National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-01-23
Cheswick, shortly; "uy brother will
occupy that"
Mrs. Hopkins opened ber eyes.
"But where will Master Willie

occupy that"
Mrs. Hopkins opened ber eyes.
"But where will Master Will
sleep ?"
"Oh, anywhere. Put him in tia
corner back room, in the third story.
But, ma'am, that chimney smokes
and there's no carpet on the floor
Hugh, the groom, used to sleep there.
"Nonsense-there's no necessity 70
q carpet, and what does child like tina
need of a fire ?"
Indeed, ma'am," said Hopkins
anxiously; II couldn't reconcile it h
my duty to master"
Mrs. Cheswick's eyes sparkled bale
fully.
"You arc discharged" she said
drawing out her purse. ~ tolerate nj
servants in this house, who presume t.
oppose my will"
And so poor Willie lost his one faith
full friend.
The evening Of Mrs. Cheswick's frs
ball proved brilliant success. Tht
elegant rooms were throngsd-music
flowers, and refreshments were alike
superb. The house was crowded with
gay guests, and Cecile, in her heavy
white silk, point lace, and diamonds,
looked fair as Circassian queen.
But almost before the first arrival
was announced, Willie was seized upon
by Lisette.
:" "Come, leetle boy" she said, "it is
de hour dat you should go to ze bed"
"Can't Willie stay up ?" coaxed the
child. "Papa always let Willie stay
and see the people, and hear the music
Please, Lisette, pleased"
But Lisette was merciless, and the
sobbing child was speedily tucked up
in bed, in the dismal "corner back
room," with the yawning chasm of a
chimney, and the bleak, uncurtained
windows.
"Oh, Lisette," walled the child, cit
is so cold, and Willie's throat does
ache So"
"You are one bad boy" said the
Frenchwoman, threateningly; "you
are always of complain"
Don't go and leave Willie all alone,
Lisette," pleaded the little fellow,
through his tears. Willie SO 'fraid of
the dark and the cold p
But Mademoiselle Lisette was pining
for the more appropriate sphere of the
lighted dressing-rooms and perfumed
stair-cases, and she was in hurry to ad-
Just her ribbons and join the other at
so, extinguishing the gas,
she artfully disappeared under cover of
,he thick darkness.
Lisette p called Willie, in voice
checked by terror. "Lisette T.
But there was no answer, only the
whistle of the wind down the chimney.
The child covered his head with the
while the cold drops oozed
,ut of his baby brow. To him every
orner of the room was instinct with
life and ghostly shadows, and
lis little heart seemed to stand still
within his breast.
Suddenly burst of gay music from
he sonorous wind instruments below
ounded like reassuring p@an. Willie
rept out of bed, scudding down the
tairs in his little white njght-robe like
hare.
"Mamma mammal
For it was Mrs. Cbesw1ck whom he
mounted, coming up to her room for
jeweled cassolette she had forgotten.
"Willie," she said, frowning, ego
ack this instant p
"Willie's fear of the goblins was even
reater than his dread of his step-moth-
r; he clung convulsively to the folds
f her glistening robes.
"Me so 'fraid, mamma, me so 'fraid ~
With an angry "Pshaw !" Mrs. Ches-
,ick seized the child's arm, and hur-
led him up stairs once more.
"There," she uttered, sternly, ego
, your bed and stay there. I'll teach
on to make such scene as this again"
She pushed him roughly into the
oom, and closing the door, locked it,
nd dropped the key into her pocket.
"He will be safe now, the little
lague !" she muttered. "Lisette is
20 useful in the dressing-rooms to be
pared, and there is no other way of
lencing his noise.
Willie, too much terrified even to
ob, crept shivering in between the
allied sheets of his bed, and presently
ept himself noislessly into fevered
,rt of slumber,
When he awoke again, two or three
ours later, it was to the presence of
rim Death.
How little they reckoned, those gay
ancers underneath, that up in the soli-
lde and silence of the starless winter
ght, little, lonely creature was
ruggling in the mortal agonies of the
sstroyer, Group!
At about one o'clock, slight hustle
the door announced new and unex-
,cted arrival. Cecile glided gracefully
rward, then stopped short, in sur
Use.
Richmond !" she cried, as her eyes
II on her husbands face.
Myself, darling. I thought I would
We you surprise" :"
He greeted her with a tender caress,
en- smilingly turned to receive the
slcomes of the guests, who crowded
ound him.
"And now I must run up stairs and
Q the boy an instant" (
Cecile turned scarlet, and then very
lie.
ell will send for him to be brought
you, Richmond"
"No; there is no use in disturbing {
m. I can kiss the dear boy in his
sep." T.,
He was turning away, when Cecile
id her trembling hand on his arm, to
eek him.
&" He is not in his usual room, Rich
ond," she faltered. Q
"No? Where is he, then? and why
We You changed his sleeping apart
snt ?"
" He is in the back room of the third t
Dry" q
" The back room of the third story!" g
Mr.. Cheswick's brow involuntarily !
with sternness which Cecile
d never before seen there-she trem- /
Al ~,ok ,,,oro ,