Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-17

wants there. She can see them go In pret-
ty well, though they wave about strangely;
but when they get into the bright light she
can only distinguish confused mass of
color. AT last her curiosity grows so strong
that she feels she must find out the mean
ing of 1t all so gathering togeth, all the
strength at her command, she makes rush
straight nj the door, runs up some steps,
past two policemen, who are too astonished
to stop her (although she does not know
that, aud Is stumbling along a wide pas
sage, to the extreme wonder of the ladies
dressed In red, blue and gold and silver,
when suddenly Il third policeman appears
In her path she tries to dodge him; but
she is too feeble to have any chance of es-
cape, and the policeman, with consummate
ease, captures and secures her by good
grasp of her hair. He knows her hair IL
TO he trusted, though her rags are not.
Tots head feels lighter than ever; she fan
cies it is getting away from her body, but
she cannot be sure. All the people she
passes look long way off; and as for the
policeman, he is mile away, though he
does hold her so firmly.
$50 you have managed to make cap
ture, policeman strange one for the
place" And the speaker looks curiously
at Tot, and Tot looks at him.
He is a tall man, with a great waving
mass Of golden hair thrown back from his
face and he has big eyes, and like all the
other people, is long way off.
"A vagabond, my lord-alter handker-
Tot from the grasp of his right hand and
seizes her again with his left that he may
touch his hat properly To my lord.
81 amt. wants to see inside" says Tot
feeblv.
What long way off her voice is. She
knows now that her head has really got IL
way.
lord.
Tot looked up at him. She had learned
to read faces and is not a bit afraid of this
one.
"Yes," she answered.
Policeman smiles knowingly and saws,
soto uOce, "Trust her or any of 'em for
saving yes" lie would have said this a
loud, but he has seen "my lord' before and
is not sure how he would take il.
"No," answers Tot.
She means to tell the truth but she has to
think a little before she is quite sure how
she does feel. No she does not feel hun
gry, she does not feel cold. 1t is very
strange, hut the only feeling she has is an
intense longing to see "insde." She would
like to know why everything seems so far
off. and why her head has gone from her
body, but she does not care much about
that she wants to see ''inside.'
My lord is in a strange mood this night,
and strange fit seized him.
"Leave the child with me-" he begins.
"But my lord" says policeman, doubt
fully.
"Have you seen her take anything? No?
Then you are quite safe in leaving her.
Policeman releases Tot, and my lord, ut
terly Indifferent To tie TACT that all who
says with pretty smile:
"My little ragged girl, we will 90 togeth-
er and see this wonderful inside; but re-
member when yon get there to repay me
for my great Kindness hy exhibiting the
most extreme astonishment Have You
name?"
Tot looks up a: him in doubt; but his
face treasures her, for it is very pleasant,
and she almost persuades herself he is not
"kidding."
"Don't know. They call me Tot" she
says with her eyes still upon his face.
"A very good name, Tot, very good
name. But l must apologize to you for a
gross breach of etiquette ON my part.
should have first introduced myself. Know
me, then, Tot, as Lord Casual, radical, a
materialist, believer in equality of prop
erty and universal labor. And respect me,
Tot, for conscentiously discharging the du-
ty that devolves upon me of showing to
the world a practical illustration i'm my
own person, of the excellence of my theo-
ry q should perhaps say theories) by II
hard life of sleeping, eating, shooting, hunt
ing and sometimes even dancing. What If
! indulge in occasional fits of madness ?
Surely life so completely given up to the
public welfare should gain me forgiveness?
Some would call me mad even now. But
come, Tot, we are close to the inside'
My lord speaks to himself rather than to
Tot. She, for her part has no idea what he
means but she likes TO hear him talk. Her
head is getting so far away that she is afraid
of losing ii altogether; everything is get
ting far away. They go up some steps, and
every one they pass turns to look at the
ragged, white-faced child and the tall.
handsome man. Some know him and say.
when he has passed:
"Just like Casual, just like him.
Tot feels weak going up the steps, but
she says nothing. She begins to doubt
whether 1t is not all dream. She has
dreamt of policemen before-Olten; but
never of gentleman ing to her. They
walked some distance along n passage, one
| side of which Is all doors, and at last they
stop at one of them. My lord takes a kew
from his pocket, places it in a hole in the
door, gives little turn and pulls, and il
opens.
Here we are, Tot; only four steps, and
you may look at the inside ill you are wea-
ry."
A bright light comes from the open door.
Tot goes in and stands motionless, as though
suddenly turned to stone rigidly staring,
| her eyes wide open, a faint flush on her
cheek, and her chin dropped. oh what a
wonderful place So big and so bright
Brighter even, she thinks than the sun it.
self All the people are there, too she can
see their dresses of red and blue, and gold
and silver. And
"You may sit down, Tot" says my lord.
He looks at her face, and sees there intense
wonder and awe. My lord, thereat is sur
prised and pleased, yet troubled withal.
But he says gaily:
Accustomed as you probably are, Tot,