Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-07
The WrY Glass.

ather, ana sisters ana brothers, IN large
rouse, where we had many servants, and wore
ine clothes My mother was dead, and my
sldest sister took care Of US. used to fancy
'he was very cross, and very fussy" but
know now that she was only trying her
pest to make us obedient and orderly. | am
iure we we're willful and uuiidy enough.
About six miles from our house lived Aunt
Phcbe. | was her godchild and favorite
lud | used to 60 and stay with her some
times, which was the greatest pleasure |
could have. Her house was called Strawber-
~ Cottage, and was not at all like our grand
home. IL was very small, fer Aunt Phobe
was not rich. She only kept two servants
Sarah. who did everything 10 the house and
Roger, who kept the garden in order, and
groomod the old pony And yet | thought
my aunt's house far prettier and nicer than
the Hall, rs my own home was called. |
thought everything looked better and tasted
nicer at the cottage than elsewhere, and en-
joyed the drives took with Aunt Pnnbe in
her shabby little pony-chaise, far better than
those had at home in our handsome car
riage and pair.
Whenever | was particularly naughty and
troublesome at home, and therefore unhappy,
used to soy to my sister and to my nurse,
" only wish might 60 and live with Aunt
pnebe. | would always be good there, aud
always happy !" and remember poor Flo,
our sister, would say,sr Ab, Kitty
change Of place would not change you, am
afraid
Strawberry Cottage was, indeed. very pret-
y. 1t was almost smothered with white jes-
samine, so that the windows did not look
square, but rather like the little round holes
IN swallows nest. The garden was but
mall, but oh it was SO gay. have never
seen anything like it since. When | went
TOR my visits, | was made much Of. Old
Rogers son made me little wheel-barrow,
which was kept in the tool-house, aud with
this ! used to follow the kind old man about,
and carry away the weeds in it. Then Sarah
made cakes for me and such cakes have
never tasted any SO good since. And my
aunt looked out from her stores wonderful
pieces Of old-iashioned silks aud satns and
chintzes for me, quite unlike anything saw
elsewhere, and these had great charm.
1t very often happens, think, that when
we wish for anything very much indeed, it
comes to us, but it does not always make us
us happy as we expect. Well, was just
nine years old when had my wish--I went
TO live with Aunt Phoebe.
My father died, and my oldest sister mar.
ried, so all my brothers were sent to school,
aud to aunt Phebe. She begged to have
me, and was Gully too glad to 20.
was pleased with everything when | got
there. There was little room prepared for
me, which overlooked the yellow holIyhocks.
The little bed had white curtains, and the
walls were papered with a white paper, with
green nasturtium leaves climbing over it,
aud the carpet looked like dark green moss,
with here and there brown leaf on it, or a
bit of scarlet lichen. Over the bed hung
picture Of my mother. Ii was a sweet, gentle
a6e, somewhat like my Aunt Phebe's aud
by the side was little book shelf, on which
were many delightful books.
Then in the garden Roger had put up
swing, and had marked of little plot Of
ground, which was to be my own, aud round
which be had planted border of hen.and-
chicken daisies. Sarah, too, had not forgot.
ten me. She had made the butter up into
ducks and fishes, and cut out the cakes into
ivy leaves, aud stars, aud hearts, | was very,
very happy-yes, and for several days and
weeks till one day Roger vexed me, by tell.
ing me not to throw my ball among the fow-
er-beds, because it broke the flowers. Then
went Into the house, aud Sarah sent me
lback TO scrape my shoes, and when went to
fmy aunt, she said, kitty, my child, l must
folded neatly away and you have put up
1 your books the wrong way upwards" A lit
/ lie time after, Aunt Phoebe made me pick up
the crumbs had let fall on the carpet while
a.. and luetlv aha aatH ssWa
must begin TO morrow, Kitty, to do few les
sous every day, and little needle-work you
know tho old saying about all play and no
york
was now quite cross. l had been pouting
for ONE time but now burst into tears and
said You're all very upkind to me to-day.
Things don't look half so pretty as they used
a. took | should like to 60 away from Straw
berry Cottoge and never come back again.
Roger is cross, disagreeable old man-and
Snrahs very ugly, and you're not so pretty as
you used to be, Aunt Phebe !"
Aunt Phoebe let me 6nish and then she got
up from her seat and gently took my hand.
She led mo up stairs into little room open.
my out OF her own. She was so gentle and
kind, she made me ashamed Of my naughti-
ness and | looked up in her face to see what
she meant.
Kitty,n she said, when was n little
lirl, | was like you; had a discontinued,
impatient temper But | had dear mother
sho took great pains with me to teach me
now to master it, She put this glass into my
room. Kitty, and she used to call it tho TEN.
pea glass y -
Nv aunt then led me up to a small round
o .,,l oh ,,vaalf in II
did aud there | saw my own face to be
sure, but 50 crooked, and punched, and ugly,
,hat cou,d not bear to look at it. Then
looked az Aunt Phebe's in it, and it looked
dreadful and at Sarah's, (for she had followed
as Into the room), and that was frghtful
u do not like this glass; said
y iou't want to look in it. Why do you show
il 20 ne, Aunt Phe6e ?"
Because" she said " this glass is like
d your dseontented temper. IL makes every
+ thing look crooked and ugly. This is the
p sane cottage, the same Aunt Phebe, the same
u Sarah aud Roger you used to like so much,
aud now none Of them please you. You see
e them in tue looking.gass OF your naughty
= temper, and that makes them look different
y that Is ALL
80 Aunt Phoebe said, | will try to
Al remember " and laid my head on her lap
10 and began to cry. viii ~ be better,
% know il is Just as you sAy--th uglisess is
all in myself Perhaps, il l had ,hst MY
y glass always near me, il would make me -
d member that my cross, discontentsd temper
" makes nice aud pleasant things look crooked
aud ugly
e Very we'll, Kitty said my aunt, ." you
. shall have It in your room aud now kiss
Y Sarah, aud now kiss me, and then take six
Il rams round the garden aud smell the flowers
e aud then 90 up stairs for few minutes aud
% by that time shall have given my orders
= 20 Sarah, aud you shall come and pick up the
IL crumbs, and have the pocket handkerchief tc
- hem
a. did as was bid, aud | eau remember