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

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aud II was so nice to bc able 10 make every
body pleased aud grateful Both the day
Of judgment and the dying day were put
afar ofr-at least six months of.
Meanwhile, during the forenoon, Mr..
Hampshire kept referring to the idea that
any one could want five pounds OF cinna-
mon at one time. still, little Roxy was
Mrs. Reub Markham's next neighbor, and
it was perfectly probable that she should
send by her.
Some tune in the afternoon Mr.. Reuben
Markham came down to the store. He
was a wealthy man, jolly, but quick tom
percd. Mr.. Hampshire and he were on
excellent terms. GLOW are you, Mark.
ham2 and what's your wife baking to-
day?"
"My wife bIking?"
"Yes. l concluded YOU were going to
have something extra spicy. Five pounds
of cinnamon looks rather suspicious. Miss
Janet is not going to step Oils she ?"
"Tm not in that young PERSONS conf
dence. l should say not, however. But
what do you mean by your five pounds of
cinnamon?"
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in here this morning, and said Mrs. Mark
ham sent for five pounds of cinnamon and
two of rasins."
"Mrs. Gildersleevc's girl? / know Mrs.
Markham never sent for no such things
She knew was coming down myself this
afternoon"
lie followed Mr.. Hampshire down the
store to the desk. There ii wa, in the day
book
To pounds Of cinnamon, 80 cite. s2.OO
To two pounds Of rAiins (layorl 20 cts. 40
That Mr. Raub Markham swore, must
also be set down against him. lie drove
hom6 n-0a red rage. Through the open
school house door, little Roxy Gildersleeve
saw him pass bat her merry young heart
BODIED no III. Her mouth was tingling
pungont!y with the fnc'cinnamon, and in
her pocket yet were eight moist, fat, sug-
AIRY raisins, to be slipped in her mouth one
by one, four during the geography lesson,
and iour during the spelling lesson.
As i. happened, Mr.. Gildersleevo was
cuitivatiug sorn in field that fronted the
highway. lie aud his weathier neighbor
were not on the best of terms. \ line
fence and an uuruly OK had made trouble.
Mr.. Gilderseeve had sued Mr.. Markham,
and beat him and Mr.. Gildetsleeve didn't
take any pains now 10 look up as he saw
who was coming.
But Mr.. Markham drew up his horses.
"Hello, Gildersleevcr
"Hello yourself, Mr.. Markhamr'
81 say, what you sending your young
uns down TO the store after things and
charging them TO me for? Mighty credta-
BILE that, Tom Gldersleever'
Getting things and charging them to
you I" Gildcrsleeve stopped his horse.
"What do you mean, Markham"
You better 20 down and ask IIamp-
shire. If you don't you may get it ex-
planned in a way you don't fancy"
lie whipped up his horses aud drove off,
leaving Mir. Gildcrsleeve standing there,
gazing after him as if he had lost his senses.
Amer a moment he unhilched his horse
from the culliyator, rnoanted him, and rode
oil toward our village.
School was cut. Roxy had reached home.
She was setting the table, and whstling
like blackbird. Things had gone 50 hap
PLY at school! Everything was so neat,
and pleasant, and cozy at home! She saw
her father ride into the yard, aud 60 10 the
barn. She whstled on.
She sat in the big rocking chair, stoning
cherries, and smelling the rcses by the win
dow, when he came into the kitchen.
"Where's Roxy?' she heard him ask.
"In the other room, guess" said moth
| er.
lie came in where she was. She looked
up; and her little stained hands fell back
into the pan. She knew the day Of judg-
meut had come. o she wished it was that
other day, the day of DEATH instead! Her
mouth dropped open, The room turned
dark.
Mr.. Gidersleeve sank down on a chair.
His child's face was too much for hiai. He
groaned aloud. "That one of my children
should ever be talked about as thief!
What possessed you, RoAyT
Roxy sat before him trembling. Not at
the prospect OF punishment. But she saw
her fathers eyes filling up with tears.
Don't, father" she said hurriedly, try
ing not TO cry. "rve only eaten a little,
and will carry it all back. II you will
pay for what is gone, I'll sell berries or
something, and pay you back the money.
Mr.. Hampshire is a good man he won't
tell, father, if you ask him not"
"You poor, ignorant child!
He got up and went out, shutting the
door after him. Not one word of punish
ment; but he leil Roxy trembling with
strange terror. She shook with PRESENT.
ment of some uncomfortable public disgrace.
Setting down the pan OF cherries, she crept
TO the door. She heard her fathers voice,
her mothers sharp eXclamatiOns. Then
her father said "To think Our girl should
sin in such high-handed way! Mother,
I'd rather havo laid her in the grave any
day That hot-headed Markham will not
rest until he's published ii from Dan TO
Beersheba. She's only child, but this
thing will stick TO hor as long as she lives"
Her mother sobbed: "Our poor Roxy |
Tom, If the school children get hold of it,
she will never go another day. The child
is so sensitvei don't know how TO pun
ish her as 1 ought. 1 can only think how
10 save her from what is before her,"
o, how Roxy, standing at the key-hole,
trembled TO see her mother lean her head
on her fathers shoulder and sob, and to
see tears on her fathers cheeks o, what
a wicked, wicked girl 1t was thieving;
in some way ii was oven worse than that |;
as II she had committed IA forgery, may
be, Roxy thought. She was conscious she
had done something unusually daring and
dreadful,