Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-09-08

MILLY'S FATE.

There swims no goose SO gray but soon o
late
Will find some honest gander fora mate"
And swinging her feet dolefully from
hor perch in the big apple tree, Milly
made wry face, and then continued hel
soliloquy:
81, Millicent Middletown, aged nine.
teen. big enough, old enough and ugly
enough and there the witch laughed
she knew she was not ugly--"to fall in
love, and dying to do it for the sensa-
ton, and, oh, dear! nobody to fall in
love with Now, shall imagine this
tree my lover. Oh, you de-
But, alas IS she turned to embrace
the monstrous limb, as she supposed was
The general way, she slipped, and in n
moment more was on her way to the
ground, "to be killed" flashed through
her mind, and then-blank
Consciousness returned slowly, and
sly Milly rccpcd out under her lashes to
see who was holding her SO softly and
gently.
"Oh !" and snaps went the lids to-
gether again, and Milly's pretty cheeks
became decided scarlet.
"Ncver mind, DEAR" said n soothing
though decidedly manly voice.
Now, that was too much. Milly
sat straight up then, but, with groan,
sack back. "That horrid ankle, how it
did hurtw
Walk she could not, so as soon as she
gained courage to speak, she opened her
eyes and said:
ooh, sir, am so sorry to trouble you.
Did fall and kill myself?"
Then, noticing smile on the
strangers lips, for stranger it was,
though alas for romance, decidedly
homely one, she added:
"Oh, please do not laugh at me! I
live in that white house at the top of
the hill. Won't you go for some one to
take me home ?"
81 beg your pardon, miss, l do not
like to leave you alone. If you allow
me, will take you home myself"
And suiting the action to his words,
he lifted her lightly in his arms and
started for the house, and almost before
Milly had time to speak again, he had
reached it. and walked in at the open
door, laid her on the sofa in the hall,
touched his hat, and was gone.
Then Milly laughed-laughed until
she Notwithstanding the terrible
pain in her ankle, until the stern face of
her aunt appeared over, demanding an
explanation. She then set up to give it,
and with groan pointed to her foot.
"I fell and hurt myself, and that man
picked me up and brought me home.
Oh, my ankle! !"
Then stern Aunt Barbara softened
little, and bent to explore.
The poor little foot was badly swollen,
and cutting of the dainty shoe and toss
ing it from her-for Aunt Barbara dis
liked anything dainty, and scolded Milly
for being so-she proceeded to dress it
according to rule; then, after propping
Milly up in the cool, comfortable sitting
room, she again demanded:
"Millicent, an explanation p
Again Milly laughed, but seeing the
thunder gathering, and knowing what
the clap would be, she meekly straight
ened her face and said:
II was in the apple tree, Aunt Barb,
nd fell out, and I guess tainted, and
when 1 found my senses, that man had
picked me up, that is all, with mental
reservation in regard to the "Never
mind, dear,'') and then she laughed
again.
"There swims no goose, etc." flashed
into her mind. She risked the clap and
roared. Aunt Barbara left the room in
disgust. Then Milly went to sleep.
Milly was pretty, very pretty; not
beautiful, stately creature, but pretty
little witch, with curly brown hair, laugh
ing brown eyes, pink cheeks and rosy
lips, an undecided nose, a merry nature,
a foolish little heart that was goodness it.
self, and willful winning way. And Milly
was an orphan. Her parents having
died, she was left an independent little
sprig, to be grated into the hard hearts
of her cross uncle and strong-minded
aunt, but so thoroughly was she grated,
so thrivingly did she grow, that in her
corner of the hearts the ice melted and
came in. The cross uncle would
smile and the stern aunt's frown fade
when she was near. She did as she
pleased and pleaaed all. a romantic 1it<1a