The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-24
THE FOOL CATCHER.
By Sage Green.

1t was the 1st of April 1877, that sister
P.ue and myself were busily engaged in
retrimUiog our spring suits and altering
aid arranging our schoel dresses, for we
were both Yankee 'rchool maams" and our
united earnings Just sufiiced to pay the rent
On this tiny cottage in the little village Of
Sweet Fern, and to support at t.er fashion
our inyal.d m.thsr and ourselves.
To he sure there were times when We
were tired OF turning old dresses, and wear
sing old hats, and when sight of the dainty
contents of the shop windows, or of the
booksellers shelves, sent us home to cry
cur little cry all by ours Ives, without dis
turbing our lady or mother.
This afternoon had been particularly
tired. My soft silver gray poplin, my Sun
day best for summer, utterly refused TO be
cosxed into wearing trim. Then little Sa-
die Burroughs our next door neighbor,
little v oman of some eix summers, came
in, and after chatting awhile with mamma
came to my side and demuIely asked if
would "pleathe to open her knife ?" Pres
emily discovered that the precious knife
had no blade, end the little morsel of hu-
manity was gyratinE around at a fearful
rate exclaiming, Snow you've been April
fooled NTH Dolly, and thouldnt wonder
If the Fool-catcher came for you tonight,
l tlouldn't," and with her face pressed close.
to the window shouted, 81 did it Johnny,
did it," when her little Esweet-heart aged
sever, making one think of "Boots at the
Holly Tree Inn," crept away from under
the lilac bushes, his face fairly alive with
fun, and evidently only restrained from
turning summersault, by the slushy con-
dition of the sidewalks. The young con-
spirators enjoyed the fun, but did not,
for Sadie had lcft.her foot prints on my
dress, If not on the "sands of time" and
Johnny had Travelled remorselessly over my
white rose bush.
But the rain had cleared awsy now and
the afternoon sun was shining through q
rift in the clouds, as if storms were entire
ly thing of the past, and the world were
q world OF sunshine and arbutus blossoms,
and blue volets.
Away down the street Deacon Miles
portly figure, was walking msjcstically
along, as if the eyes of the sweet fern were
upon him, as indeed they were, for was he
not known TO be in search of suitable per-
son for Mrs. Miles the "? Now / never
could decide until quite lately what par
ticular attractions our little cottage pos
sessed for this magnate Of the village,
whether it was Prue's exquisite little sup
pers, the old fashioned politeness of nam.
ma, or my own humble self, but he was
certain to drop in about once a week to our
six o'clock tea.
Prue was singing at her work, pleasant
fashion she had, and l remember the words
of her song were
al chatter, chatter. as now
To join the brimmng river.
For men may come and men may go
but go on forever
When l suppose startled her out of her
usual calmness by exclaiming, 81 won't e.
on forever in this tuning and twisting and
contiving how TO make one dollar do the
work of five. am just tired of the Who'll,
business, and I'll marry Deacon Miles if ht
asks me to. His great house wants mis-
tress. aud | want-a thousand things"
"But not the Deacon" said Prue, as she |
deity fastened blue bow on the sleeve OF |
her grey dress, "And Doroihea Wander |
laken what are you thinking of to talk such |
nonsense. You know you wouldn't marry |
lin If be were worth million"
Now knew Prue was vexed for she new |
er called me DorCthea unless was espec-
tally aggravatiDg, 80 told her to wait and |
set, but 10 myself thought with shudder |
of tue fussy pompous old man who before |
the grass was green over the grave of bis |
thrd wife, was already looking about for
her. successor.
Prue's dress was finished and its soft gray
and blue haImonized perfectly with her
clear light complexion, and eyes as blue as
a summer sky. Mine was IeiTly completed
but it's knots Of sober gray looked old msid- |
ish and precise beside of hers, and was
not satisfied at all. Pfue volunteered to gel |
supper and l WAS glad, for she had knack |
of cooking that made her envied by all thu |
housewives around, andit was we'll she had, |
for che only expected TO teach this one SUN.
mer more, for at Christmas time she would /