Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-05
Johnnie Jacques Cross.
BY ELEANOR BURR.

On Deautl1uI day last week johnnie
came home from school with very sober
face, and step not nearly SO cheerful as
usual. He neither shouted to Britt, his
own pet squirrel, nor whistled to the
canary as he opened the gate and came
slowly around to the sitting-room door.
1t was very small, but neat and pleasant
room, and Johnnie's mother sat IN low
rocker near the window, sewing patches
into his " rough and ready" week day
snit. THIS little boy called them trough
and ready" because they had grown old
and rough with time and use, yet were
ever ready at his pleasure. But to-day
the ight of them seemed onl y to deepen his
i'll mood, His mother looked up brightly as
he entered, and was about to speak, but
seeing such forbi1ding little face in the
doorway. thought it could not belong to
her ohnnie, SO she bent over her sewing
again. Presently Johnnie coughed, then
drummed on the door post with his two
brown fists, then coughed again, but his
mother did not seem at all disturbed. At
last he determined to have it all out and
OfCl WllDy 81 uC p6Sdu-
Il wish | had plenty of money. | wish
| was in Ike SeIdens boots %
Now Ike Selden was hoy of about his
own age, who lived across the street in
large, fine house, with rich curtains at
the window, and greyhound carved from
stone crouching on the broad doorstep.
This much Of the strange boys home
Johnnie Jacque had discovered, but the
| little stranger himself he had never seen
except now and then at a window, OF
astrlde the stone hound
Perhaps he was shy, and could not
make friends as easily as he could, john
ME had thought but he would soon get
over it, and how nice it must be to live in
such a large house, with long curtains, and
stone greyhound on ones step. And
Johnnie, receiving no answer from his
mother, repeated his wish.
d" Ike Selden can have everything he
wants : just everything! Catch him eating
brown bread and apple sauce, or wearing
clothes like mine Oh dear ~
Still Mrs. Jacque did not answer by
word or look, and the little boy began tC
wish she would say something, if it were
no more than, Hush !" After little
she rose from her seat, saying quietly:
These are ready now, Johnnie; will
you want them tomorrow, do you think p
I" | don't know"
81 think you will if you 90 nut
ting, as you expected. [ will TAKE
them to your room," and Johnnie was lief
to his i'll, miserable, little self Yet no
all to himself either, for Chirp, the canary
hanging in his airy house against til,
wall, had quite overlooked master John.
MES Indifference. and low burst out int
SO hearty song that the boy actual,
!, smiled, in spite of his mood.
The following morning he woke VI
. bright and early, and after breakfast wa
over and his morning duties were out o
the way, started with number of play
mates on the nutting expedition. 1t wa
, such clear, beautiful day, and Saturday
t TOO You would have thought Johnnie
} ill-1umor would have flown far away from
him, but it did not, and am sorry t
say lt-that night when he looked gu
, from his window it stood at his side an
looked out, too.
Well, about three weeks after this
; Grandpa Lime brought rs. Jacque lie
ter, and she read it over carefully, an
when Johnnie came in from school SD
read it to him, and he was very much d,
lighted, for it was from an uncle VIII
had plenty of money, and who wante
' that Johnnie jacques mother should IL
e her son 90 to live with him in his larg,
g fine house, which was too large for sue
an empty one. He had four little ones
$ it once, bnt they had left him and the o.
place, one by one, and now he wanted
sister.in- laws child with him, for the pre-
ent, at least.
Everything WANT exclaimed Joh
ME, when he had heard this letter throug
S 81 shall be we'll contented in my oW
S boots now" and he never noticed the tea
: in his mothers eyes, but danced and whir
s ed around the room for an hour, so owe
: joyed was he at his good fortune" Foo
e ish Johnnie!
At last it was decided that he shouI
60, and then he found his mother sti
# oftener by the window, sewing not patch
into "rough and ready" suit, but fres
n stitches into fresh suit Then the la
d day came, and Johnnie babe his moth
IS goodbye two or three times over, al
Grandpa Lime took him down to Il
station and found him seat in one Of Il
cars, near an open window, and when
IT left him, said in a low tone: "Johnnj