Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-02-04

was pacing along slowly, head bent down,
to school. 1t was only eight o'clock. Why
was Roxy so oarly2
We'll, this morning she preferred TO be
away from her mother. Sho was mad" at
both her father and mother. "Stiugy
thingsw she said, with great, angry sob.
About that time of every year, June, the
children were forbidden TO go indiscrimin-
ately any more TO the "maple sugar tub"
The sweet store would begin to lessen
alarminsly by that time, and the indulgcnt
mother would begin to economlZe.
Every day since they "made sugar."
Roxy had had the felicity Of carrying a
great, brown, irregular, tempting chunk of
maple sugar to school. She had always di-
vded with the girls generously. Her fa-
ther did not ollon give her pennies to buy
cinnamon, candy, raisins and cloves with,
so she used to "lreat' with maple sugar in
the summer, and with "bupnut meats" In
the winter, in return for the "store good
les" other girls had.
For week now she had been prohibited
the sugar-tub. This morning she had ask
ed her father for sixpence, to buy CHINA
mon. She had been refused. "Stingy
things ~ she "sobbed. They think a little
girl can live without money Just as well as
not. o, I'm so ashamed I'd like TO see
how mother would like to be invited to tea
by the neighbors, and never ask any of
them to her house. l guess she'd feel
mean But they think because am little
girl, there's no need of my being polite and
free hearted. Polly Stedman has given
me cinnamon three times, and know the
girls think I'm stngyl I'm so ashamed y
And Roxy's red cheeks and shining brown
eyes brmmod up and overllowed with
tears.
Poor little Roxy! She herself had such n
big sweet tooth! It was absolutely impos-
sible for her to refuse a piece OF stick cinna-
mon or peppermint drop. Yesterday she
had told the girls she should certainly
bring maple-sugar to-day. She meant To-,
too, even if she "took" ii. But there her
mother had stood all the morning at the
broad shelf, making pies and ginger snaps,
and the sugar-tub set under the broad shelf
There was no chance. She finally had ask
ed her mother.
"No, Roxy; the sugar will be gone in
less than month. You children cat more
sugar every year than l use in cooking.
lis wonder you have any stomachs left.
II promised the girls some," pleaded
Roxy.
promised the girls? You've fed those
girls ever since the sugar was made. OFF
with you! What do you suppose your IA
herd say?'
Roxy wouldn't have dared to tell her IA
ther. lie was a stirring, hariworking
man, that gave his family all the luxuries
and comfort, that could be "raised" on his
farm but bought few, and growled over
what he did buy, and made no store debts.
1t WAS high time, in fact, that Roxy's in-
dulgent mother should begin TO husband
the sugar.
Roxy saw there would be no chance to
take" the sugar; so she had mournfully
started of. Is it strange that so generous a
girl would have stolen if she could? Why,
children, have seen many a man do mean,
wrong, dishonest deeds, in order TO be
thought generous, and "royal good fell
low" by his own particular friends; and
Roxy would a thousand times rather have
"stolen," than TO have faced her mates emp
ty-handed this morning. She walked on
in sorrOwful meditation. She thought once
OF going back, TO see if there were eggs at
the barn-she might take them down to the
store and get candy. But she remembered
they were all brought in last night, and it
was too early for the hens TO have laid this
morning.
AS she pondered ways and means in her
little brain, a daring thought struck her.
That thought took away her breath. She
turned while and cold. Then she turned
burning red all over. Her little feet shook
under her. But my! What riches What
supply TO go tol How they would envy
herl
81 don't care-so. They needn't be so
stingy with me! And Mrs. ReuD uses so
much such things, 1 don't believe it will
ever be noticed in the account-and, any
way, irll be six months before he settles
up. Nobody will know it ill then, and
maybe-mdyJe, 1 shall lie dead by that time,
or the orld will burn up"
With these comforting reflections, Roxy
straightene1 up her sun-bonneied head,
doubled up her brown fists, and run as hard
as she could-and Roxy could outrun most
OF the boys. On she ran, past the school
house-it was not yet ocked-right on
down TO the village. She slackened up as
she struck the sidewalks. She walked
slower and slower, 10 cool her bounding
pulses and burning skin.
Still her cheeks were like two bloOd-red
roses as she walked into the cool, dark, old
stone store but for some reason, mental,
moral or physical, while her cheeks re-
mained red, her little legs and arms grew
stone cold and stif, and spots like blood
came before her eyes. and great ringing
filled her ears, as Mr.. Hampshire, the mer-
chant himself, in stead of his clerk, came 10
wait upon her. "And what will you have,
Miss Roxy-some peppermintsH"
"No, sir. If you please, Mrs. Reuben
Markham wants two pounds of raisins,
and five pounds of cinnamon; and you are
to charge II TO Mr.. Markham"
II was strange but her voice never falter-
ed after she got well begun. However, for
all that, Mr.. Hampshire stared at her.
FIvo pounds Of cinnamon, did you say,
sis9"
"Yes, sir, IT, you please" answered Roxy,
quiely, "and two pounds of raisins."
So Mr.. Hampshire went back, and
weighed ont the cinnamon and raisins, and
gave them to her. She was a little star
tied at the mighty bundle five pounds of
stick cinnamon made; but she took them
and went out, and Mr. Hampshire went
back aud charged the things 10 Mr.. Reuben
MarKham.