Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-29
The BIRTHDAY.
-. 1.-5 o. story to Read at About
-. Tine Of the New Year.

IRE " Wv Wv
.-~ Harriet Prescott spofford-1
.a.-- had been ailing for a long
..--- altogether discouraged. and
80 much time in seeking reasons,
Z ,s- .-G=-ing.
- -5t satisfy herself by throw
..s -.s-s-sibnity upon her manner
=. -- .--- that Of her ancestors. She
Eel. q her ancestors. and II she
-ysz wisely herself, she did not
- And 50 she carried her
- ts.k into the question Of the
- = =vl. and said that IL the Al
- =--s omnipotent he could have
ICED l.. and Il he could not prevent
1 - h vas not almighty; and she felt
r. s,stsd at her synogisms TIN she
"a -s-ssif tangled in their vicious
r. z7-.i looked dark to the poor soul.
l. .--s-e- at their play seemed only
= :, die. II she saw two lovers on
II -str. s-a thought how soon 1t would
/ = s--z with. Dust and ashes. dust
r ssr-s she said over and over to
- ard wished she were through
-. r. I'd when her Olsander-tree bios
T. r. q profusion OF fragrant. rosy
T. s-s thought only that the tree was
s--4-s nd when her cactus-flowers
80 % ike live flames. she thought
E Z The prickly spines on the stems I:
= re-s she tended the plants that lat
- - windows. she thought that veg
T. life vas the only life 10 live; and
= So saw the woodbine over her
l. -lr- Ike a dropping crimson banner.
q. ss.s rat beauty was a cheat and only
[ssss5 Decay.
- ----se all this is disease" said the
..-.s-=--.1r he often came TO see her,
= telling her a peculiar charge, and
,-.-,7 sssiring to help her.
MSS So said Mrs Gibson. with
- reverence I'm as wen as you are
e.. o.. course, for this neuritis."
/ Nv ere with neurftis needs toning up.
~ giu let the doctor give you a tonic.
e XII AXE a more cheerful view Of life
Ca going to dismiss the doctor and
: ,.r.cs, And take reasonable view
q 1.s row"
.T.l- said the minister. 'It Is &C
,,z.e5Esd that human reason l. fallible
az: Know why yours should be better
Ia ,1at Of many great scholars and
e--Ss-s'
-ss,s-se they all began biased" shs
r.: ut silent giOrying IN her intellect
= Ez5 taken a fancy to the young
r-ls-=-. partly because he was youns
Il ca--.y because he had the face Of q
81. s-e said; adding. for consistency
zEa !. there were such q thing as 9
81 9 fair-haired, blue-eyed saint
Wat would you think OF httit
-satc-s. that can see no further than 4
q dart its tongue, which should under
zss - criticise the movements Of tbs
u-s he asked
lust what I should think Of him IL b.
..sr-o.ok to explain their movements.
ts replied. with a triumphant self-lauda.
In II her tone
3I-s. Gibson. you are certainly mos
happy woman"
That Is So
And I am a ven happy man
3, have your word for it"
You must confess that that IS best 70
: which gives Is the most happiness? 2
That is best which makes Us stronger.
81 Ms Gibson. grimly.
Stronger for what?-f this Is all
Ms Gibson looked up with a slightll
z-rlsd air. Could he mean that he
-c-o,es were for the purpose of making
- stronger for another life2 She laugh
Z, a 5-eary laugh
!, would take a good deal in your othe
lts . strike a balance with this one 70
L she said
.yCs spssaK as II mere sSerS {. t,sr-..rEc1
T. you. as II you had a right to happi
rs
Why. so I have, II God Is good an
Is avs created me-" she said. her eye
.asai-g He had no right to make any
rig in the world only to suffer"
Re never did"
wen. then, there Is a good deal TO b
-zis up to me I have lost all m
zo1sy but just to drag along with
Ave lost husband and children an
tszts and family. Ny house is as stiI
Il louely, as the grave can be-no youth
- lie. no hope, no joy in it. ] am III
w an illness that taxes strength an
u-s-cs. / don't know Of a pleasure
A7s. except that Of talking to youi"
Did you ever think OF making an end
1s-, asked the minister. daringiy.
II suppose am afraid" she falter
You have given up the whole point
4.-aid2 You can be afraid only Of
asrsatler. You can be afraid only Of
2CEsr II that hereafter You confess tn
sLstsace Of that power. then, BY you
T=-y tsar-that power the furthest, tn
.g-=sJ, Of all power Why not also con
rs hat. as that power is the highest,
--s- have the highest OF all expressions
-s-t the highest OF al expressions
i've"
-Loye!" she exclaimed. with shar
ss1rn
Yes. Love Even although you IA
. - IL But because IL must be there
s.r there is no logical possibility that
E0C,d not be there Convince yourse
4 hat, my friend You value reason
rs . pure reason But don't you knoV
+ an sure OF It-faith is something OF
r. quality than reason? II you Wer
G-g-g for life to the face OF a precipies
,i I above, told you to reach up To m
'rs q the hands with which you held OF
~ = Juld do IL, even though reason toll
~ . hold on You would have faith /
p in the goodness and wisdom Of tina
1g-=r power" And the minister went on
F1o1t giving her a chance Of replying
he minister's manner had been ;
ls-r-= his smile so kindly. that she IA.
he Z the angry antagOnisms she usual
y rad when exhibiting her point Of view
y E1ut say any more" she though
10 Gently as the ~ on the Whee
L wouldn't ike 10 Unsettle his minc
p taxes such comfort the way he thinks
IFty amt I take comfort in it," sh
|rst zngrily. Dear knows need Il!
Al then she turned to the letter she Ia
81 leading when the minister came in
& .str=r in which May Vance, her hus
E-is cousin, had written 10 know II sh
H-zht spend the next year with hel
Aay could have a position In the ne'
Arz-y that would enable her to pay
Kali heard. sufficient to cover any add
bal expense: and she was quite alon
,h= Eorld and strongly DESTROYS to
~ some one who belonged TO her. "A
hadn't enough before. without that.
21sled Mrs Gibson ''Of course / can
---se her, with all the spare room In n
a--ss and she Captain Gi6son's onl
'-ztT=. OF course she must come an
s7ol-rionize all my habitS-and sic