The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-07-02

ani that tie time had at las, come when
che was going straight 20 the poor'
honse.
k.ie IVES her ps,ient. tender nurse. bear
log silently sll her fault findiug aud pep'
nfioasness. Bat Mrs. JShDsons spirit.
boiled hotly within her, uatil at last her
indignation reached climax.
See here. now. Betsy Darrow. I've took
Jus, III | IN going to from yonl ! look G
Won and wonder sometimes II this can be
the sweet tempered. merry, free,besr'ei
uirl used 10 love moren loved myself.
II you'd a died before you grew into q
cross, stingy. mesn woman. no more like
that sweet girl was than wild rose is like
. chuckle bar you would have been ht TO
meet your good old mother. aud we could
all have loved Bassies memory. Do you
remember how we used to call you Bessie,
then, instead OF Old Bets. and how you
put your arm around me as We stood in
your pretty room in the old farm house
the day you WAS married. and said you'd
never quit loving me as longs you lived.
Aud you talked OF the good you was so
ing to do for others; OF church work and
Sunday school, and such like. Yet here
you lie, with your life as bare and ugly as
worn,out field. No, 1t doesn't even
amount te 8 muchs that. because the old
field would warm up when Gods sun shin
cd on il, aad the birds might light on 1t,
and the posies come up and cover it's
worthless blotches. But you. Betsy Oar
row, what is there warm or sweet or OF use
TO others about your
Here Mrs. johnson paused as If to give
the sick woman chance to defend her
self. but as no reply came, she began
again.
The Lord has been good enongh to give
you plenty OF money, and you've been pill
ing il MP in the ssvin's bank for years, to
keep from going to the poor house. and af
ter all, you've got therel Yes, this is
kind OF poor house you're in now, bn.
Kate and are happy in it-or we would
be il it wasn't for your grumbling. And
you're in powerful poor house when you
are at home "A real mean poor house, too.
where there amt even comf'table vctuals,
nor fires, nor anything else worth living
for. | low you cant find poor house
worse than your own; the law wouldn't
permit it. SO the time has come Tor yon
to spend some Of your money you've been
ho arding. l can't buy The delicate,
nourish,n' food you need. though you're
welcome as the sir you breathe to the best
I've got, if it was only fitting. So you've
got to open you heart and your pocket
book, and buy iellies and soups aud fruits
and oysters, and wood enough to keep
roaring hot fires. cause that telephone
pole is burned up. and haven't money
enough to buy more. Aud if you're afraid
Kate, and me will get some OF the benefit,
you cap be carried over home. But wheth
er you go or stay. you've got TO buy the
things you need.
Mrs. johnson said this with such firm
ness and so much with the air OF loving
authority that che had used to her friend
in the old long ago. that Mrs. Dsrrow felt
a queer upbeaval within her heart, and
sodd rush Of sweet memories OF the dear
glad, innocent days OF her girlhood.
You're pretty hard on me, Rebecca, but
| guess deserve it. l never thought be
fore what regular poorhouse was liv
ing in ell the time. while was saving and
pinching to keep from going to one,
And and Rebeccn, she said, pausing
tenderly over the name by which she used
to call her friend, do you think ii begun
clean over again and tried to live as wo
man, ought, that God could forgive me
and love me again2
Uomindful Of her rheumatic limbs, Re-
bcca dropped upon her knees by her
guests beside, and with great sob put
her arms around the lean. long neck.
Obi know be would. Bessie He'll
make you all over again, il you only let
Him.
She kissed the wrinkled face, as the old
time love that 80 long slombered burst
into life again.
SEEMS like you've been gene all these
years. and just come back. dear Bessie'she
whispered.
feels il had been having loug, misl
erable nightmare, snds If you just com
and walked me. r becca, you don't want
! to send me home now, do you? sha nj
be so cross to Kate after this. Somehow
It made me feel bitter and jealous TO see
how mnch you loved each other. and how
happy you WAS, even il you was poor Aud
| was mean enough to think you was glad
/ got hurt with the telephone pole.
0 Bessiel bow could you? interrupted
Mrs. johnson.
But was though, and | wish I'd never
SO 30 the old pole, and now here l am
thanking the Lord for letting 1t smash
me into your house. Ny mother used to
say:
God moves 10 q mysterious way,
HIS wonders W perform.
He used that blessed old ielepLo1e pole
TO change my heart and bring me back to
His fold