Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-09-19

work. But the new friend patted her
on the head and said, "What a pleas
ant voice the little girl has. 1t is like
the birds in the fields. BY and by
you shall hear my music box"
This opened wide the windows of
the little shut-up heart, so that the
sunshine could stream in, and the
birds fly in and out, caroling. The
happy child tuned up like a lark, as
she tripped lightly up and down stairs,
on various household errands. But
though she took heed to observe all
the directions given her, her head was
was all the time filed with conj"ctwes
what sort of a thing a music box
might be. She was q little afraid the
kind lady would forget to show it to
her, She kept to work, however, and
asked no questions; she only looked
very curiously at every thing that re-
sembled a box.
At last Mrs. Fairweather said, Il
think your little feet must be tired
by this time. We will rest awhile,
and eat some gingerbread" The
child took the offered cake, with a
humble little courtesy, and carefully
held out her apron to prevent any
crumbs from falling on the floor But
suddenly the apron dropped, and the
crumbs were all strewed about "Is
that a little bird?" she exclaimed
eagerly. "Where is he? Is he in
this room the new friend smiled, and
told her that was the music box; and
after while she opened it and ex-
planned what made the sounds. Then
she took out a pile of books from one
Of the baskets Of good, and told Peg
gy she might look at the pictures till
she called her.
The little girl stepped forward ca
gorly to take them, and then drew back,
as if afraid. "What is the matter?"
asked Mrs. Fairweather; II am very
willing to trust you with the books.
| keep them on purpose to amusc
children" Peggy looked down with
her finger on her lips, and answered,
in constrained voice, "Amt Turn
penny won't like it if lplav." Don't
trouble yourself about that. will
make it all right with Aunt IIetty,"
replied the friendly one. Thus as
swed, she gave herself up to the full
enjoyment Of the picture books and
when she was summoned to her work,
she obeyed with a cheerful alacrity
that would have astonishcd her stern
relative. When the labors Of the day
were concluded, Mrs. Fairwca'her
accompanied her home, paid all the
hours she had been absent, and warm
! ly praised her docility and diligence.
1T is lucky for her that she behav-
ell so well" replied Aunt IIetty; IF
| had heard any complaint I should
have given her whipping, and sent
her to bed without her supper"
Poor little Peggy went to sleep that
night with a lighter heart than she
had ever felt since she had been an
orphan. Her first thought in the
morning was whether the new neigh
Dor would want her service during
the day. Her desire that it should be
so soon become obvious to Aunt Het-
ty, and excited IN underlined jealous
and dislike of a person who so easily
made herselfbeloved. Without exact
ly acknowledging to herself what
were her own motives, she ordered
Peggy to gather all the sweepings of
kitchen and court into a small pile,
and leave it on the frontier of her
neighbor's premises. Peggy ventur-
to ask timidly whether the wind would
not blow it about, and she received a
box on the ear for her imper nence.
1t chanced that Mrs Fairweather,
unintentonally heard the words and
the blow. She gave Aunt Hetty's
anger time enough to cool, then step
ping out into the court, and after ar
ranging divers little matters, she call
ed aloud to her domestic, "Sally, how
came you to leave this dirt here ?
Didn't | tell you Miss Turnpenny was
very neat? Pray, make haste and
sweep up, wouldn't have her see it
on any account. told her would
try to keep everything nice about the
premises. She is so particular her
self, and it is a comfort to have tidy
neighbors."
The girl had been previously in
structed, smiled as she came out, with
brush and dust.pan, and swept quietly
away the pile, that was intended as a
declaration of frontier war
But another source of annoyance
presented itself, which could not be
quite so easily disposed of Aunt Hetty
had cat, a lean, scraggy animal that
looked as if she were often kicked and
seldom fed; Mrs. Fairweather also
had fat, frisky little dog, always
ready for a caper. He took distaste
to poor poverty stricken Tab the first
time he saw her, and no coaying could
induce him to alter his opinion. His
name was Pink, but he was anything
but a pink of behavior in his neigh
borly relations. Poor Tab could new
er set foot out of the door without be-
ing saluted with a growl, and sharp
bark, that frightened her out of her
senses, and made her run in the house,
with her fur all on end. If she even
ventued to doze little on her own
doorstep, the enemy was onthe watch,
and the moment her eyes closed he