Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-10
From Under Foot.

tage itself was almost hemmed in by the
tall slender naples, whose shadows
seemed bound to protect 1t frsm the 100
ardent chances of the sun.
The open windows, the white curtains
futtering airily in the breeze, and the
straw mating on the floor, would nave
been refreshing to any one but the weary.
woman who drew her chair TO one OF
the windows. Young and pretty she
was. but for the cloud upon her lace,
and the tired look in her eye.
With a rapid movement the light work
table was wheeled up before her char,
and she sat down, her discomfort tlndlng
vent in words as she turned over the ar
ticles of clothing to be mended.
RATES. best linen blouse, torn at the
shoulder. she remembered, in the wild
romn with the MAY children the Satur
day afternoon previous. Effie's dress,
the white cambria, which had been
bought and made by her grandmother,
had a rent in one of the ftounces. The
child was certain it had lust come
there. and had cried herself to sleep
about it for Effie was a careful little
thing, and thoughtful far beyond her
wears but her sorrow did not mend the
dress nor calm her mothers dlspleasure.
Then came the mythical last straw
which broke the canels back-the over
skirt of her own best muslin woefully
torn by the clinging fingers OF Robbie;
Poor little Robbie who had clamored
for tates till he grew tired, and only
meant to enforce his argument the least
BIT in the world. succeeding in getting a
slap on the little fat fingers, which quite
took away his relish for the cake which
came tardily.
.sNothing but mending, week in and
week out" she said to her husband,
who had stopped by the window with
glass of fresh water And it never
will be any better till the children are
from under foot. | am heartily tired
of it all"
:. From under foot. Poor little ne'er-
do-weel! You mean by that, when they
| have laid aside the baby ways which de-
light US so, and in common parlance, are
| grown up.
cit is easy for you to jest who have
so little real care for them, she re-
marked acridly. i" But the Utopia, to
which look with longing eyes is when
the children are from under foot.
There was a show ofresentment in her
manner, and the needle snapped through
! the sheer folds of the muslin with
! swiftnes astonishing to behold.
Yarnell walked away slowly, hall re-
! GREETING the fate which had so changed
! the sweet bride he had won to the i'm
patient woman mending by the win
dow.
q Where's Robbie, mamma ," and Eff
fie's anxious little face peered in at the
kitchen door.
q don't know. With your papa,
! likely" And the needle few faster
| after the interruption, while she won
| dered in a vague way if Robbie had fall
| len asleep behind a " shock Of wheat.
- Is the baby with you, mother 1t
was Rafe this time, and his brown eyes
were darting here and there in fruitiess
! search for Robbie's busy fingers were
not delving in the work basket for stray
| spools, and every toy and book was in
| its proper place on the table and what
not the lounge was smooth, andthe
/ chintz- cover alarmingly straight.
Z" He is not here. / think your father
| took him out to the rye field"
- | have been out in the field all the
afternoon, and have not seen Robbie
since dinner There was a quaver in
Rates voice that struck a fear TO her
heart, and it was the anxious mother who
laid her work aside hastily, but the inn
patience had given place TO a deeper
feeling Robbie was but an unreasOn-
ing baby at best, and there was no con
| lecture as to the mischief he might be in,
or the harm he might be exposed to.
Quick eyes searched the house; every
thing was in its place; and not vestige
of Robbie. The hobby-horse was stand
ing disconsolately in tie spot where he
had left it yesterday. In the kitchen,
on the door step, lay his little straw hat,
guarding. as it were, half eaten cake
The mothers anxiety was at its height
when Yarnell came up from the field.
- Robbie is not III the house. Do you
know anything about him
- Let US hope he Is from under foot,
if only for an hour" he replied cruelty
not less than human, though, for her
fretful words were vet fresh il her men,
DRY. His carelessness was born of IA
tigue, and he repented the next moment:
her white face and anxious eyes touched
him. and he continued I'm sorry /
said that, Mary. Never mind 90 in the
house. / will find him and bring him
in
But remembering the garden swing.
she was half way down the path before
he had finished his speaking. There was
delicate impress of a chubby barefoot
in the rich soil of the cabbage bed
leaves of the vegetables and blades of
onions were lying in a cluster on the
edge of the walk. He had evidently
been trying his skill at boquet making
and Robbie's taste was not the most
dainty; everything that grew fresh and
dewey was to him ''posies, free for the
plucking, from the flaming dandelion and
dog-fennel, to Elites pet pinks and sweet (
yiolets.
But the swing hung straight between 4
the two great pear trees, and bore no (
little Robbie
"Oh the baby Where is he she |
thought
The orchard. the barn. and then the /
fields were searched. No Robbie in the /
neighboring thicKet, no less fearless /
climber on the hay NOV, no chubby fin 4
gers hunting for strawberries in the /
meadows, from whence all the berries 1
had disappeared fortnight ago.
Two or three neighbOrs passing by I
Joined in the search, and as the anxiety 4
grew upon them, still others came. till /
at length almost all the settlers there 1
abouts had gathered there.
Effie and Rafe were brought to the 4
house from the field, sobbing and almost I
heart-broken. where they Were kept bv I
an old lady who had come TO console /
Mrs. Yarnell. But she would not be 1
consoled, and wandering on-on-almost |
distracted, seeking for her baby.
The search was extended to the woods. 4
torches lit up the dim arcades when the /
evening sank into the night, but the |
lights that fell brightly over the delicate 1
fern and bending brake discovered to the 4
watchful eyes no little baby form, and
the slumbering echoes of the forest woke /
and died away, and no answer came to
their repeated calls.
The moon hung pale and faint against
the horizon, and dawn was coming rosi-
ly in the east when they sought their
homes for a brief respite, ere commcnc-
ing the search anew.
If WAC no iTopatiapt ,,,n4ha- ,..,,