Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-01-23

| evening service because her shawl was so
shabby. Lotto slid her hand into the
| pocket where lay her little purse, but drew
| IL back again, telling herself that she could
not possibly go to visit Charlio's friends
meanly dressed and when the youngest
| child climbed on her knee and frankly ask
ed what she was going TO bring him for a
| Christmas present, lie was set down again
and so sharply told not TO tease that Mrs.
Warde's mild eyes were raised in surprise
II beg pardon, mother" said her daugh-
ter, coloring under the reproof tho look
conveyed. 81 am afraid am rather stu
| pid this evening. What were you saying
about Robert ?-he is elected pupil teacher
at his school. OF course he isl know he
| would be he has worked so hard for it,
dear, good boyV and she ran across the
room to kiss the studious lad, who warmly
returned her caresses.
"Then you're glad of 1t, Lotte. Scam 1;
only think mothers bothered a bit about
the books l shall want"
| 'Wll they cost much 2" asked his sis
| ter.
| "Well, dear, II seems much to persons Of
| our limited income" Mrs. Warde replied.
"And he must have a new suit OF clothes.
But hope 10 manage 1t without running
into debt, If you can help me a little"
| Lottie did not speak, and her mother
thoughtrully added, "The girls will have
to do without their new hats as promised
them, and baby's pelissc must last anolh-
er winter; and"
But here her daughter stopped her by
| pettishly saying, "Oh, mother pray don't
| tell US Of any more wants they seem end
less. How miserable it is to be so poor /;
| how sick of contrivances and makeshifts
| you must be. l know l am. And some
how the children always seem 10 need most
when one has least to sparc.'
81 did not know that you were in that
| predcament, dear, or l would not have
spoken so plainly" Mrs. warde replied /;
"but don't let it worry you," she added
with cheerful air, that cnVo-ed il multi
inda "T anAiuus thoughts; we shall man
age very well, dare say"
Louic went away with her money still
| in her pocket, but with load a, her heart
half shane, half selfish ILL -humor-which
was not lessened by standing at the mer-
GERS window another half hour before she
went back to Sir Johns. While her gaze
was fixed on the silk, her rebellious spirit
was murmuring at the difficulties of her
position. 1t was 50 hard that she should
always be hamperel with the home cares.
Other young people could spend their sala-
ries on themselves, while her purse had
such constant calls upon it that !here was
nothing len for herself And mother was
not thoughtful FOR her; she never seemed
to remember that n girl of her age would
naturally wish to be smart, especially when
she visited persons in better circumstances
than herself.
Miss Dayton wanted some trne brought
from her own room that evening, and Lot
tie had executed her commission and was
retreating, when the voice of Sir John, who
was reading the evening paper arrested
her. "Dear me p! how sad these cases are ;
one never knows who to trust. Listen 10
this, Le:itia: 'The confidential clerk of
G.-,iIL-s.. n.--aI.s-s ~L.ssa.lsd I--I ..IeLI.
His employers had had their suspicious
aroused hy some circumstance or other,
and had hnted an intention Of looking in
TO his accounts. As soon As he learned
this lie made business in tho country pre-
tense for his flight, aud it is supposed that
he is on his way to America
To Lotles strained ears every WORD of
this was horribly audible, and the next
minute She was running down stairs, put
ting on her hat and shawl as she went.
ali I am asked for" she gasped to the
wondering housekeeper, "say that l am i'll
that l have gone TO my mother; but
! don't stop NEEDN'T question me, or
shall die"
Bot ii was TO the home OF Austin Craw-
ley, fellow clerk of Charles she irst took
her way. She would not give up all hope
till she had seen him, and heard his lips
confirm the dreadful tale and as she went
along she tried to comfort herself in re-
peating, st cannot be Charlie Morrison a
defaulter, a fugitive from justic, 1t is i'm
possblew
Mrs. Crawley herself answered Lotties
Knock, and her smiling cheerful face made
The girl ielt her own misery grow sharper.
mo, Austin had not returned from the
city yet, she said. would not Lottie
come in and walt for him? She was quite
alone, for Mr.. Crawley had been at Smith
son'sall day, taking the place (she believ-
ed) oi Charle Morrison, whose absence
seemed 10 nave put the hrm very much out
OF their way. There was nothing amiss,
was thereY' she added, as she took clos
or survey oi her visitors face.
but her question remained unanswered,
Tor Lottie was already hurrying away. The
last Iaiht nope that the report was dread
iul mistake mad perlshed before Mrs. Craw-
ieys placid utterances' Austin, the gay
ana careless whose spendlhrllt habits had
oiten dlspleased his parents had preserved
| his luteLrltN While Charlie MORRISON, the