The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-03

Know" nj the Sllverth0rpes. during
the conversation which ensued, she
stated that the whole village was talk
ing about Harry Gardeners iniquitous
conduct. He had not only gone out
riding with Katie Moore on the Sab
bath, but had spent the entire day pick
nicking somewhere.
"Who says he was guilty of that
sin?'' asked Mr.. Silverthorpe, looking
as if he disbelieved the story.
ooh, l don't know; it was found out,
and everybody says he ought to be Sc
verely reprimanded, if not worse done.
It's scandalousl "
Then she began lengthy dissertation
on the wickedness of young men in
general, and of Harry Gardner in par
ticular. She had Just reached her
tenthly,, when DR.. Preston was an
After the customary greetings, he
inquired:
"Have any of you heard about Katie
Moore losing her mother?"
"No; that's very sad, and Katie
away from home, too" answered Mrs.
Silverthorpe.
cts to be hoped, then" said the
first caller, that she will settle down,
and conduct herself different after that
afiliction."
" think we ought to have a little
ton, kindly; we must remember that
she has not had the training and the
advantages which were given to our
daughters. The poor girl has been
knocked around the world ever since
she was old enough to be of any serv-
ice. The young folks of our church
despise her, because she is inclined to
be wild, and also because she refuses
to join them in their good work. But
there is no real harm in the girl, and /
know she is very kind-hearted. We
can't coax her into the sanctuary by
scornful glances, or by pulling aside
our clothes for fear they should touch
hers. Perhaps, now that she is sobered
by this great loss, little kindness on
our part may do her untold benefit.
Let us try to extend to her a helping
hand, and show that we have her inter
est at heart. You spoke of her being
away from her mother, Mrs. Silver
thorpe, but she is not. A gentleman
who was coming up this way Sunday
morning stopped to tell her that her
mother was dying. He was not to re-
turn until afternoon, and Katie natu-
rally desired to 90 home Immediately.
They sent for me and | asked Harry to
60 with her. He readily complied.
When they arrived at the house, he
found the father wondering how he
could send word to the other daughter.
Harry offered to go for her, which he
did, getting her there in time to see
her mother before she died The fam
lily was so grateful to my nephew that
he felt fully repaid for having lost his
usually quiet Sabbath"
There!" cried Mr.. Silverthorpe.
thought it strange if Harry Gard
ner would 90 off carriage-riding on Sun
day morning."
"Yet that is what his own friends and
fellow church members have accused
him of doing,n said the minister. " and
the story has lost nothing by circula-
ton, for the last accuser adds that he
was too intoxicated to return before
evening. One man even requests me
to read him out of church. Well, trust
that the persons who so busily spread
this report will now take particular
pains to contradict it,
There we see the evils of hasty
Judgment" said Mr.. Silverthorpe.
g And of gossiping," chimed in his
wife.
Somehow at this point they all glanced
toward the disconnected woman. Not
a word had she uttered since DR.. Pres
ton so mildly rebuked her. Now she
suddenly remembered an important en-
gagement, and hastily took her de-
parture.
The reverend gentleman then turned
to Josie. She had grown very pale,
and was vainly struggling to keep back
unruly tears.
And you, my DEAR" he said, " could
you believe that our Harry would be-
come a Sabbath breaker?"'
81 did, because-how could | help
it?'' she returned, in a choked voice.
"He was seen going off. But / am
sorry; and will you please ask him to
forgive me for doubling him?"
CIVIL you allow him to come here
this evening, so you can tell him that
yourself?''
Yes" she answered, softly.
And hereafter, my dear, try not to
judge too hastily. You cannot con-
ceive of the harm you may do. You
can probably calculate in this case the
evil which might have been wrought,
but in another with which you are not
so closely connected world of trouble
may be caused by only tritling amount
of hasty judgment" - Christian at
Work.
INTENDED to tell Jane to bring
fresh bucket of water" said the wife of