Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-26

n
the fragments of glass and wood, and re-
turned TO the paror TO find Ted securing
the piano legs with the scrubbing brush
lquickly relieved him from all further
labor, bund ed him up and sent him out
IN the yard to play.
Faith mum said Norah, standing in
the door | feel 50 faint, an an if I don't
take something strong l can't work no
more to-day
Then make you some tea, l replied.
But Norah disdainfuIIy said, Shure
neve. could take tea the very smil of it
makes me sick
Well then. take some brandy. / re-
piled. Now l ought TO have known bet
ter than to allow Norah to help herself
to the brandy, but being in such hurry
to finish the parlor could not convenient
" stop. When I had occasion to 90
through the hall again, paused and lis
tened | could hear nothing of Norah
moving about, 20 once more l mounted the
stairs. There, in the midst Of the room
she sat Ia a rocking chair. bucket of
water stood before her, while she swayed
lalzily back and forth with the mop in her
hand, which left long trail of dirty water
behind it,
Norab, l cried, didn't I tell you to
mop this floor 2?
Faith, mum, ana am doing it as fast
as l can, she replied
How can you mop sitting down q? I
asked Indignantly.
Get up out Of that chair l said
Norah slowly arose and staggered against
the wall
HE mum, hic. yez see ! very wake
Your drunk, you had better say l re-
piled
Drunk. dive call it" exclaimed Norah
angrIiy, trying to look digufed drunk
after taking one tay-spoontul Of brandy in
quart OF water
Leave the room and % 10 ted, 1 said
Indignantly; tomorrow L shall dismiss
you.
After much arguing Norah finally decided
to retire, and was sole monarch Of an the
dirt and disorder l surveyed the room in
despair, but the work had 10 be done. and
seized the mop and soon fnisaed. Wien
| was about 70 descend the stairs. al tired
and rty. heard Frauk calling Hattie
where in the woriC are you
Here l replied.
Frank came up the uucarpeted stairs
and tumbed over the mop. Confouud
it" be cred the house IS IS dark as
Egypt -. We'll. be went on. are We 90
Ing supperless a. well as dIunerles,
There s no FIRE made, said and
Norah j. drunk. and ! am tired 10 death /.
and-aud here / burst into tears. and sat
down on the wet floor.
Why. Hattie whot are you CRYING
about I'll make the ire never mind
about the supper had q capital dinner
down town come down stairs out Of this
damp room. And Frank. who always got
good and sorry the moment after be was
cross. helped me of the floor, and down
stairs into the kitcaen. Now don't cry
any more he said wipiuc the tears from my
cheeks with hl, handkerchief sit down,
and D have fire ln two minutes
Where Is TED he inquired, pau7iDg
between the vigorous putfs IT the FIRE.
/ have not seen him all the afternoon.
| sent him out TO play. and he hasn't been
in since ! replied.
Frank dropped the shaving> and started
out in search Of him. waited and waited,
and shivered with the cold, but no Frank
came. sat in the stif-backed chair and
closed my eyes The last thing [ remem-
bered was violent nod which pretty nearly
disiocated my neck.
Hattie | awoke with start Frank
was shaking me.
You VIII take your deaf Of cold you
have been fast asleep.
Where j. Ted did you md MIN in
the cistern | asked droamily
the poor fellow was in the coal cellar.
asleep ike his mother.
rubbed my eyes and looked "a, the
child be was covered with coal dust
from had TO foot. and was black as q ne
gro Frank prepared supper while
washed Ted face and hands.
How can you dui.h your cleaning with
out Norah p he Inquired
am sure | don see how / can. re-
piled as the mountains Of work arose in
my troubled mind Norah must be sent
away in the morning
We all eat heartily OF our supper, not
withstandiug the eggs were fried until
they were 50 crisp that they would break
into bits If you 50 much as looked at them,
and the toast was burnt and the coffee not
half boiled; still as l was ravenously hun
grv. II all tasted pretty good. After We
had cleared the table and piled the dishes
away 10 be washed in the morniug, We re-
tired, and being % fatigued l did not
awaken until late IN the morning Norah
was dism ssed. Frank went 70 his Office.
and ! to ny cleaning. Frank hal shaken
the carpets, and the parlor floor being dry.
| soon had it all tackled down; then moved
the chairs in, and began 10 dust the
mantle ornaments, but, . horror | let
fall one OF M IOveiiest vases and shivered
it into a thousand fragments a very
bad beginning OF the day, | thought sor-
rowfully, picking up the pieces.
Mamma, cried a -hriu voice, Is all
Jess up.
Where are you Ted 3 l cal led.
Here, cried Ted.
And where is here: you're in some
mschi ef In be bound
heard Ted : cbuckling laugh, and a
great scrambling up the attic stairs.
After l had thrown the shattered pieces
Of my vase away. | ran up stairs to see
what be was doing. What a sight met my
eyes Ted was arrayed in my violet silk.
pinned up in front, and trailing far behind
on the floor, my white lace shawl around
bis shoulders, and ny best bonnet on bis
head. stood tran>fxed for a moment.
while Ted y ent prancing round and round
in the dust and dirt Of the attic then
started after him. OF course be ran.
screaming and laughing Take care. l
cried but too late; he fell from the
top to the bottom Of the stairs.
Rip, rip, went my violet silk bump.
hnrnn went Ted | few down 70 the hot.