Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-03-25

all that, we have been accustomed to consid-
er those sort of things amazingly unhecomng.
But 1t happened that our little heroine forgot
to consult her Iookng-gass upon the occas.
ion, and consequently her eyes became some
thing like the Red Sea. The poor little boz
dy, however, proceeded as expcditiously as
might be to lay her scanty wardrobe as
straghtly as possible in wooden box, which
was both small enough and large enough to
collect her needles and her knitting a few
letters, carefully tied up with a piece of faded
red riband the dates of which proved cl,rono-
ologically that the paper had been made full
twenty years ago, all of them written in
neat masculine hand, like that of a school
usher, and dated as many years back ; to
look very particularly and sigh over little
morsel of sandy hair; to stroke her favoritc
pussy for the last time and then to take her
clogs, her reticulr, and her umbrella to lool:
at an old summer house; to gather two or
three leaves from an old tree and then to
pass through those inhospi'al doors into the
wide, bleak and cold world, alone-alonc.
There are some hearts like some vcgc,a.
blcs-thcv cake root any where, no matter
how u"favorable the soil, or how blghline
the atmosphere. Thus it was with the little
old maid. In spite Of derision, scorn, and
bulleting, her feelings had grown to the IN
animate stone walls that surrounded her,
simply because they had nothing else to cling
to; and if the mere impulses of IA loving ma
ture could thus attach her to repclling and
repulsvc objects, how tcnderly might she
have loved what was really lovcablc
Poor Fanny Carr, with the liberal, large,
and inexhaustahc sum of somewhat about
five shllings in her pocket, looked mentally
round for IA shelter for her head and having
hethought herself of one of Mrs. Pokenham's
discarded servants, who had married and
settled, determined upon finding shelter
there.
In n little cottage by the road side, as
those dear cottages of England ever a,e,
with ncatly-trimmcd garden without, luxu-
rions in summer blossomings, and with the
whitcst of white curtains within, and the
reddcst OF red floors, and the brightest OF
round tables, and the most rcsplel den, OF
fire places, sat the little old maid, dressed as
neatly as if fairy hands had been her tire
woman and working at her needle as blilhey
as birds perform their daily task of singing
What though her five shiIlings was yer,
nearly exhausted, she could earn almost 81,
pence day, and that was independence and
independence was happiness.
There came great dust whilst the LITTLE
old maid was thus delving for happiness ant
sixpence a day, and a noise of carriage.
wheels, and looking up to see what might be
coming, she saw plain, respectable, grave
steady. brown-visaged carriage and pair
with a coachman in Il brown livery before
and servant in brown livery seated in
box behind, and 10 and behold, it stopped
at the very cottage door where she was
working; and so the little old maid jumped
up and threw down her cotton and scissors
and FASTENED to tell them it was all mistake,
when to her particular establishment, she
saw deaf uncle Jeffrey getting down the steps
and walking across the cottage garden, and
coming in at the door. And having gone
thus far, the deaf old gentleman took hold OF
her diminutivc hand in his grea, gigantic
paw, and gave it "A squeeze, which almost
made the little old maid cry out, which, how
ever, she did not do, for ladies of all sizes
very seldom cry out at n squeeze of the hand,
generally bearing that sort Of pain very phi
losophically, and then uncle Jeffrey proceed
ed to draw one of the brigh,ly-rubhrd
wooden bottomed chairs to himself, for hi>
own particular use and to SIT down upon it
close to the little old maid
Il hope you are well, Mr.. Jeffrey shout
ed the little old maid 9 it is very kind o
you to come and see ME. | hope you are
WELL
Quite well, thank you replied uncle
jeffrey. and now tell me what you thinl
has brought me to see you 2
'Prrhaps,' said the little old maid, color.
ing slightly with the remains of well.
whipped, wel-worn-down, wel!-suhduet
pride, perhaps you wanted me to do som,
plain wors for you, Mr.. Jeffrey. an
taking in plain work.
you need not speak so loud, my dear
said deaf uncle jeff; you know you vii
tire Yourself, yon will exhaus, YOURSELF
'Oh, MIR. Jeffrey ! said the little old maid
the tears rushing into her eyes. oh, Mr.
Jeffrey, pray believe that never compliance
nor even felt it a trouble to talk to you.-
Indeed, ! did not don't know how soon
may be afflicted myself
Uncle Jeffrey took poor Fanny's hand AM
CAV. it another squeeze that almost threat,
ened it with compression. know you di'
not. Yet, nevertheless, you must not speaI
so loud
But you have not your ear-horn,' sal,
Fanny Carr, persis,ing in her shouting, les
her visitor should think that she grudged tin
trouble hut you have not your ear horn.
Blu, you know that always told you
was not deaf
The lille old maid looked perplexcd.
Blu, never believed me-was it1'
The little old maid colorcd crimson, bu
she could not deny 1t,
well then if was deaf, am better
Il am clad Of it, with all my heart sal
the little old maid, for it must be amiserabl
, thing not to hear word that is said to u.s.
Yet sometimes it is better not to hea
what is said Of u.s. replied uncle Jeffrey.
The little old maid colored deeply. Sh
remembered too well all that had been sal