Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-10-27
What Myrtle Learned by the Fountain.

Beware Of this wolf little children, bewarcl
What Myrtle Learned by the Fountain.
always filing ones pitcher, and always
finding it empty-that seems TO be all there
Is left Of life"
Myrtle Austen set her pitcher down with
bang that would have broken its heart,
If the soft, green grass had not held up ten
der hands to save it. In a moment Myrtle
was ashamed of her impatient temperi yet
as she picked up the pitcher with one hand,
she brushed away the hot tears with the
other, and stood listening to the soft gurgle
Of the water, as she kept saying, softly, So
much to learn, if one only had time such n
great wide world to know, If one only could
get out into it,"
1t had been hard morning in the little
cottage Myrtle called her home. Mother
was worried and unhappy over batch of
obstinate bread that refused TO rise as it
ought TO do; Davie had walked over the
clean floor with muddy feet, as he gathered
his fish lines aud bait from their hooks and
corners Sue had stumbled over a pot Of
geranium slips Myrtle had been watching a
month; aud the baby
Well, il a baby chooses to behave aggra-
vatingly, it can succeed in a most wonderful
manner lie had pulled Myrties hair to
begin with. Then he had crept to the corner
of the cloth hanging over the break fast
table and dragged at it until cup had come
over, aud others nearly followed, a few grains
of salt had got in his eyes, and goblet of
water had wet ms clean dress.
Kitty Give had walked by with roll Of
music in her hand, on her way to her music
lesson, and, SO doing, looked like such happy
girl to the watching eyes Of her friend Myr-
tie, who only sangas the birds did, and might
never learn q note on the piano.
So when Myrtle found herself in the cool,
green nook by the pleasant fountain she re.
solved to stay there long time, and grum.
hled softly in this wise
won't 20 home in an hour. Then no.
body can call Myrtle Myrtle = every min.
ute, and they can get along somehow. Sue
can look after the baby, aud mother will
contrive some other way if | don't do this
and that, and the other. | wish were a
bird don't /, though ? Nothing to do but
fly, aud sing, and prink, and have a good
time. ! wish | were Kitty Give, and could
have ON blue muslin, and be going to take
my musicesson, instead of filling the tea
kettle. Oh dear r'
Myrtes face had puckered itself into an
| ugly pout, that would have been funny if it
had not been so wicked and mnkind. as She
sat down to enjoy her new plan, leaning her
head against the green bank and looking up
at the bit Of blue sky glinmerng in between
the branches
All at once it seemed to her that little
bit OF an old woman, in Il green cloak and
red cap, hoped along the wall toward her,
and in a queer little voice, kept saying:
Better 90 home better 90 home - and
plucked at her apron until she ran, and fol
lowed her through great nodding ferns and
tree-hranches She did not remember the
way at ALL but little Red-lIood hoped on
before her, and whenever she stopped, ohrped
louder than ever
Better 90 home better 60 homel"
At last they came out Of wooded path
and found themselves close 10y Mrytie's owr
door. 1t looked very lonely there. Their,
was nothing to be seen of Sue or Davie OF
the doorsteps, and there was no sound any
whore it was strangely still
In the old kitchen fireplace the ashes
were cold on the hearth. In the upper room.
the beds were made quite smoothly, but nc
living thing was seen. The baby's cradle
was empty, and tiger.lily she had TIED
above the baby's head was swinging dry anC
dusty.
She called softly to one and another
:" Mother Susie Daviel" But there wa,
no answer, and she grew frightened at the
stiffness.
Red Hood hoped about the room awhile
and finally drew Myrties attention to the
big Bible lying open at the family record.
Aud there, in great black letters were
the names of all she loved, beneath the head
ing of deaths Mother. Susie, Davie
Baby and all.
And then there came quick remembrance,
of the tender mother-loye that had sinoothed
tho rough places for her daughters feet
toiling on 80 patiently day after day to make
the little home happy place of Davie''
sturdy, loving arms about her neck, and hi,
brown eyes shining like great stars of Su
sizes timd, quiet voice aud loving ways; OF
baby's shout and crow of welcome, that she
must miss forever. And, over all, the dread
full sorrow that she had parted from them IN
anger and now she could never say how
sorry and ashamed she had grown. Gone--
all gone And then she grew so frightened
and distressed that she gave one great cry
sob, mother mother come back for one
moment-only one" But the cry seemed
to die in her throat, and become a sob
Then the house seemed to totter and rec
about her
And Myrtle woke
For all this was only a dream. Myrtit
looked about vainly for little old woman
and could not find her anywhere. A brown
clipper was hopping about in the tree
branches above her head, and the fountain
was gurgling the same old song.
Very thankfully did the maiden fill hel
| pitcher and turn homeward after her dole