Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-05-17

suut w III gOuT room all uay fOr tnat.
b.lieve you never will learn Now run and
hll that air water pitcher, n bring it here
will you"
Never was there, since the days Of the
Egyptian bondage such making bricks without
straw, as Lnn's dish washing Many a win
ter's day she had washed the family crockery
in the unfinished back room, the air 80 cold
that the water froze on the plates before she
could wipe them not allowed soap or rinsing
water, her very washing water measured and
limited-because forsooth, soap brought mon
ey, and it took wood to heat water. Under
such rules as these, having the care of the
family crockery and then punished for the
first drop Of water, or the first shade Of soil
left on plate or bowl
Does any one think this is tedious matter
Perhaps so. But It's real, It happened once.
It's like may happen again. 1t is not for
children it is told-but for those who have
care Of them. For tell you there is no
slavery on earth like the slavery Of child
to hard grown person. That lonely farm.
house was the world to Linn Blythe Out
side there might be happy places. But she
had never seen them She knew nothing
about them Had she known, Mrs. Pike
might have walked some morning 70 find her
" help gone But, as it was, the child had
but to stay there day after day, work on, and
suffer on. Mrs. Pike was the great power Of
the place Her word was, not only law, but
light aud shadow On her and her mood.
hung Linn's veal or woe. The child had
watched and studied that large featured face
until she knew its every phase, and what eve
ry phase boded If she smiled, there was
brief sunshine. If she entered the room
Linn looked up to see if the corners Of her
mouth meant peace or war. II those corners
were drawn down, Linn's heart went with
them. If the crescent wrinkles on either
side the mouth deepened, then the child anti
cipated trouble, aud she was seldom disap.
pointed. The very sound of her step had a
language for the little girl She had learned,
by hard lessons, the quick, peremptory tread
which showed i'll humor, and the easy move
ment which indicated quiet In short, you
see, Linn Blythe lived, and moved, and had
her being, in the humors Of this stern, unov-
ing, irritable woman. Do you think you
would have rebelled against this rule Do
you think it was weak so to be kept subject
to a woman Do you think, perhaps you
would have taken the reins into your own
hands | tell you it would require less cour-
age to beard the grand mogul with the heads
man behind him, less nerve to rebel against
the car Of all the Russias, with the Nevas
ice over his shoulder, cut to receive malcon-
tents, less strength, In short, to resist any
power on elrth, than for a child in the place
Of Linn Blythe to oppose woman like Aunt
Samantha.
" Come along here with that pitcher
can't ye, in desprit hurry. Here, quick
There !"
A slip a crash, and twenty broken frag.
ments of earthenware lay, in food Of wa.
ter, on the floor
Linn Blythe ~
The two faced each other, the tall, red.faced,
exasperated woman, and the pale, covering.
wretched child.
didn't mean to-.
The words came, and close upon them a
great burst Of tears.
80 Didn't mean to whined Mrs. Pike.
"Who said you meant to -? Careless trollop !
Do you spose I'm goin' to buy pitchers for
you to knock to pieces? Now that air was
most new pitcher, n il cost two n six down
to the corner store. | tell you what, Lindy,
and here Mrs. Pike grew animated under the
impulse Of fresh idea, (" tell you what,
your gold dollar shall 90 to pay for that.
An then we'll see if you'll 60 thumpn' round
after this fashion. Lawful heart Why,
'twould take iortin to keep us in dishes,
goin' on in this way. Ugh -
Her gold dollar
Once, a long while ago, how long it seem.
ed when Linn remembered the cross days
Aunt Samantha had gone through since -
there had come gentleman, with his fishing
rod and line, who, walking up from the brook
side, bad asked for bowl of broad and milk
Linn had carried it to him, out under the great
maple and had sat near by while he ate it.
Linn remembered the pleasant eyes that looked
at her from over the curling beard, and how,
when he went away, he had stopped to bid her
good bye--klssing her " for his own little girl
at home and had slipped into her hand
something small and round and shining, tell.
ing her to buy something nice for herself.
And then, saying perhaps they should meet
again sometime, he had gathered together his
fishing tackle, sprang upon his horse and eau
tered out of sight,
And this was her gold dollar. How Linn
had treasured it all these month. Muslin pa.
per to wrap it in, and her little box with o
pink rose under glass. in the cover, were moi
half good enough for so rare present. She
never thought Of spending it, though she had
no money. Mrs. Pike had once promised her
if she would keep at the head of the spelling
class, and 60 through the term without miss.
ing word all summer, the reward of one
cent But here was dollar the first gold
one Linn had ever seen, and it seemed of i'm.
mense value. That farm might be bought
for it, she had no doubt. But even that would
be poor exchange for the sweet memories Of
that day, and Of her beautiful friend with the
kind eyes. She would never forget the feel.
ing OF his soft beard on her cheek. Why
should she No one had kissed her since, or
would again, ever perhaps
And the gold dollar must be given up.
That was the thought, as the child bent upon
the wet floor her fingers bleeding as she
picked up the sharp pieces That done, she
obeyed the harsh command.
Run right along now n git me yer gold
dollar. Pretty child you be to own money
when you're breaking up chiny that an't
your'n.n ,
Can you see the little thing as she goes to
the old chest, and takes out the small box
with the pink rose in the cover? Can You
imagine how the sad heart grew big well
nigh TO bursting, as the tears rained upon the
muslin paper, and she, trembling, unfolded
aud looked at her treasure for the last time ,
DO you know that, in giving up the tiny yel.
ow coin, she seemed to give up the only
pleasant property of the dreary old days7
Alb, there is nothing so hopeless as child's
.roublc with its elders, nothing so heartess
rs the wanton causing such trouble.
There now we'll see," growled Mrs. sa.
nantha Pike, and she seized the dollar out of
he little hand, and dropped it, remorselessly
nto the chest TILL
The work was finished at last. 1t was s
,'clock. Six was stage time, for Eldad Pixies
arm lay along the stage road from the in.
anj city Of x. Tonight were com.
ng two passengers for the farmhouse. Two
months previous it had been arranged by
etters, cramped, laboriously penned on one