Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-09-10


superannusted chest of drawers, spin
ning-wheel, cobwebs. Years and years
ago, tramp had been taken in at the door,
in a fainting condition. He lay all day in
stupor, on the settee where they had placed
him and, moved with pity, and in some
slight CONSERVATION as to what was to be-
come of him, and of themselves, too, If this
state continued, the household did what
they could for him. Just before dark he
began TO murmur broken jargou of Eng
lish and foreign tongues, and took his lit
tie black fiddle from his side, and gave II
TO Mr.. Brooks with as impressive an air az
if he bestowed kingdom, the children
looking on, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
Then he died, and was buried and nobody
ever knew anything further about him
and the children twanged the fiddle while
and at last it was hung up in the garrett
and there had been the end of it.
The little fiddle hung forgotten on its
nail but the children grew in strength and
beauty every day, and made the house
nearly as lively as the ark must have been
in all the forty days before it rested on
Ararat Sometimes the little fiddle vibrat-
ed TO their laughter, and gave it faint
echo from its hollow breast, but that was
all the share 1t had in ii. What cheerful
group they were, Belle and Jessie and
Fred and Frank. and the twins lwavs ROLL
inp over each other. and chucklino as If
that were the freshest Joke in the worldl
They were inst as cbeerlul when n dozen
dozen wears had passed. and the children
were becoming men and women. childish
boisterousness was Incoming hich-bred
Uavetv and the snecal talent was develon-
ed that belonged to each of them. But the
general talent of that family was for charity.
They had genius for it-a genius. AS Mr..
Brooks's neiobbors used TO saw. for turn
ing themselves out of doors in order TO let
somebody else in; n little house. but the
largest Won ever knew for IL held The most
-bosnitable IN rich and NOR tho wavrarer
never leaving IL nnrefresbed the sntferer
uncomfor,ed
Yet the means IN do so much were Int
limited Mr.. Brooks had Int n small in.
como NTrs prooLs ronpd n rocessory IN
copnt every nepnv twice over IN turn and
niace and remake and never to wasie a
crr,oh pn, ,,ho,, Tho, ,yos oil doro ,horo
was alwavs somethino lef, for The widnv
opd fafb opd tho ,nOp,apf tbaro uyaS
onv,hino 70 do oitbor for Moth s,root or
the Five Points or Rorrioboola Mrs
Rroolss,s door was Tho ono fret rsnned at
And what a vivid interest II was that was
tatep tbronohon, Tho, house IN every coso
,t,ot oon,o,S e., ,I,, H., H., a. ,;,,Io
briobt beods could clrs,er to,o,hor Tho ill.,
tie finoers hold a need,e tho Iiiile laos RIM
an errand,, Won coD,d never 600 a nre,,ier
sicbt than those bright heads tbose glow
inc faces ,bose n;,yjpo eves CIV bnncb
of blossoms.n Mr.. Rrooks used to call
tben, and sav ,bev oovo their honey N
everv bee that vaoabondized abont them
And nv and bv when Relic was IA and
Jossie inst tprnino IA and the rest coming
ON. This same svmpathv with all suffering
was as active as of old and Jessie,s lovely
face scanned every dav. TO grow Iovelier
with the melting tenderness she felt 10
every one that needed gentle word or deed
and when sbe SANG her songs in the even
inc tbe trait scanned somehow IN have
stra ined itself through the rich. sweet tones
of her voice. and TO make the hearers
heart resnond 10 its toucb and ALWAYS fill
his ewes with tears.
"Our Jessie" the father used to saw,
sought TO have different instruction with
that voice, If YOU hadn't been such a
Sandemanian. wife. all YOUR life. we should
have laid bv enough to send her TO italy
and have her voice cultivated as it should
be-"
swell. dear. would Won throw awav all
your pleasant memories of pain relieved
and all the benefit it has wrought the child
ren's characters. and take il out in music2',
his wife would ask ct sbonld like to have
Jessie,s voice attended TO but bless Won.
II MIGHT do her more harm Than good"
"Harm ~ said Relic once "a thew talked
n over
Yes dear. we all have our vaniiies
and 10 nnrse one,s nride-"
ooh. mamma. but to stand IN and lift a
tbousand neon,e on vour VOICE az n II were
for ,ben. Thipt NJ ,boii of Tho deliobt
sbe could give so many. and then of The
fortune she could make and the things she
could do, MO ,vorId have thot ohiIdron,.
bosn;ta, and
"verv true - sighed Mrs. Brooks.
"verv trnon siobed her husband "It
wouId take fifteen hundred dollars TO send
Jessie IN ItaIv Che would be loo old N
have II do her voice anv GOOD nv the lime
Icopld oct 90 ,nuch ,oSa,6ern
,And inst ,haro o.no in Tho r,ir;s,or,s
,viGa ~ GOO .hou, ,,a oonoor, .ha NOS oa,-
tine nm for ihe henost Of ,ha moor De Mar
r,ce c,,;,dror ,,,,,osa r,oro,,a Io,o,,, orr,ar,
ist and sonrano in The lille cburch-were
Ios, q, ~ no.,.o,o, -, III; -. A.. Ir.e
W "
" Soo PuiPo'e' Nv "n'0u 'on0el' ooasie