Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-09-30
often goes home from school this way. and

Mass Burke" interposed another, in an
energetic whisper, ''see what she has in her
hand =" looked and there, to be sure,
was my lost parasol.
There nolc, s'didn t we say SOP" 'Don't
she look guilty?'' .Impudent baggage ~
were the low CALCULATIONS Of my indignant
vigilance committee: but in truth the girls
appearance was unconcerned and innocent
enough She sat swaying herself about,
opening and shutting the wonderful instru-
ment, holding it between her eyes and the
light. to ascertain the quality of the silk,
and sticking pin in the handle to try if it
were ivory or mere painted wood.
"Lets dash upon her, and see her scam
per-" was the most benevolent suggestion
whispered in my ear.
"No." said. 81 wish to speak with her
alone fr't. All of you stay here out of
sight and will return presently; They
fell back dissatisfied, and contented them
selves with peepihg and listening. while
advanced toward the forlorn child. deter
mined to win her confidence SO far as to per-
suade her of my friendly intentio ms toward
her, before referring to the wrong she had
done me- She started a little as approach
ed, thrust the parasol behind her. and then
pleasantly made room for me on the little
hillock where she sat.
"Well, this is nice lounge" | said
dropping Dwn be ide her; ''just large
enough for two, and softer than any tete a.
tae in Mrs. Graham's parlor. Now, little
girl, | should like to know your name?' for
| thought it best to fain ignorance of her an
tecedents.
bets ~ was the ready reply.
Betsy wiat?"
h,rf |
Arnold. That was fathers name. Talnt
no diff renee though It's saay way"
Well, Betsy, what do you suppose made
this little mound we are sitting upon =
asked merely to gain time.
Il never heard,' she answered, looking
up curiously in my face. Maybe IA rock
got covered up and crowd over, ever 50 lar
down. Maybe an Injun's buried up there. ="
told her had seen larger mounds that
contained Indian remains, but none so small
as this.
- 1t might been baby, though she re-
turned, digging her brown toes among the
leaves and wnking her eyeids roguishly. "A
papoosc, you know, real little lnjun ! wish
it had been me, and I'd Il been buried here :;
I'd Il liked it first rate Only | wouldn t a
wanted the girls should come and set over
me-.
hy do you talk so? What makes you
wish Yourself buried hcrc?' said |.
Cause | do, It's better to be dead
Injun than live niger" she answered res
olutelv.
You are not 50 dark-skinned as that |
said, with considerable gravity.
She burst into pleasant musical laugh
f II wasn't thinkin' of my skin, and you
know it. Mother and old Walker make a
niger Of me, and send me to get drink for
en-, when I'd rather sc. 'em pizen. The old
: man drinks, and mother she's learning, and
expect to take to it bime-by. The school
girls treat me worse than niger, too. If
didn't want 50 Rad to get to read the books
father left, I'd never go to school another
dav | wouldn't so ~ And her brow dark
ened again with evil emotions
&" Did YOUR own father leave you books -
:" Yes. real good ones. Only they are old
: and torn some. Mother couldn't sell 'em for
nothin'; so she lets me keep 'em. She sold
every thin, else" Then suddenly changing
her tone she asked silly
~ You haint lost any thing, have you?"
f yes" | answered, 81 see you have my
, sun-shade.'
She held it up laughing with boisterous
triumph You left it hanging in that tree
yonder,'' she said pointing to a low-branching
beech at little distance. 1t was kind
4 of careless, too 'Sposin it had rained?''
: Aetonishment kept me silent. How could
| have forgotten what | now SO clearly re-
S callel-hanging the shade upon tee, the
nreyious afternoon while descended ravlne
g for A,wers. felt Inundated in the PIE
4 sence of the poor little neglected and US
Y pected child.
{ Well, Betsy, was certainly dreadfully
Z careless. and am greatly obliged to you toi
e taking care of my lost property. Now mus
IS 90 with my class, who are waiting Tor M
d over wonder. So only a word more this time
IS but will see you again soon. Keep on go
e ing to school, and try hard to learn. Don
It notice what the girls say. but act rightly, AM
|, make them ashamed to plague you. Mex
:, term. if YOU study hard, you will get INTO m.
= depaI trnent, and we will see then IT thos
books can't be mastered very soon. AT hom
Y be patient and gentle to your parents, an(
y never, neCer taste that wretched drink uood
le bye"
s b" Good bye'' Her eyelids were winkin!
l. again. but not this time with mischief. Sh
J. tossed on her ragged bonnet, and before
N had rejoined nv ambushed class, was out G
Of sight. Forlorn and friendless little waif,-
how nv heart ached for her
= found the ambushed faces considerabl
,i elongated and much more serious than
r had left them, for they had heard every wor
er that passed. and were measurably ashame
V of their unjust suspicious. But L do no
r think they felt any more kindly towards MI
r Walkers Betsy than befo e.
Or For several days after this, the girl did NJ
ne come to school at all, nor did once see hei
re though thought of her daily with niue
As anxiety During this time, the Principal {
e the school planned an excursion by RAILROAD
IS to a station ten miles distant, to be suceede
n by a picnic on the lake shore. Great was I'll
p delight of the little ones, growing wearled
n the UNMARRIED routine through the exhauste
ne heat of July. Many were the councils cal
ID ed by the boys. many were the enthusiasm
Is discussions held among the girls, and seldol
IS indeed did they break up without lea'ln
| one or more subjects of controversy unse
Mt tied.
In these differences, the teachers wisei
I interfered as little as possible, and they wei
Y. generally amicably ad djusted. The party wh
e. wished blue to be uniform dress, yielded
TX the majority, who preferred white; the po
r. ton who voted for warm refreshments wei
o. soon reasoned into holding up their hant
Sc for cold and the few who desired 'speec'
ed from some noted orator, reconsldered u
IL matte. and decided that it would undont
OF edly be tedious But upon one pom
it. the most perfect harmony of opinion preva
h ed: and it was the solitary one again
rs. which | felt bound strongly to protest. III
Nv was their decision that Mrs, Walkers be;
en- was quite unnecessary to the complement
r. the party. and was consequently to recei
he no invitation.
| Miss Burke, That looking object
I r,,ost1x tp
rs, - Why, the girl hasn't thing tit to we
at if there were no other reasons" remind
ch her that Betsy had very decent basq
given her by the minister wife, and tn
net an old lawn skirt of mine could be tucked
on her with very little trouble.
fpl "Such an awkward. uncouth creatur
ali Cb. ,rould mortify us to DEATH groan