Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-04-11
BRATTLEBORO, VT, FRIDAY, APRIL IL, 1873

ready for a twilight stroll with the gentle
men.
They all stopped on the west balcony, to
look at the sunset. Halle spoke softly, In
O voice that seemed hushed with admira-
III That shimmery green border, just bill
lowing into those crimson heaps, and pur-
pie and gold above IL allp
The general looked down at her. Her
dress was white, with rose-colored stream
ers, pale, pink, gauzy thing hoated over
her shoulders, and little white hat, rose
bud wreathed, was tucked down upon the
ripples of her hair which shone like spun
gold. .........
"You look as If you were pink cloud
yourself, Miss Halle, and belonged to the
sunsetf Who did 1t ?" he said, and touched
lightly tho floating gauze.
Halle smiled brightly. "Motber Is my
dressing-maid, and I am hers" she said
simply, without taking her eyes away from
the west.
Mr.. and Mrs. Darton had started down
the street, and called to them to come.
Eyes" Halle said, and fingered to catch
the fading glory. Meanwhile her father
and mother turned the corner, and were
out of sight.
hind Il o house followed by the three little
ones, crying dlsmally. They were covered
with mud and dripping.
Halle colored with vexation, and set her
teeth hard.
"You will have 10 go with father and
mother, Mr.. Trefethep, and excuse me.
These children have been in the bog, and
must stay and change all their clothesr'
She said the last words woarily, and the
lip quivered that tried TO smile, and she
grasped Dode's arm, to lead her into the
house, little harder than she meant. Hon
est Dode jerked back Indignantly.
II knew you'd scold and cry, because
you always do, Halle Darton, when we
fall into anything, but didn't s'pose you'd
pinch me fore that man, when you've
been dressing all up and neglecting us, on
purpose for himr'
Poor Halle was scarlet, but she acted on
a sudden impulse, and stood the children
up in a row, and said, hurriedly: "Please
look sir; they are disgusting! Dodc said
the truth-these things happen every day,
and am naughty and angry with them. /
thank you for what you said about max
ing ugly tasks pleasant, but it won't do for
me, I'm too wicked-I shall just go on do
ing my duty every day, and hating it, and
hating itv'
Go IN rapf in and did "a all with n oO,-
vulsive fierceness and her fingers tore the
astenings nervously, and sharp little words
kept spattering out, and the little wretches
would persist in saying they "didn't get in
to the bog a purpose" and they "spised
such crosspatch as she was;" and when
she asked why they called her cross, when
she hadn't scoded them yet, they answer
ed, provokingly: "Well, we know you're
awful mad !" and so on; and you can i'm
agine how highly delectable was the state
of Hallie's mind when she walked ont ou
the piazza, TO get cooled OIL. General Ire
fethen stood talking with her father and
mother at the gale. He was saying "Good.
bye" he must go, for the party with which
he was travelling over the Green Noun.
tains would expect him that night he had
started 10 Allan Hill very hastily, finding
he was so near; he had been fully repaid
for coming; and great many other pleas.
ant things. At last 81 shall come again
Nellie, as you tell me may, when I come
back from over the seas"
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; saw nothing bu
muddy children"
II wonder, Miss Halle, If you couldn't
have found as much poetry and beauty in
that scene, If you had looked for it, as il
that sunset, which lighted your face so, jus
now! Did you notice how wistful ant
pleading their eyes we're? Wouldn't a sin
gle little love-word have won them at once
and made such repentant sinners of them
that one hour more of grace, and tender
ness, and beauty would have come to you
life2"
Then seeing tho regretful flush of pair
on her face, he added: eve all wad,
through the dish-water part of our live:
with eyes looking away from it, and hands
stretched out TO better and nobler things,
which We cannot reach, while there ar,
pearls right at our feet, if We would stop t.
gather them"
"You mean that if love them, and Low,
II, this clayey sort of life, shall fnd til,
pearls in il, and that II won't drag m,
down, after all?"
The sheer clearnes, and Wilderness of he
eyes told him that she understood.
For answer, he took her trembling hand
and held it in his, and told her that h,
should think of her as his little heroine a
way up on these Vermont hills, not buried
here but placed here-as his little heroine
who would not fail, because she was to-
brave, and who had power TO make per
feet love-palace Of her home.
Her face, pure and tender now, was rails
cd thankfully TO him. Her lips said sim
ply and earnestly, 81 will be good" ant
he kissed her hand and mounted his horse
and with low "Good-bye, my little hero
inc" was off and away.
Three years is very long time 10 a littl,
girl. Saturday forenoon, with its dough
nnts and children, has just come ono hun
dred and fifty-six times to Halle. eth,
spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,
and Hallie's heart and she are $50 tired, $,
tiredr' She is thinking IL over now, as sh,
sits darning stockings by the west window
aud basting patchwork for Dode and tn,
three little yellow-heads. Dode, who il
Hallic's devoted slave and especial favor
ito now, suddenly exclaims: "Hallie Dar
ton, you're about twice gooder'n you usec
tobe! You never grit your teeth when 20,
wash dishes now, nor pinch us when W,