Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-04-11


By-and-by I'll tell you what became of her.
The very first day that old Sal took possess
sion of her room, she came near setting the
whole house on fire, and always managed to
keep such hot uncomfortable place. that no.
body could stay with her but she did not care
for that not she She hated company, and
never wanted any but her own noisy tongue
You could always tell when she had too much
steam on, for the reflection of the fire would
! light up Tommy's face, and then, if you listen
ed, you could hear a cracking and fixing, and
pretty soon out it would snap and sputter-right
out Of Tommy's little mouth; and old Sal
would send up through that little rosy gate such
words as were shocking to hear then there
would be great blaze and the next thing her
tea-kttle would begin to bubble and boil over
and down would come the drops through Tom
my's eyes, and then whole stream of hot water
would blind his eyes and nose, and he would
have to bury his head in his mothers lap, and
shut his eyes and mouth, lest Sal should take it
into her old head to rush up through the open
doors with her broomstick, and beat the whole
| family.
There was always a very quiet, pleasant
time after one of these scuffies with Sal, and it
would be so still down in her dominions, that
Tommy's mamma really thought sometimes
she had gone, taken herself and her old trans
oH-but no such pleasure was in store for
them. just when they were enjoying the
quiet and trying to make the acquaintance of
little Try-to -do-right, and having nice time,
back the old vixen would come, like fire.
brand, and set the whole house ablaze again"
"Oh' the hateful old thing" said Charley,
"what did that boy let her come back for ?"
"Because,' said mamma, "he did not keep
close to little Try-to- o-right--if he had Sal
would never have troubled him, for she hated
good boys. Mind, Charley, and always stick
to Try-to-do-right and his company you
know what | mean, don't you ?"
81 guess know thing or two," says Char
ley, laughing and winking.
"Well, mamma went on, "do you believe
that old Sal SpuEk staid in that poor little
boys heart and tormented him for years, but
at last he got rid Of her, and l will tell you
how
"She became, after WHILE so outrageous
and made Tommy so dsagreeable that nobody
loved him and everybody avoided him. People
thought he had actually grown to look like
old Sal herself, and he had a sort of puckered
sorry look about his face, and whining voice
that made him so disagrecable that nobody
wanted his society. You may think how sad
ly his poor mother felt about it and how many
tears she shed over him but still she was al
ways loving and kind to him, and prayed tc
God every day to give her little boy new
clean heart, and take away the bad, soilet
heart that old Spunk had so defiled Otter
she would take him by the hand, and, kneeling
by her bedside, teach him to ask God himsel
for new heart; and as Tommy grew older ht
was truly sorry for his sin, and he was grievet
and melted with the thought of the trouble he
had given his dear mother, whom he loved sc
much, and he asked God so truly and earnestly
to help him that his little prayer reached heav
en-, and God heard it and gave him strength
to drive out this wicked woman and all he
crew from his heart, and take back Miss Love
and all the good neighbors. Poor little Love
how glal she was to come back and what
, pleasant time they had afterwards. The neigh
bors all joined and drove the old hag out
bag and baggage-and then Miss Love, who
had been wandering about ever since she wa'
put out of Paradise, not only came back her
self, but brought all the pleasant people sht
could find, and they absolutely took such com
, plete possession of fTommy's heart thathe found
he could not live without them and by-and-by
he married Miss Love, and so they lived il
f peace, and-that's all. don't think they dice
in pot of grease-as Mother Gooses make
, believe people do-because Tommy was al
ways so clean. | can't believe he would choos,
pot of grease to die in; and what's more, h,
is not dead either, but is right here at my ell
bow this minute, looking over my shoulde
: and laughing at my story"