Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-26


cy like to conner Lucy's beaming face was
answer enough.
"Wby, Elizabeth, noticed that that wo-
man called you Bessie, and that the child
did, too. 1 would put stop 10 it,"
~ did try to make the children call me
Miss Elizabeth, but ii was Of no use. l
think myself they ought to show more re-
spect 10 a young lady who is nearly TWEEN
ty. But what else can you expect when
we live in country where everybody be-
lieves herself on an equality with her
neighbors2 This Is the Bryans. You may
ask the old Mrs. Bryan how her husband
does, If you like. But remember that the
children belong to Mrs. Bryan, Jr."
The women were much pleased 10 see
Bessie, and the children greeted her by
saying, in jovial tones: "Hallo, teacher;
we're awful glad to see you" Her invi-
tation was greeted by them with rapturous
shouts.
ave are going TO the Normans next, pa
pa. The family are Scotch-Irish, and have
but just come to this country; and they
have the quaintest expressions"
"How are you all to-day2" she asked, as
she entered the door.
"Middlin' well, thauk'ee. But Mary has
a wee bit cold"
"I am sorry to hear that
"What nice little family you have,
madam" said Mr.. Clarke, as he glanced
from the rosy group to their eldest sister,
whom he took 10 be their mother.
Eyes, surelie, there's good many of US.
Dada finds 1t hard job to get shoes for the
whole of u.s."
"Papa, papa" said Bessie, aller they had
left the house, "when will you learn to get
my people all straight You have made
some unfortunate remark at every place.
Now please don't say anything here. 1
can't trust you TO say word"
"Why, what tumble-down looking
place, child. Can any one live here7 did
not think your Browns, and Bryans, and
what not lived in style exactly. But this
place is really dreadful"
"Nancy Peters lives here with her old
grandfather"
They entered forlorn-looking room, and
saw miserable and sick-looking child,
wearily at work, seating chairs.
"Why, Nan, how tired you look. This
|
you can dine with us on anksgiving
day. All the rest of my class are coming"
The childs eyes frightened. Then her
face fell.
"Pd like TO come ever'n ever so much
but can't leave grandpa"
Couldn't we manage the old gentleman
too ?" whispered Mr.. Clarke.
mo, papa, not without inviting all the
children's relatives"
She stood perplexed for a moment; then
| brig bit idea occurred to her.
"Could not your grandfather dine at the
Normans will see that they have enough
to eat for themselves and him, too. l will
arrange it, If you think he would not OBJ
ject; for 1 am very anxious to have you at
my party, Man."
"Poor little soul, how thin she looked
said Mr.. Clarke, as they were walking
home. II declare, Bessie, you will give
pleasure to every one of those children
which they will not soon forget"
"And it will not quite spoil our day, pa
pa?" asked Bessie slyly.
Not long amer eleven o'clock, on Thanks
giving morning, six children might have
| Dech Sccu hlOu5 IhSy
lad been asked TO come at one, and thought
1t well to be in season.
"Did you ever know anybody so lovely
as Miss BessieH" asked Nancy Peters.
bessie is very nice girl" Lucy Brown
replied in patronizing tone.
"Her father is a queer man, l think"
observed Betty Bryan. "He would have it
that granny was deaf, when she Amt, no
more nor you be-"
~ wonder what kind Of lime We shall
have. First-rate, guess" observed An
ME.
at seems to me II will be like the beau
tiful garden teacher was telling us Of" said
Nan. "Where the snake lived, you know,
aud the other people who got turned out,
because they ate apples"
''I wonder if 1t will be as good as the cat
tle-show," said Katherine Norman. "Thars
the best thing I've seen in this country.
Here we arer'
"Ring the bell, Lucy"
"Can't make it CO."
"Irs one of them thingemjigs that flaps
back, amt it9'
"Guess it's broken. Let's walk In; we
won trouble Bessie to come to the door,"
In the six marched, meeting Nat in tn g
entry, who exclaimed under his breath:-
"Whew by jingo! The Poor Fry In
iantry believe in being in season, at any
rate"
"You can walk in, If you like" was his
ungracious salutation. 81 suppose you
know you have come two hours too early.
My sister will be charmed TO see you, how
ever. She is in the china closet. You had
better go in softly, so as to surprise her."
said this naughty boy, chucklng at the
thought of Besse's discontinue.
Bessie was mounted on a pair of steps,
handing china down TO damsel who stood
ready to receive it,
ia, sake, Miss Elizabeth, just look
round" observed this person, as she caught
sight Of the children.
"Here are your sweet class, my dear sis
ter" said Nat. "The ranks are complete,
you observe. Every p. f. is here on time.
That stands for pretty fellow" he ex-
planned to The wondering children.
Bessie was certain she never could have
lived through that morning If it had not
been for her father. But he came nobly to
the rescuei showed them pictures and told
them such charming lairy-tales that they
all thought him the most delightful man in
the world.
At last the dinner was ready, and the
children seated themselves at the table.
"Thaps the biggest chicken I ever see, y
whispered Katherine TO Lucy.
ia, sakes, child, that's a turkey. We
always have 'em Thanksgiving.
Sand surelie, never heard of Thanks
giving in the Ould country"