The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-16
Ashamed of Her Father.


hearted child. A new house had been erected
on high hill near by, by fine gentleman
from the city and Sallie was quite delighted
to see in his carriage drawn by two bay horses,
sweet little girl about her own age. Once
when she was 10 the shop, they stopped to say
something to Giles about shoeing the horses,
and Salie smiled at Lucy, who in return
threw her great red apple. She caught it
SO nicely that they both laughed heartily and
became friends for little children have none
of that mean pride which we sometimes see
among older people, till they are taught it.
One day, when Sallie was dressed very neat
ly, she asked leave to take walk, and bent
her steps toward the mansion on the hill. She
did not know how to go round by the road,
SO she climbed over the fence and wall till
she reached the grounds. There to her de-
light, she saw Lucy on little gray pony
which the coachman was leading carefully by
the bride. She drove up to tho wall and
asked in kind voice, Have you berries to
sell, little girl:
SalIie laughed, and said, No I'm Sallie
don't you remember me came to play
with you little while. May that man open
the iron gate for me 1t is very heavy.
should like to play with you, and to let
you ride on my pony, replied the pleasant
little Lucy, but | know mamma would not
allow me to play with you.
Why not 2, asked Sallie in wonder. l
never say naughty words, and I'm all dressed
clean this afternoon
oh said Lucy, it is because your father
works with his shirt-seeves relied up, and
has a smutty face and hands
'Oh, the smut washes off y replied the in
nocent child He is always clean in the
evening and when he has bis Sunday clothes
90 he's the handsomest man in the world !
Mother is pretty all the time y
'Oh, but-mamma would not let you In |
know, because your father shoes the horses
added Lucy.
That is no harm is it don't your father
want his horses shod Z? asked the wondering
Sallie
Yes but he won't let me play with poor
peoples children, answered Lucy.
We're not poor we're very rich : re-
piled Sallie. Father owns the house and
the shop and we've got cow and calf,
and twenty chickens, and the daringest baby
boy in the world
But after all this argument little Lucy
shsok her head sady and said. " wouldn't
dare to ask you in but III give you some
flowers"
So Sallie went back over the fence and wall
wondering much at what had passed Then,
for the first time in her life, she wished that
her father would wear his Sunday clothes all
the week, just as the minister and tho doctor
and Lucy father did, she almost felt ashamed
of him-so noble and kind and good--as she
entered the shop to wait for him. She stood
by the forge trying to enjoy the sight of the
sparks, as they danced and fought with each
other after each stroke Of the hammer. But
her thoughts were so troubled that she could
not sec them, nor the beautiful pictures which
she always found before in the blazing fire
mountains, castles, churches, angels, all were
gene, and there was nothing left in the black
shop but a coal fire, hot sparks, and smutty
mau Tears came into Salie's eyes, but she
crowded them back because she could not tell
why she shed them.
The fire was opt the blacksmith pulled
off his apron, laid aside his hammer, and took
the soft hand Of Sallie 10 his own hard and
smutty one. For the first time in her life she
withdrew it to sec if the black came off Just
then the cars came in, creaking and whizziog,
and to her joy she saw little Lucy on the
platform waiting Tor her father. The con-
ductor helped him from the steps, and he
called out to Lucy, Take my hand, child p
but sac put both hands up to her face to hide
it, and sprung back into the carriage, alone ;