Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-06-13

blLlts
Well, I asked for Bessy Blue and
she gave me Bertha Blonde and l didn't
know twas Bertha Blonde till l got
home. Gimme here, Opal I'll go and
change it."
"You said boy had run off with
your rattle-bones. What did Mr.. Olde
say then ?" se.--.
"And Mr.. Olde said "-resuming his
rapid rec:tative-" Mr., Olde said he
said what did my rattle-bones cost and
l said twenty-five cents and he gave me
twenty-five cents and said go buy some
more-e-h-h-and [ said / wanted to
buy Opal some paper dolls too and he
said what would thatt cost and 1 said
twenty-five cents and he said all right
and he gave me twenty-five cents more
and l bought Opals paper doll. L
asked for Bessy Blue-e-h.h-and she
gave me Bertha Blonde and it was dark
and couldn't see till got most home
and couldn't go back to buy my rattle
bones cause twas too far and Mr.. Olde
said all right and I've got my quarter,
I've got him There he is p brandish-
ing his scrip aloft with a shout of exul-
tation.
"And then you came directly home
alone ?"
"No, Mr.. Olde came with me. Ard
[ went into store with him like where
you go, mamma. I have been there
with you, mamma"
"Did Mr.. Olde ask you to go in with
him?"
"No; man came out and made
him go in and me. And he gave him
some champagne and me too and 1
tasted it and did not like it and then
he gave me some more and did not
like that either and l said that wasn't
the champagne my father drinks and
he said Try him with the sherry and
did not like that either and they
laughed and then we came home and
Mr.. Olde went to the Clarendon and he
said Now you know the way home p
and said yes. Hob JUS if 1 didn't
know the way home !"
And now approaches bed time for the
Inspired idiot. Repeatedly during
dinner, when he is tired of swallowing,
has he pumped his head deep down
into the folds of his mothers dress to
rest and refresh himself for new de-
glutitory efforts. After dinner he de-
ploys on two chairs, or on the floor, it
may be, in an ecstasy of fatness. But
when he goes up to bed his spirits re-
vive. He kicks off first one shoe, then
the other, and runs race around the
room in his stockings. Then he is
moved with "reminiscences of the
marionettes, and he tells you how the
Punch or some other puppet fell from
a great height and was broken to pieces,
and then gathered himself together.
and she rose and he rose and he rose
till he had as many roses as there were
before!" He is seized also with the
spirit of prophecy, and glows with the
guns and swords and ponies that he is
speedily to become possessed of, and
which gradually mount from one of
each kind for himself to thoroughly
equipped cavalry force ready for bat
tie. "And won't my pony look funny
when he sees me coming?'
And now the outer layer of integu-
ments is caioled off, and he stands in
the deShabille of Angola, eloquent and
gesticulating, till the spirit of fun and
frolic comes upon him, and he canters
about the room once more, jumps upon
the sofa, buries himself among the pill
lows, kicks up first one little red leg
and then another, and only regrets that
the supply ceases so soon and finally
consents to have the rabbit skinned,
but with demure and watchful look
during the process, which shows that
the rabbit must be closely watched, for
he does not mean to rehabilitate him
self when he is skinned, but to take
leap and turn around the room in all
the freedom of Paradise.
And so presently the Inspired Idiot
stands all white-robcd and clean and
sweet and still, ready for the most
earnest talk about things in heaven or
earth or under the earth. His final
fancy is to give a party, to which who
shall be invited-Bertie Fletcher?
"Oh, no, mamma because he wears
a kilt and all the boys would think he
was q girl and would not play with
him p
els that so? I suppose, of course,
you will invite Stephen Stetson ?"
"No, can't have Stephie Stetson
because he is naughty boy. He
curses ana SWoarS.
"I. l., what do you mean by cursing
and swearing? What is it to swear ?'
:" 1t is I'm hushed, reverent voice
-"why, it is to say God out of your
prayers p
But the worst of it is that the In
spired Idiot is not exempt from the
evils of life; but just as painfully as
the rest of us he must pay the penalty
of natures violated laws so he moans
out of his sleep with the toothache, and
is effectua1y aroused by mighty pangs
quite out of proportion with the tiny
tooth that causes them. He has sense
enough not to increase the trouble by
trying to bear it in silence, and shrieks
and walls relieve his burdened nerves.
I never will forgive God for this"
he cries, outraged and indignant, in
the midst of his paroxysms. 81 never
aViU forgive God for this"
1t is living ana logical faith, how
ever erratic in its philosophy.
"But don't think God is to blame
for It," suggests On older and perhaps
a wiser head.
"Who is, then ?" asks I. l., opening
to a new idea.
"Little [. l., who staid out in the
cold too long and too late"
And then another pang arises, strong
er than the last, and he Aings himself
down to the foot of the bed and shouts,
Now, am mGd!"
Poor little Inspired Idiot, graphing
with feeble hands the great question of
the origin of evil, bearing with ques-
tionable fortitude the fangs of evil it.
self, little salt and soothing will lull