Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-03-15
che family Circle.
R0bbie'S Bet.
EI HENEIETTA ii. IIOLDiCII.

EY HENRIETTA II. HOLDiCU.
"Robbie, want you to 90 down town
and get me II pint of milk. Here is the
ptcher.'
Robbie Gray was trying to mend his
little cart, which the baby had broken
when his mother spoke. He was very
busy indeed, but lie didn't grumble or
look black. or even say, " can't | wait 4
little whiIc?" That wasn't Hobbies way
He just jumped up and said ci ecrfully:
"Oh yes, N NINA, I'll 90
Then he caught up his little cap in one
hand and the pitcher in the othcr,anl start
ed off.
He was in Il great hurry to get back to
his cart. though, so rs soon as he got out
Of the little brown gate he began to run.
1t was down hill all the way, and his yell
low curls steamed out behind rs his little
striped LEGS flew over the ground. Judge
Graham, the richest and grandc>t man in
the village, was jn>t crossing the street,
and Robbie had to wait 4 minute t, let
him pass The Judge looked at him and
smiled.
III bet You a quarter vou'Il fall down
and break that pitcher. little boy, he
said.
"Ill let You Il quarter l wont, Robbie
called back, rs he ran on
just at that minute-how did that stone
Get in the way whack went Robbie :
head against the ground, his striped Ices
flew Lp in the air. and the pitcher was six
fee; of broken into a thousand pieces
Judge Graham picked Robbie up, and
tl,n ii .4,,l ,yitI Ia
handkerchief.
"Don't cry. li,tir boy he sid :" It
hurt pretty badly. didn' ii? Be Il man.
thou.h.'
:" | won't cry for tlr hurt. sail Robbie,
struggling br:,velv with his ,car-; but
don't know how I'm ever going to pay.
The Judge thought Eohhi" meant til,
pitcher. bat Robbie was talking about til,
bet
| >'rosr oUghtnt to has" hcttrl.
: thought poor Robbie, rs hr walked sadly
home: " but did. ana TOW I've rot lo
pay. Honest Men always pay tlIrir debts
Papa always did. for mamma has often
told me 50. AMI tlnl wa the reason pco-
PIE AWAY, Thought SO much of linn, if he
was poor. Everybody respected him,
mamma saws and She tells me to be lik,
MN; ana can uilIt>> pay NY d'''t>.
mu>n tell mamma about II. that's sUlr.
or she Il 90 and pay il. and She hasn't got
any more than On ugh Tor her ana baby
and me now.
/ Robbie looked quite sad when he got
nome. Mamma Thought it WIS the broken
pitcher that Wcl@hcd upon ms mind. ;,no
tried 10 comfort HIM. but E"bbI" was
turning over plans IN rs curly head. lie
couldn't think OF anything lie could &c
that would be worth twenty five cents t'
anybody but his mamma. and 81" couldn /
afford /" pay.
/ Life was Il pretty hard aiiaIr IN the IlitI,
brown house on III" hlIl. Robbie papa
had died only Wear before, leaving his
widow scarcely anything bu; an honest
name and the cottage IN winch She lINcd
tiny, toul-roomed affair. Int her own
/ She had To Wolk hard t" keep the black
wof famine from her door: but, :" far
She had done II; and. II they dld not liz,
luNuri"u>lv nor dress richly, at least
they were always neat and romioltahl"
But now times began t" crow harder
Some OF the widow best customer,
moved away; others found that they coul,
buy ready-madc clothes at Il less price
than She could afford t" make them for
SO 1t grew worse and worse, and Mrs
Gray heart often failed rs She found how
her earnings fell oh and thought of the
( long, cold winter that was coming t
last.
Robbie knew all about it. and If he Wa:
not saddle ned by It, rs his mott her was. l
was only because lie WAS Il clI1ld. with ;
chlld's light. careless heart. He did all he
could to help though; took care of th'
baby and ran on trrand> and picked NJ
chips, and everything else that boy 81,
years old could do. But Robbie lac
money troubles Of his own, now. Won see
and he felt that his good name WAS ut stake
the name that his father had home :,
honestly before him; and poor Robbie!
heart grew sad and heavy rs he though
about IT.
Robbie had one treasure, which h" wore
on 4 little silk cord around his neck. |
was gold dollar. and Robbie had worl
it for a year, because almost the last thin:
papa had done was to bore a hole in it ant
hang it around his little boys neck. laugh
ing rs he did so, and saying:
"Thcre my boy, if YOU are not hi.
enough for pockets yet. YOU Shall have
pocket-piecc all She same
Then he had gone away to his work
among the great whirrin" machines in th'
factory, where he was ovcrseer; and two
| hours afterward All that was LETT of Rob
bic papa was brought home to his widow
and orphans.
Robbie never could forgot that day. an,
the gold piece WAS :; sacred relic TO him
He had never even thought of it rs money
until one day. when he was hroodin~ ovcl
his troubles. an idea flashed into his mind
He did not slopto consult anybody, he wa
too much afraid his courage would ooz'
out before he had done what he had to do
He Just seized his little capand trottcd off