Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-08-25

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90 himself; but that seemed pity too. Ii
the woman who deliberates is lost, what
are we to expect of a young man? Fred
remained perdu, excuslng himself to him.
self by a series of those plausibilities which
beset the path Of virtue. Ny foot is on
my native roof, and where's the harm
She has right to the show, and so have L.
Where ignorance is bliss, etc. And why
scare away the little thing when l can
keep count without disturbing her IS well
as not? [ wonder who she is. 1 never
heard such voice in my life"
Ye who incline to blame, weigh first the
temptation. There sat the pretty maiden
ly figure slipping the beads meditatively
through her fingers, the starlight just
showing the curve of the cheek and the
slender throat The breeze waited toward
him light fragrance from her dress. 1t
was 4 picture-a real picture, Fred
/ thought; and to this day he VOWS that it
was so pretty that Lord Chesterfield him.
self couldn't have had the heart to spoil it.
Suddenly upon the quiet broke a voice
"a childish 7oice-and it cried Tina,
Tina, may | come out there where you
are ?"
The young lady was on her feet in
minute, and leaning round the chimney,
Fred caught glimpse of what seemed a
cherub's head elevated above the scuttle.
"Oh, Daisy, how did you get here ?''
holding her tight
Take " me on your lap and I'll tell,
said the little voice, coaxingly.
But | can't pet; you'll catch cold
Just one minute, and put your sawl
wound me, you know. Please, Tina, darl-
ing-please."
The "please" was irresistible The
little figure was gathered up and folded in
the shawl, and the two returned to the
perch in Fred's vicinity.
Now, Daisy, you know this Is very
naughty" went on the sweet voice.
How pity it is up here :" returned
Daisy, with evident desire TO change the
subject. - | never saw so many twinkle
twinkle little stars, did L? Did you count
them all on your beads yet, Tina p
What made little daisy get out of bed
and climb up those dangerous stairs all
alone and how did she know | was here?"
with hug.
"Oh, you see,' replied the little one,
cuddling closer, | was playing with dol
ly to-day, and you said | will try too
and Nelly Blake said, Where 2 and you
said, Up on the roof, and III take nv
beads and count them | don't know
what that hard word was, Tina and then
was lying awake because I'd lost Flossy,
and didn't have her to sleep with me, and
L was 50 tired. And then when you and
Hannah came up and said, Hush = | Just
waited little, and then l came too. May
1 stay all the time you do? Please, Tina
please, darling Tina =
Nothing could surpass the honeyed
" ftehrry OF this last little COO but ina
evidently hardened her heart No, in
deed; Daisy must 20 right down, and sister
will 20 too, and sit with her till she goes
to sleep. But, oh dear" with a sudden
pang OF remembrance, [ forgot all about
the meteors, and I shall lose my bet"
No, you SAINT" broke in little impetu-
you SAINT lose your bet. Ill 20
right down and won't cry or nothing, even
if Flossy is lost | wish had my woolly
dog, though, Tina, because l know he's
barking all alone in the playhouse at
grandmamma'
Daisy, Daisy, stop darling :" cried the
elder sister, as the little night-gowned
figure escaped from her hold and flew
along the roof But at that moment a
vision appeared above the scuttle, a vision
Of judgment; and reversing her flight,
down ran Daisy again into the shetering
lap, and with both arms tight round her
sisters neck, whispered, 4" Don't let her
scold, will you, Tina
i" Fine doings, Miss, isn't they p began
an irate voice. 4 jist looks in the nur-
sery on my way to bid to see to the gas,
and there's the clothes all tossed up and .
the child gone and | mistrusted, for she's
always a-wanting to be afther you where
ever you is, 50 follyed and she's ketched
her death, no doubt, and
No, here she Is, warmly wrapped up
said Tina. Don't scold; she's sorry he
was naughty, Hannah and Daisy, darling,
if you really will go back to bed and let
Hannah put you to sleep, sister would be
so glad, for she wants TO count the stars
very much.
Shall you say I'm ever so good p asked
Daisy, with her eyes meditatively fixed on
the sky.
Ever so good"
Then | will, if you hear me say my
prayers first. Hannah heard them, you
know, and so, per'aps, they didn't make
me good like the other nights
Down she knelt Fred never forgot the .
pretty group-the childish figure with its
plump folded hands, the starlight on the
innocent face, the bending grace of the
elder one. Every word of the little prayer
reached him.
please God bless Tina, and papa and /
mamma in heaven, and dranma and nursey, I
and tross old Aunt Liza Ia yawn,) and
Tina and-oh and woolly dog. and
make Daisy a dood child, and never let
her get out of bed any more for ever and
ever. Amen
Now I'll CO. she said. And the fat
arms unclasping after long embrace, she
and Hannah vanished down the scuttle
Tina returned to her seat, and after one or
two investigatory glances upward, and a
little pause, began to sing to herself in a
voice low as sleepy birds.
Fred, shocked at having been listener,
uncertain as TO what course was least awk-
ward, had been on the point of revealing |
himself, but the hushed notes were so
sweet that again he overcame the impulse. |
What burst out, interrupt the music,
alright that lovely creature sitting there
fearless as nightingale on bough i'm I
possible He couldn't, he wouldn't.
You perceive that Master Fred had by
this time gone long way on the path of
evil.
The song came to an untimely conclusion
by reason of this interruption little
whiz, and bright thing darted across the
sky and vanished in a rain of sparks. The
meteoric shower was evidently commenc-
ing. Tina slipped a bead on her string.
Fred (noiselessly) ball on his frame, NUT
terinc, as he did so How nncnmmnnlr Ike