Watch Work Wait | Page 6

power. But still she found herself very poor;
for after her husband's affairs were settled, and the rent and funeral
expenses paid, there was nothing left, and she had to use such industry
as she was able to pursue to maintain her little household. Very simple
indeed was their manner of living now; but she knew no want, for
having gained the respect and confidence of the community in her
prosperous days, she was supplied with work almost constantly.
The winter was long and severe, and dark and dreary were many of its
hours to the widow. As the season advanced toward the spring, her
heart was illuminated by occasional gleams of light sent forth, not only
by hope's smiling in the distance, but from the sustaining influence lent
her by the hopeful spirit, ready obedience, and untiring industry of her
boy.
It is astonishing what a sudden change such a blow of misfortune often
produces in a child. We know not the mysterious workings of a child's
mind, or by what process such a rapid change is accomplished; but we
know from experience that the journey of a very few years in the path
of life can make even the very young sensible that this world is not one
of unmixed happiness, and that there is often but a step from careless
childhood to a painful maturity,--painful because unnatural.
Such was the case with poor Will Raymond; and new comfort dawned
on the widow's heart as she remarked his untiring efforts, not only to
cheer her, but to aid, by such labour as he was able to perform, in their
mutual maintenance. With a maturity of judgment hardly to be
expected in one of his age, he entered not only into all her plans, but,

during the spring and summer succeeding his father's death, went
regularly to some kind of work, by which he gained wages, small
indeed, but which, added to the general stock, would help to provide
against the severities of the coming winter. There are always some kind
hearts to be found in every community, who are willing to comfort the
feeble-minded, support the weak, and encourage all virtuous effort,
although the service rendered be but trifling. A kind-hearted farmer,
hearing of the little boy's exertions to aid his mother, employed him to
wait on his reapers during harvest; and as the time of fruit-gathering
and hop-picking in the autumn furnished plenty of such work as he was
able to do, all his time was, as one might say, filled up. And when he
brought home the hard-earned money, the fruit of his toils, and marked
the lighting of his mother's eye as he poured his little treasures into her
lap, child as he was, he felt there was a sweetness in the gains of labour
which no gifts can bestow; and William and his mother were not the
only ones to remark that bread earned by honest toil is sweeter than any
other.
There was another, besides the farmer, whose heart turned warmly
toward the fatherless boy. Old Nicholas Herman, the baker, was too
truly benevolent to forget his late tenant, and although not a rich man,
he had often something to send to the widow. He had learned the
beautiful precept: "Give bread to the hungry, and from the needy turn
not away;" and was a true believer in Him who said, "Inasmuch as ye
do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me."
Kept busy and from home throughout the day, the mother waited
anxiously for the twilight hour, for then William would return, and
great was the joy of her heart when, with bounding step and cheerful
face, he entered the house. The night might be dark and stormy, but his
presence always made her sun-light; and the tempest might beat upon
her lowly dwelling, threatening its destruction, yet she heeded it not,
for her earthly treasure was beside her. Although much enfeebled by
grief, she spent no idle moments, but sewed, knit, or spun. William,
child as he was, did not fail to note the faded look, and exerted himself
not only to assist her in her household duties, but learned to knit; for he
thought no occupation, however feminine, disparaging to his boyhood,

if by it he could only lessen her labours.
These hours were spent with double profit, for she taught him while she
worked, and light from her window was seen to glimmer long after
most of the dwellers in her neighbourhood had gone to rest. She taught
him the ordinary branches of school learning, which she well
understood; but she was much more careful to impress upon his mind
the more important precepts of the gospel, that only true chart by which,
man can steer through