Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-12-29
" Worked aud Won."

ttriSelud htlScldd
Here mother and the crooked
thumbt-l old book was slipped away in
nook as the bare feet sprang forward to obey
the summons
Il gave you work, and mistake il you
have touched it yet
1t is done, mother
Done Then why have YOU not been
back again? It is for me to bake and brew
aud mind the child, while you take rest
Ciriselda slipped in through the door, and
stopped on one knee, to hold the crying
"child to her breast, and to kiss his wet
cheeks
Julie will learn it best, after all, ex
pect," was running through her mind, as
She fastened wheels to the mite Of coach
IN make it GO" and played express un-
iii the child rolled over and over, humping
hi. head ia his unguarled delight.
Where are your thoughts wool-gather-
ing now. that the child must batter the
flporf"
She lifted him, laughter aud tears chasing
each other over his face, and tried to forget
that Julie and the rest were probably at
that moment tugging away at the task
which was set for the prize, and tried to
forget the little hard ruts that made trying
and rough the path OF her life.
Rocking backward and forward on the
riekety chair, humming a snatch of a gay
little tune, the child's chubby arms around
her neck. she found him after while fast
asleep. aud. after seeing him snugly tucked
! in his crade-bed, she skipped along the pas
sage, the first lines OF the prize task upon
/ her lips, and the hope coming up in her
/ heart that maybe after all, she might win.
Is it sleep that you want, that you go to
/ the attic p
The eyes fell, and the feet stood still be-
fore the glance Of the mother with her brisk
air aud her keen eye.
School in the mornings aud idleness in
/ the afternoon There is no time for idle
ness to-day. Scour the hearth and polish
! the knives, aud bring water from the well.
Grisella only laid her hand on her little
panting heart aud turned, sadly enough, to
Z polish auI scour instead of poring over til,
crouked-thumbed book in the attic corner.
." ! will do them well and quickly she
thought to herself There is something
left Of the sunlight Yet" And her finger
polish Il and polished and secured, and th'
pump-handle hriskly flew up and down. S'
Griselda was done, and she tripped softly t.
the top of the house, and was soon lost owe
the crumped old book.
Gliseldal Griselda" shrily echoed ul
the stairway.
=, never. never can do it Nobody care
il lose or win oh, it is sad when nobod
cares" This she half said, halt thought {
herself, as she ran down the stairs ! vii
manage it somehow, line at time"
idle, idle, worthless child bring fac
gots and mend the fire take up the ashes
The hearth secured and the ashes untouched
and have YOU busted today 2"
Griselda ran for the faggots and mende
r the fire, and swept the ashes bare and clear
= and peeped in each corner to find the dus
r line after line Of the musical rhyme passir
through her mind like the notes of a SOM
e And as she stood with her duster in I'll
D middle of the floor she thought will wor
G and study aud win; the words are beautifI
: enough 10 learn without prize"
1 SO all that day and the next and the mex
= the mother fretted and scOlded, and the chill
3. slept and woke and slept again, and Gri
!, elda studied line at time in the cd
i minutes, Que by one
In another house a block away, Jul
=, Stevens rocked backward and forward
,, her pretty damask chair.
e 81 am tired" she said, holding her pap
e doll at arm s.length over her head.
Z" Are you ready for the examinations al
y the prize 2
is "No, Merton stevens, you know amnot
It How should know 2"
r You just know we'll enough have n
% begun yet"
le Somebody's going to miss it them"
e, No, somebody is not. Clara's away al
ir Meta is sick, and there is nobody else in t
Ia class that does much but that odd-looki
girl with mean clothes"
.d Maybe the odd girl will get it,"
at Merton Stevens please talk OF sou
N, thing you know better about. She learns
50 know, but do YOU really think Miss Douglo
" would give a prize 10 bare-footed girl 2
As "ls the prize to be for fine clothes p
Julie, too indignant to answer, opened
he book, with an injured manner, and il Mert
in had not been making kite with wonder
bobs, aud the paper doll had not been
tempting, aud il she had not been so sure
Miss Douglass good will-so sure OF
prize-she might have made headway mu
20 faster and better
ye But the day came when parents aud el
az dren gathered in the school-house, and 10
hv mothers looked tenderly on their little 81
~ as the questions went around and the less
ha were heard. Griselda, as she stood in
IN. brown frocb among the gay dresses arou
in and with downcast eyes and tremulous
nv said her part well, thought how pleasan
ne would be to have some one 10 care |
en feet in her answers, perfect in the mus
st rhyme over which she had studied in
all snatches of time, littlo Griselda trembled
,or she stepped aside from her class, and cou
he sled her thanks for the beautiful prize.
10 4" shall hate her." whispered Julie, ct
,at dreadful Griselda"
,ys (" No, no." whispered a tiny girl at