Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-06-02


"Get right up out of that chair" said.
Norah slowly arose, and staggered a.
gainst the wall.
"Hic, mum, hic, yez see rs very wake"
"You're drunk, you had better say" I
replied.
"Drunk, dye call it p exclaimed Norah,
angrily, trying TO look dignfed; "drunk,
after taking one tay-spoonful of brandy in
a quart of water ~
"Leave the room and go to bed" said
Indignantly; tomorrow | shall dismiss
you"
Amer much arguing, Norah finally de-
clded to retire, and was left sole monarch
of all the dirt and disorder. | surveyed
the room for while in despair; but the
work had to be done, and seized the mop
and soon finished.
When I was about to descend the stairs,
all tired and dirty, l heard Frank calling,
"Hattiei Hattie where in the world are
your
Here" / replied.
! Frank came up the unoarpoted stairs,
and stumbled over the mop. "Confound
it," he cried, "why is this house as dark as
Egypt? Well" he went on, "are we to go
supperless as well as dinnerless9'
"There Is no fire made" said, land No.
rah is drunk, and I'm tired to death and
and" here burst into tears and sat
down on the wet floor.
"Why Hattiel Hattie what are you cry
ing about? I'll make the fire never mind
about the supper; had a capital dinner
| 4. .t-.-
damp ROOM" And Frank who always got
good and sorry the moment after he was
cross, helped me up off the floor, and down
stairs into the kitchen. "Now don't cry
any MORE" he said, wiping my tear-be-
dewed cheeks with his handk erchief; "sit
down, and I'll have fire in two minutes"
"Wheres TedH" he inquired, pausing
for breath between the vigorous pufis atth
fire.
"I havn't seen him all the afternoon. I
sent him out to play, and he hasn't been
in the house since" I replied.
Frank dropped his shavings, and started
out in search of him. waited and waited
and shivered witn the cold, but no Frank
came | sat in the stif-backed chair and
closed my eyes. The last thing remem-
bered was n violent nod, which nearly dis
located my neck.
"Hattier awoke with q start. Frank
was shaking me.
you'll take your death-cold you have
| been fast asleep"
"Where was Ted? Did you find him in
the cistern ?" l asked dreamily.
"No," laughed Frank, "but just about
as bad; the poor fellow was in the coal
cellar, asleep like his mother"
] rubbed my eyes and looked at the
child. He was covered with coal dust from
his head to his feet, and was as black as
negro. Frank prepared supper, while L
washed Ted's face and hands.
"How can you finish your cleaning with
out Norah ?" he inquired.
"rm sure don't see how l can," / re-
piled -as the mountains of work arose in
my troubled mind. "Norah must be sent
away in the morning"
We all ate heartily of our supper, not
withstanding the eggs were fried until they
were so crisp and brittle that they broke
into bits If you so much as looked at them,
and the toast was burnt and the coffee not
half boiled; still, as 1 was ravenously
hungry, it all tasted pretty good After
we had cleared the table, and piled the
the dishes away to be washed in the morn
ing, we retired and being so fatgued, l
did not awaken until late hour in the
morning. Norah was dismissed, Frank
went to his Office, and / to my cleaning
Frank had the carpets shaken, and the par
lor floor being dry. 1 soon had it all tackled
down; then moved the chairs in and be-
gan to dust the mantel ornaments; but oh,
horror l let fall one of my loveliest vases,
and shivered it into thousand fragments.
| A very bad beginning of the day, I thought
sorrowfully picking up the pieces.
Mamma" cried shrill voice. "rs all
| jess up"
"Where are you, Ted ?" called.
Here" cried Ted.
"And where is here; : you're in some
mischief, I'll be bound
| heard Ted's chuckling laugh, and a
great scrambling up the attic stairs. After
| had thrown the shattered pieces of my
vase away, ran up stairs to see what he
was doing. What 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 his
shoulders, and my best bonnet on his head.
/ stood transfixed for IA moment, while
Ted went prancing round and round in the
dust and dirt of the attic, then started af-
ter him. OF course he ran, screaming and
laughing. "Take carer I cried, but too
late he fell from the top to the bottom of
the stairs.
Rip, rip, went my violet silk bump,
bump went Ted | flew down stairs after
him with my heart in my mouth, and
picked up little insensible heap of lace,
ribbons, silk and dirt. That fall saved
Ted from good whipping. / carried him
down stairs, and sprnkled him with
water, camphor, eau-de-coloene, until he
opened his eyes then l examined my ru-
ined clothes. My dress was a mass of
grease cobwebs, and dust the front width
was wretchedly torn with the pins; my
shawl and bonnet were crushed and torn.
| put them all away, with sigh of regret.
and turned my attention once more to the
perpetrator of the terrible deed. Justthen
some one knocked on the back door. On
opening it, found stout German girl on
the step. She talked so broken that could
scarcely understand her, but managed to
comprehend enough TO know that Frank
had engaged her for me. set her to work
Immediately to clean the china closet, and
returned to my wounded Ted. Suddenly
l heard crash in the dining room. 'Heav-
ems p l exclaimed, "what can have hap
pened now ?" and rushing ont found the
frightened girl clasping and unclaspinp
her hands in heart-rending manner. Nc
wonder. She had upset the table on which
all my shining glass and china was placed
Everything was literally smashed TO piec-
es. My beautiful celery glasses My COB.
lets, and tea-set! My fruit-stands! Was