The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-10-14
For His Sake.

Nine O'Clock on Saturday morning,
and Hettie still standing by the stove |
baking pancakes.
For whom was she baking cakes at
such late hour? For the family?
Most assuredly not. The family break
fast had been eaten and cleared away a
full hour and half ago.
Hettie was baking cakes for Brother
Rob, who at that moment was sitting
in the dining-room leisurely eating his
breakfast-c and maple syrup, re-
CARELESS of what the clock said, or of
the Saturday work that was waiting for
Hettie.
Rob was nineteen, four years older
than Hettie, and considered it his
privilege to tease his sister and lord it
over her generally. Often would he
come downstairs late and demand his
breakfast of Hettie in a tone of author
ity, as if of course it was the business
of her life to wait upon him. AS often,
too, the sister would reply with sharp,
ugly words, multiplied by many more
on his part-words that left sting all
day long.
On this particular morning Rob had
been more eXasperatng than usual.
L
that they were raw, and he asked Het-
tie if she had to wait to have some flour
ground before she brought any more.
Besides all this it was warm morn
ing, and mother was sick, and life
seemed all awry to poor Hettie. Do
you wonder that her face was drawn
into scowl, and that the frowns grew
deeper with each cake turned? / don't
think she tried very hard-to tell the
truth-to have those cakes right, for
certainly they were not done as nicely as
Hettie Bryson could bake cakes-she
was rather noted for her skill in that
line.
" Rob says he wants glass of water"
The small messenger who said this
was the baby and pet of the house.
Now if it had been any one else but
Baby Lille, Hettic would have said,
"Tell him to get it them" but she
could not quite bring herself to send
such a message by this gentle little
sister, so she slammed her plate on to
the table and went to get the water.
Lille watched her sister moment as
she jerked the pump handle up and
down, and then with a puzzled look
asked:
I" Hettie, are you getting it for his
sake?"
I" For his sake! What do you mean?
Whose sake ?''
Why, for Jesus sake, guess. 1t
is in my Sunday school lesson for to-
morrow about getting cup of water for
his sake, and / don't see how we can
when he isn't here. Will it do to give
it to anybody"
Poor, startled Hettie! 1t was in her
Sunday-school lesson, too. She had so
longed last night for an opportunity to
give cup of cold water for his sake, to
prove that she was trying to be disci-
pie; had thought YEARLY of the coming
morning with its round of homely du-
ties, and had sighed and said there was
nothing she could do. Was it possible
that here was chance right in her own
home? Could she even give this glass
of water in his name ?
These thoughts rushed swiftly through
her brain, and quick as the thoughts
followed this answer:
eyes"
Yes. it should be done for Jesus
She looked at the glass. 1t was moi
clear, and she knew the water she haC
filled it with must be warm and taste o.
the iron pipe, because she had no
pumped out enough.
Hastily she reached after clean glass
and pumped until the water was colo
and sparkling as crystal. Instead o
the hard thump she had intended, she
set the glass down gently and in silence
by Rob's plate, and went swiftly bacl
to those cakes. The dried-up things
were thrown away, the damper opened
the fire made to roar, the griddle t.
smoke. and soon another set of cakes
golden-brown beauties, had taken thei
places on the plate.
s. | say, how many years are you go
ing to keep me waiting for thos'
cakes ?" was his greeting, as she opened
the dining-room door.
''The fire wasn't burning nicely; i
is all right now," she said, meekly.
Amazement showed in every line o
Rob's face as he saw the tempting cake
and heard the gentle reply. But Het
tie did not see his face, for she wa
standing over the stove again. TIL
; next time she went in he said, in
pleasant tone:
"That will do, Hettie; they are beau
Ties, tnOugn, ana L WISH Hdu tlillc I
eat some more of them"
Hettie was almost tempted to teI
him that he would have had more tim
if he had come downstairs sooner
But she did not; she held her lip
firmly, and so no sharp stings got on
that time.
After Rob was gone Hettie sat dow
J on the back doorstep to cool herself OF
and think minute Rob was not
Christian; she had been praying TO
him, and here perhaps it was her ow
cross words and ways that were keepin
him back.
The next evening, as she was startin
. for church, she fingered in the hall
a moment when Rob was putting on hi
overcoat preparatory to going, she di
not know where, for it was not hi
habit to attend this meeting.
ROB-" said she, half timidly, ="
wish you would go to the young pee
:. ple's meeting with me tonight"
= How do YOU know but | will?"
sob! will your"
> 81 shouldn't wonder. You see, He
tie, somebody told me you took part
the meeting last week, and I've bee
a. watching you to see if il was all tall
e. Yesterday morning | made up my min
vn,, bol oon,atbipu that Vnn Ii1p Y HAY