Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-01-14

ed them yet, they answered, provoking
ly, "Well, we know you're awful mad :
and so on, and yon can imagine how
highly delectable was the state OF Hallie's
mind, when sho walked out on the piaz'
IA. to yet cooled off. General Trelethen
stood talking with her father and mother
at the gate. lie was saying Goodbye,
he must 60, for tho party with which he
was travelling over the Green Mountains
would expect him that night ho had
started to Allon Hill very hastily. finding
he was SO near; he had been fully repaid
for coming: and great many other
pleasant things At last: 81 shall come
again, Nellie. as you tell me | may
when | come back from over the seas"
Then he left them, and camc and stood
by Halle.
They're pretty little things, your sis-
ters," he said. softly, as if to himself.
Didn't they remind you of weeping
little mermaids ?"
"Not in the least; l saw nothing but
muddy children"
II wonder, Miss Halle. il you
couldn't hayc found as much poetry and
beauty in that scene, if you had looked
for it, ms in that sunset. which lighted
your face so. just now Did you notice
how wistful and pleading their eyes were?
Wouldn't single, little loye.word have
won them at once, and made such re.
pentant sinners of them, that one hour
more of grace. and tenderness. and
beauty would have come TO your life"
Then seeing the regrstiul flush OF pain
on her face, he added: "We all wade
through tho dish.water part of our lives
with eyes looking away from it. and
hands stretched out to better and nobler
things which we cannot reach, while
there are pearls right at our iest, it we
would stop TO gather them"
"You mean that if | love them, and
love il. this clayey sort of life, shall
find the pearls il! it, and that it wont
drag me down, after all?'
The sheer clsarness and Wilderness OF
her eyes told him that she understood.
For answer, he took her trembling
hand, and held it in his, and told her
that he should think Of her as his little
heroine away up on these Vermont hills,
not buried here. but placed herc-as his
little heroine, who would not fail, be.
cause she was too brave, and who had
power to make perfect loys-palaee ol
her home.
Her face, pure and tender now, was
raised thankfully TO him. Her lips said
simply and earnestly, Il ,ciH be good"
and hs kissed her hand and mounted his
horse and with low Goodbye, my
little heroine" was off and away.
Three years Is very long time. to n
little girl. Saturday forenoon, with its
dsughnuts and children. has just come
one hundred and ffty-six times to Halle.
Tho spirit is willing. but the flesh is
weak" and IIsllie's heart and she are
$50 tired, so tired ~ She is thinking it
over now, As she sits darning stockings
by the west window, and bastins patch
work for Dode and tho threo little yel
low.heads. Dodc, who is IIallic's de
voted slave, and especial favuritc, now,
exclams suddenly: "lIallie Darton.
you're about twice gooder'n you used to
be You never grit your teeth when
you wash dishes now, nor pinch US when
we're naughty, nor hate to peel potatoes;
and you sing when you're doing every
thing, whether it hurts your hands or not b.!
and you're a real comfortable person 10
have round-you always look warm
when we arc cold, and cool wfAn we arc
roasting and heard papa say you wcro
the light of the house-and | don't see
why you aren't good enough TO have
loyerm
As that was The superlative OF the adj
ective "good" to Dode, Halle appreciat-
ed the compliment, and answered swoetly,
THANK you, Dode. My dear little
sister, you have all helped me. My
naughty heart used. to hate all these
things. you know; but God has been
very good, and now it just-just-ji5et
in, and I'm very happy and proud OF
you ALL"
They looked bright love 10 her from
their honest. little child.eyes; and Hal
lies face is very strong aud pure in the
quiet and womanliness which three years
have brought to it. She is thinking of
how much, in this time, God has helped
her 10 "do and bear" Mother Nell had
= long sickness, and is now away on y
visit with the Major, whose brow, when
rumpled with care, has often been
smoothed very tcndsrly by the little girl,
who is learning to do all things for love.
The little ycllow.heads have been carried
through innumerable diseases of the mea-
selspecies; Dode, freakish rs ever, has
been cried with and laughed with, warn
cd and praised, until Halle has become
her very heart-confidante; bashful Bess
has been initiated into the mysteries of
French verbs, and the propristies OF a
young debutante Halle, herself, has
been wooed, but not won, by good men,
who have all carried away the answer.