The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-03-02
Our "Liddy Lizer."

She was christened Lydia Eliza, |
believe, but it couldn't be expected
that human beings could take the
trouble OF pronouncing those two hard
names n hundred times day; and the
natural consequence was that she was
always called Lddy Lizer, and always
called herself so; and the fact ought to
be q warning to all poor people not TO
take airs when they name their chill
dren As for Liddy Lizer herself, she
never took any airs say that for
her; but then, You see, she had no
reason TO- | took her out OF the poor
house When Mr. Trab left this wick
ed world, and thought of taking a
few select boardcrs, ] went to the
poor-house and adopted Liddy Lizar.
| chose her because she looked the
healthiest and smartest If / had
known how smart she was, I'd never
had any thing to do with her, YOU may
depend on that; bui | never knew any
good to come of those charity children
never Pen conld not tell all ! did
for that girl. She was bound to e
until she was eighteen, and | felt it
my duty She always wore two aprons
that covered her from her chin to her
toes, and nice, thick cowhide boots,
and ali Winter | gave her two nights
a week at evening school, and never
allowed her to contract habits of idle
ness-no, that Is not on M conscience.
have had that girl up at five in the
morning scrubbng the steps, when
they froze beneath her brush before
she was twelve years Old
The only fault | had to find with
her was that she was too pretty for
her position. Charity children have
no right to be handsome in that way.
| don mind healthy red checks and
chubby shoulders, bat Liddy Lizer
grew up tall and fair, with great blue
eyes and golden curls, cut them of
as close as could TO her head
though 0nd was better looking than
my Araminta, who was just her age
or would nave been, If had dressed
them alike But you see | kept my
Araminta always like a dol, and put
her hair III papers every night, and
never let her soil her hands, and | had
her taught to play the piano, and for
babe her the ktchen-for l meant to
bring her up a lady.
AS for Liddy I4izer you heard her
( name ell over the house hundred
] times day. / wanted her, cook
wanted her, Araminta wanted her, and
! every boarder in turn needed Llddy
Lizer When she found time to grow
don't know, but grow She did.
knew that by her two aprons. She
: was a head taller than Alaminta by
the time She was sixteen: and, to owl
the truth, She looked like young lady
when she wore her pink print tC
church on Sunday.
That Christmas | had new hoard
I era very rich genteman--not very
d young bat very good-looking and styl
p lsh He wanted a quiet home, ano
furnished compartments on the first
floor with his own handsome things
and paid well and promptly, which thC
borders didn all do wondered b,
was a bachelor
looked at ny Araminta, dressed ii
scarlet and black with her HAIR braid
el at the back and fastened with golo
combs The girl had bewitchinG
way, like her mothers when she was
young; but I lay awake dreaming
though my eyes woro wide open, al
night, Of being mother-in-law to Mr.
Ashton Yes; the truth was, / haC
made mp my mind that my Aramint'
e should be his wife The dear gir
promised to do her best, and dres!
her prettiest; and, certainly, when
was almost driven wild with duns from
dly-goods stores every day of my life
she ought to have had suificien
wardrobe. And that is the way Ldd,
Lizer was pressed into service, and pu
on her pink calico, and sat up in th'
back -parlor stitching all day; for SHE
was handy with her needle, and Ar
aminta detested sewinJ.
Matters began finely; fer, as Ara
minta told me, while they were sewing
Mr.. Ashton tapped at the door, and
when of course) she asked him in
sat talking to her for two hours.
The next day, and the next, he came
also; and read to her poetry, and sen
tmental poetry at that; and | said t.
Araminta;
i 81 never saw one come on quite 81
= fast, my dear. Your pa was three
, months getting to that
n And she said:
ooh, go way, ma !!
9 Sunday / felt curious. Araminti
dressed in her best, and ran all owe
: the house, talking and asking the time
! so that any one might be sure She wa
: quite ready; but Mr.. Ashton did no
:, offer to escort her-and she wen
! alone / fancied he was not a church
: going man. But ten minutes after h.
t, put on his hat and coat, and went il
y quite an opposite direction, and neye
came back until half past twelve,
o OF course Araminta was III a pc
a that afternoon, which was to be expec