The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-12-23

Written for the Vermont Waterman.
"There Are Lonely Hearts to
Cherish"

Mrs. Rolfe looked up from her sew
faced and chubby little girl of perhaps
seven years pushing about rude vehi-
Gle that contained little boy, whose
wan and pinched face told of intense and
seemingly cruel sufferings, and whose
well-mended and neat little jacket spoke
of somebody's love and care, likewise
their poverty. The little girls red
cheeks grew roster in the fresh and
frosty air, and the pretty way she gazed
at the little invalid boy-who must have
been about her own age, though so frail
and delicate that little Jessie could
have carried him in her arms-caused
Mrs. Rolfe to watch them for moment,
though she had felt so worried and so
hurried that morning that she had
hardly allowed herself the necessary
time for her breakfast. Disappoint-
ment was visible ON every feature.
Such care-worn look one seldom sees,
for Mrs. Rolfe had been " crossing
bridges before she came to them had
really spent the whole bright, sun
shiny morning in that foolish way.
While she looked at these little chill
dren and noticed the protecting air
of the little girl, she heard a sweet
strain of music, and the words
"There are lonely hearts to cherish
While the days are going by"
and realized that these little children
were singing. Impulsively she opened
her window and smiled down on them.
asking them if they would not come in
and get warm, and, running down, she
took the little fellow in her arms and the
h.
and while the children were eating
apples she adroitly questioned them.
Though they were not inclined to be
communicative with strangers, they
recognized the friendliness, and she
learned that their mothers were two
sisters who lived in little house not
far away--a little tumble-down sort OF
building, but not quite as desolate as
many more pretentious house, for it
stood in the midst of garden and in
summer was nearly covered by trailing
vines; besides, it stood in the shadow
of magnificent maple. The Eool,
green leaves of midsummer and the
glory of the autumn tints were rev.
citation to them, but that poverty
reigned was self-evident, thong Oh not a
murmur escaped the children. Jessie's
papa was in heaven, she said, and
little Walter only looked paler and
sadder, tears streaming down his cheeks,
when Mrs. Rolfe spoke of his. But
the mothers were both away that day,
working in shop whose proprietor
sometimes allowed them to take their
work home. This day, greatly to their
sorrow, neither one was permitted to
do so, and Mrs. Kelly, kind Irish
woman who lived near, took care of
Walters little sister and Jessie's two
little brothers, while she and Walter
kept house, though their mammas told
them they might 60 out for walk
when the day got warmer, but they
must go no further than the pretty
brown house on the corner Like
dutiful children (angels sent to arouse
her from her sinful repinings, Mrs.
Rolfe sometimes thought, they went
just so far. Very soon they babe her
good-by" and went to their own
home, only few steps away, and Mrs.
Rolfe went back to her sewing; but the
dreary look had departed. She looked
about ten years younger and so much
happier, though a tear now and then
ran down her cheek as she caught her.
self singing There are lonely hearts
to cherish" She knew whom the
children meant by Mrs. Kelly-knew
her for an honest young woman who
worked early and late, saving every
penny to send back to the " old country, :
for there she had husband and three
small children with her father and
mother. Two years before, Dick Kelly
her husband, in jured his spine so badly
that at first it was thought he would
never again walk; yet improvement ha(
been sure, if slow, and some day he
hoped to be almost, if not quite, him
self again-and he had been the strong
est of all the lads in his native town
" the feetest, the strongest and thu
bonniest," thought the fair Ellen when
only six years before, they were wed
After the accident times went hare
with them, and what to do became al
important question. Finally, after du,
deliberation, Ellen decided that Americ
was their only hope. America, tn
country of which they had heard sucl
glowing accounts-but how to get there
the way and the means! Dick knew
would be months before he could evel
take one step, and, as Ellen said, coul
she stand by and see them starve Will
her arms were strong, even if she mus
leave them all? 1t took true heroisn
for the poor woman to depart, as sh
did, when Dick was surely far on tn
road to recovery and her baby was on
year old. How she Rugged them; and
though she thought her heart wa
breaking, she never faltered.
AT the time our story opens she ha
been in America more than year, an
Providence had been very kind to hel
inasmuch as she had had all the wor
possible for her to do-for, being a
admirable laundress, her services ha
been in constant demand by some c
the wealthiest and most generous fan
lilies. But for all that her heart ha
hungered for the loved ones far ava
across the sea. Oh, the nights whe
she had held out her arms so lovingl,
when in her dreams she laid her hea
on poor Dicks shoulder and drew hi
little ones into their embrace, gazing
the same time on the dear father an
mother, then to awake and realize til
intangibility of It'll
Poor Elem Work keeps her goin
on, with now and then letter fro
home, telling her sail goes we
there" but Z" they miss her so an
look forward to the time when,
America, they meet, as the happiest ds