Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-04-13
A Woman's Trust.
BY NELL CLIFFORD.
CHAPTER ]
CHILDISH ACQUAINTANCEs.


alarmed. He regarded her with those
bright, peculiar eyes of his. His face
wore that expression of curiosity
amusement and half pity, blended witt
contempt, that the masculine species
in the formative period evince towarC
women folks in tears.
Chirr-eedle-inctum! | can't helE
it, and there is no use in crying like {
great baby over me and my failings.
81 wish you aoould be good boy
Burr"
Wheww
"Folks make a great deal of tall
about you"
Who cares what they say?
don't" doggedly.
Some boys and some men take W
this kind of buster. when, away dowI
in their hearts, they do care a grea
deal what is said about them.
Burr, you make me ashamed, yol
are so careless and rough"
Humph! 1t is a free country
isn't it ?"
We are going to have some com
pany for a few weeks, and | do wisl
you would try to please me better"
Who are coming p
Two little girls, the daughters of
friends; and you ought to be gentle
manly and try to make their visit ;
pleasant one"
Il hate girls"
You obstinate boy"
Shag and | will keep out of tn,
way-wont we, Shag ?" and he patteC
the ugly numbering brute of the New
foundIand species.
80, dear, | never can do anything
with you, Burr"
Chirr-irr-eedle-inctum !" and ht
gave nondescript twirl OF the bod,
and disappeared around the corner o
the house.
Burr Winthrop was one of thos,
children that come up without train
ing, that is, without any proper train
ing. Until within a year he had beel
motherless, his own mother havin!
died when he was an infant. Hi
father had paid no attention to hin
to
casionally; and he had been left tt
the care of capriciOus nurse, wh'
had treated him with extremes OF
kindness and severity, and the kind
ness and severity had been exercised
in the wrong place, and at the wrong
time. 1t was not strange that hi
step-mother found him erratic ant
headstrong. She knew abSolutel,
nothing about boys, and regarde,
them as young savages to be traine'
into civilization. How could she
She never had any brothers, and tn
mothers love that leads to a righ
understanding of them, was as yet
sealed fountain, over which the ange
of life kept mysterious guard. Leas
of all could she understand and syn
pathize with a child like Burr Th
name Burr fitted him exactly. IL
had tantalizing tenacity of prickl
purposes and few ever approache
him during his boyhood without con
ing in contact with the prickles. Th
pungency of his actions made hir
many enemies; and he had gained 70
himself a township notoriety. Man
a piece of mischief that he had no han
in was placed to his account; and b
professed to feel rough pleasure i
these things. His individuality wa
very marked. lie never denied an
charge that was laid to him; but Civ
it kind of tacit sanction, unless
was charge of lying, when he rave
like tornado. He had one inscpa
able friend, his dog Shag. There wa
something touching and almost huma
in the affection of the animal for b
young master. By day he was at b
heels, by night, he lay on mat clos
to his bed, and even nearer for man
times had Burr been found aslee
with his arms around Shag's neck
He talked with him by the hour som
times.
"Shag, you and l will have ga
sport with those doll-faced girls
wont we, Shag ?"
Girls are always afraid and we
scare them, that we will"
Shag said eyes" as plainly as dc
could say it.
Well plague them till we driN
them away"
In pursuance of this object he de:
trously concealed pins in the cushion
of their chairs, and many like contri
ances in which mischievous boys d
Z light to indulge. For some day
however, he contrived to be invisib
) to them.
Nelly Wynne and Kate Berry we,
charmed with the stretch of meado'
: and the freedom of movement tn
was now theirs. Children have {
innate love of the country, and d
spise the artificial restraints that a
naturally thrown around them in Il
: populous town or city. They raj
bled through the fields plucking br
tercups and sweet-scented clover bic
SONS. They found the trout broo
5 Burr's favorite retreat. Wild hone
suckles frightened the opposite ban
and the children looked at them wi
longing eyes.
40, Kate, if we could only g
across"
&" | have mind to wade"
!. "Girls can't do it," and Burr al
l. Shag made their appearance.