Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-19
naisoella
4 WISE LITTLE WOMAN.

soia, provoking scot as industriously as she
could, while he slowly closed and put away
the books she had left in confusion on the
table. This room in which We studied was
no regular scbool-room, but the pretty morn
ing room, which Penne--sole mistress and
sole daughter in the housc-insisted on my
appropriating and opposite where lay the
wall was mirrored between the two low win
dows. In this mirror 1 could see Just then
a sunny, bright reflection Of US all and the
contrast in our three faces struck me then
almost as it had never struck me before.
Pennies came first lone could hardly help
noticing Pennie first, in whatever group one
saw her > a small brilliant, piquant face,
with merry, mischieyous lips, and laughing,
/ dark-blue eyes, that seemed to know no sor-
row and no pain Yet, though no one else
/ in all the house had seen the gay eyes melt to
infinite tenderness or the archcuryed lips
quiyer with sympathy, had many and many
time, as my little only sister knelt beside
me in my pain Before this radiant little
face lay my own upon the bright blue cush.
ions, thin and languid, but little flushed Just
now--not from my studies as Pennie said,
but from the many wide thoughts Of which
she was the centre. Then last Of ALL before
my couch stood SEQ. Cowen, my tutor yet
scarcely older than 1, with his pale, grave,
thoughtful face, and slight nervous figure. He
was looking across me into Pennies eyes, and
telling her, in the clear, earnest voice which
| had learned so utterly to love and lean
upon, that if she wanted her translation to
be corrected she must re-write it legibly for
him.
shall have to write it out legibly after
you have corrected it, she said -" Surely
that is enough labor to bestow on the tamest
bit of all the book
" cannot read it as it is, began Scot,
but corrected himself, at least | will not.
Tomorrow Miss Brett, you will | think
have prepared readable copy for me-"
Her eyes flashed upon him as he went
quietly on with his work
" Is Charles written carefully % she
asked
" Yes. lie gives ME very little trouble
that way, you know"
." l know she replied, touching my hand
softly, " and | give you a good deal. But
let me assure you that you give me infinitely
more, Scot If it were not that you are oddly
! gifted with the power Of bringing dead and
buried facts chiefly fctions) into the modern
sunshine, for my small brain to grasp, | would
not come and try to learn from you at all
So stiff you are, and stern and exacting.'
Scots lips, at that moment, we're stern in
e deed
"Then don't come n any more, Pennie,
said l, laughing little though | spoke will
anxious earnestness.
| boaouea - Euotv oil
e know, Charlie she answered, STOPPING i'm
D petuously to kiss me--a little act of her
l. which always thrilled me with pain when sh,
did it in this room, while Scot was with us.
J If you had been anxious for instruction
you would have stayed at school should
5 think, Pennie," laughed.
d ooh, ladies cannot teach" she said in he
:, pretty and thoroughly laughable little assump
g ton Of dictatorship " no lady ever taught m
e anything
Scot laughed quietly. No one can teach
d he said, unless the pupil will respect thei
teaching. | cannot teach you for that rea
n son"
Why, Scot, said Pennie, raising her eye
j brows, and pursing up her small, red lips, "
respect you intensely. | always feel a kin
i Of awe overshadowing me when you are nea
me. | would hardly dare to venture int
Is your presence, only must be as clever a
is Charlie, so | must be taught by Charlie
tutor"
, Charles tutor is always at your service,
n returned Scot, grayely; but while teac
d you, you must obey me- While teach 20
| that is all ask When lessons are over,
claim no further authority"
e "Of course not, laughed Pennie, &c an
n your claim is small. From ten till one 20
r require authority unlimited, and think it
r, ten to one you will not have it."
j Then shall decline to give you anothC
p lesson at ALL " rejoined Scot, quite in earnes
E. though he laughed little.
Of " All right, Scot, only you see have lear
n ed (among smatterings Of dead languages)
know that you always say that, and alwa,
don't enforce it. You should enforce yov
laws, my tutor"
Looking at Scot, and waiting for his answe
1t saw his face change. While his han,
J were still busy. A patient, far off look sto
le into his dark, grave eyes, and knew wit
ID out turning who had opened the door behir
g. me- Walter Cowon, his half brother can
ir up and leaned beside Pennie looking ney
90 once at me, giving me no handshake,
tx thought, until he had feasted his happy ey
i'd on the littl. winning face, which had brighte
re ed so wonderfully at his coming. Before
w turned glanced a moment into the mir
en- again, and somehow could not help fancyii
that the whole picture was changed. w
ar ter's handsome debonnaire face, and laz
I'll lounging figure had brought some new eleme
OF into the scene-a quick, throbbing happine
an idle, careless unrest.
to Breaking in upon my sudden, silent thougl
To- Scots few quiet words had an odd effect.
IA How is my mother to-day, Walter y
on Complaining little as usual, old fello
eir and, as usual, very unwilling for me to lea
I'd her"
he Did she send me a message ?"
In Not bit of it. Her only parting pray
ies to me was not to ride Satanella."
his And | suppose you mounted her imme
ls' ately2 | asked, beginning to feel lit
Vs. tired, and wishing they would go.
ht, {" No, for was in the saddle when s
~ spoke. You will ride with me this afterno,
to won't you, Pennie2"
lul And Pennie, who loved these rides W
M Walter more than anything else through
Ias her day, blushed gladly as she nodded
he Yes.
his "Come now for stroll in the garden
OF came early on purpose for that said Wal
is in the loving tone of appropriation which
'ho Pennie irresistiby.
ry She whispered good-by to me, and II
in went off together through the low, open "
iul dow their happy voices coming back to
for on the scented summer breath Day af
'ut day Scot and | had watched them walk
his together yet, though they filled our hear
'k, we never spoke Of them when we two w
y, left behind
in. " shall leave you now, Charley, for yC
US rest"
The where are you goingP" asked,
the Scot generally sat with me reading throu
all this hour
on "Not far, dear fellow, he answered, setti
ch my pillows comfortably for me. shall
an ready 10 drive you at our usual hour"
vii Left to myself / tried very hard to thi
yer of nothing, and, of course, thought of maj
IlAl ~ ~ i'll