporized in the carri.
age, only she was too happy to re.
sent anything now, snd she never for
oOt that ride alone with her uncle,