Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-05

face at church, especially during sermon
time, that he was thinking of j." something
better"
For all that. the expression which re-
minded you of the morning star did not 90
out of this child's eyes, aud the people
still continued to call him little Peep-show
Indeed they persisted in calling him lit
tle," grow as fast as he might, because
they SAID it was so childish of him. But
now something very strange began to be
reported, which seer3s to prove that in
some way or other the child's face and
his way of looking before him had got
into peoples heads; though, indeed, |
hardly know now to express what [ mean,
or to tell what was told to me. But PEG,
pie used to say they sometimes saw Little
Peep-show, with those orient eyes Of his,
in places where they knew he was not,
aud, indeed, in some cases where he could
not be. Goody Gracious, tending sick
person, would sometimes start in the mid
die OF her gentle labors, and say, usually
to herself, of course, so as not to startle
the sick, "Dear me! | could have sworn
| saw Peep-show in the room just now !;
but, of course, it was a mistake"
Once when Goody Gracious was at
birth, soon after the mother and baby had
been made comfortable, and the baby was
having his first drink from his mothers
bosom, the mother whispered, Goody,
Goody how came Little Peep-show IN
the room p Nor would she for long
time be persuaded that she did not see
the chlld's eyes looking into hers. He
was seen at weddings too-at least a
bride or bride groom would sometimes say
SO. But then the attorney used to declare
he could prove an allbi, and the clergy
man, that such vain imaginings were
nearly as bad as witchcraft, and the doc
tor that they were optical illusions, re-
sulting from disease So what can we say
IN such a case?
The most wonderful part of the story is
that these illusions, as the doctor called
| them, continued after Little Peep show
had left the town, " to seek his fortune"
said the people, since he was now growing
up. Now, indeed, the alibi was clearly
made out, and yet the townsfolk, Goody
Gracious, for example, could not get rid
OF little superstition about the matter.
She would nod her dear old head, and say
under her breath that she was convinced
there was something extraordinary about
that child, and what shame it was for
the townsfolk to have driven him out into
the world so soon, by making game Of the
new peep-show which, they would have it.,
he Was bent upon making. Yet such
strange creatures are we that some of those
who used to ridlcule him the most were now
heard to wish the young fellow back
again. The town was dreadfully dull
they said: no peep-show ever came to en-
liven them now they had even forgotten
what the Seven Wonders of the World
were alike; and they should very much
ike a change-either to see the Seven
Wonders over again or something better
The doctor, the parson, aud the lawyer
were now getting old, and they had al
most retired from public life, as you may
say; but one evening, as they were hobnob
Ding together at the parsonage, they were
heard laughing amaln, great peals oil
laughter, at all this talk about Little Peep
show, aud the Old show Of the Seven Won
ders, and something better" Something
better - laughed the doctor Somethln.
better y laughed the lawyer. Something
better laughed the parson. And thu
merriment rolled out of the haIt-openeC
window into the scented autumn ght
Sweet upon The air was the dying breath
Of the almost faded jasmine the brown
fallen leaves rustled under the tread o
the passer-by, who caught the echoes o
{ laughter the broken moon seemed ready
to drop precipitately down from the silent
melancholy heavens the wind died ava
into the midnight, leaving behind it odor
| of decay.