Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-05
Che family Cirele.
Little PePp-ShOW.
BY MATTHEW BROWNE.

through, the usual pullerS, ana man OF
the usual sort patterlng away by the side
about what is to be seen within. 1t was
very simple hearted and simple headed
people who lived in this little town, and
men and women, old aud young, as well as
children, came to have a look into the
peep-show Nay, as it was holiday time,
even the great folk came and mingled with
the rest. 1t is true they came saunterlng
up, looking the other way, and pretending
to be surprised when they got close to the
show itself; but for all that they came,
and each of them paid his penny with an
air of humored liberation, bordering
on contempt, as if it were beneath him to
take peep into such a poor concern
Now, there were the Seven Wonders of
the World in this show, and great deal
more that have not time to mention.
The doctor took his peep and said flour
ishing his cane, that there was nothing in
it. The lawyer, smiling sarcastically, took
his peep, and then said he would have the
law of the Snowman for an impostor.
Even the clergyman took his peep, amid
the tlttering Of the pumpkins, and, though
he slightly rebuked the lawyer for his Sc
verify, said he feared that 1t was very
hollow exhibition Now, [ have already
stated that it was show of the Seven
Wonders of the World so what did he
expect, especially as, being a staunch Prot
estant he would have objected to a mira
Gle play or anything of that sort
In short, there was general discomfort
with the peep-show, though all the specta-
tors were not as critical as the doctor, the
lawyer, and the 'parson. So they all went
home to their suppers, and very hearty
suppers those Of them made who could al
| ford it, some of them expressing very
poor opinion of the Seven Wonders of The
World, though without giving any partlcu-
lar reasons, only, somehow, the onders
we're not good enough. The parson, the
attorney and the apothecary forgot all
about it, and things went on just as usual
in The little town, next day. The man
with the peep show had travelled onward to
somewhere else, to make other people
discontinued with the Seven Wonders of
the World.
Among the spectators who had turned
from the peep show dissatisfied with what
they had seen was little child, WHO had
had long, quiet and intense look at the
wonders. As he turned away from the
show he said nothing, but there was a light
in his eyes, which strangely contrasted
with the other expression that was visible
in his countenance, 1t seemed to say,
Something better" and yet, | suppose,
that must be all nonsens-, for it has been
scientifically laid down that, If you cover
10 the face, and look at the eyes through
two holes of their exact size aud shape,
you will see that they have no expression
whatever. Nevertheless, as the little child
walked dreamiIy away, his little eyes
struck fire, as you might say, into other
eyes. Goody Gracious, who was the kind
old soul of the place, and seemed really tC
live tor others, and not at all for herself
caught the eye of the child, and smiled
meaningy, but sweetIy. A pair of lovers
who mad also looked into the peep-show
and had been disappointed like the rest
said to themselves, That is the child we
saw looking in when we We're there. He
must have seen something more than We
did" Then they thought again, yor
know, and said to themselves, The ex
! preston in his face is only his simplicity
, bless him ~
And the little child passed on, and the
5 light of the morning star was in his eyes
3 though it was now dusk, so that nobody
: saw 1t, not even his mother when she pu
him to bed Indeed, she said, "Drat 1t
you've torn your pnafore ; looking int
, that peep-show, I'll be bound -
| Then the dusk passed into darkness, ant
5 the noises of the little town into silence
: and the night was over all things, just as /
has been over all things thousands OF thou
sands of times since the armament wa
set. The stars awoke, and the peopl
= slumbered Who knows their dreams
: That poor man dreamt that he had for
= tune the longing student that the libra
e ries of the world were at his right hand
3 he schemer that he had won; the gidd
J. damse that she had a new bonnet. B,
u the side of the sick bed the loving watche
a prayed that the sick might be better t
e morrow. The little child who had left tn
II peep-show disappointed dreamed not at all
# but when he awoke, the light of the morn
ing star was still in his eyes, and many
1t one who looked into them came, from tina
: hour, to hear whisper in his heart, whic
= sounded like L" something better
s By and by it got noised abroad in tn
# little town that the child had said he woul
VI some day make better peep-show tina
y the one which had just disappointed every
t. body so much. OF course he was yer
= much laughed at, and the townsfolk too
to calling him Little Peep-show. Thos
If who had been loudest in expressing thel
ID discomfort with the travelling show c
lie which we have spoken, now ridlculed tn
II idea of the chid's ever making better
=, ~ The lawyer argued the case very strongly
and proved that the Seven Wonders OF tn
World constituted show which neve
could be surpassed. The apothecary wa
. very angry with " those vtgaries," as b
- called them, and assured the chlld's pa
' rents that nothing would injure his healt
,e more than to let his mind run on the max
x ing of better peep show. Lastly, th
= clergyman looked very sharply after tn
little chid's attendance at church, an
pointed out to him that it was flying in th
e face of heaven itself to attempt somethir
&c better, when the Seven Wonders Of th
|, World had been established in their plac
l. for centuries by the best and most religion
E. historians. The beadle received prlvat
ut instruction to give this child crack on th
y head if there was ever the slightest reaso
to nresDma from the exnreSsIon of h