Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-05
TIte family CirtIr.
One Day.
BY EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER.

one Day.
BY EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER.
1t began just like every other day. 1t
seemed about five minutes to Betty after
she crept into bed, with her back and her
arms aching from carrying the heavy baby,
and her patience quite worn out with try
ing to rock him to sleep, before the gray
light came into her little garnet, and
somebody at the foot of the stairs was
calling her to get up.
"Oh dear!" thought Betty; "here's
another day already. Seems to me yes
terday hasn't gone away at all; just the
same old tired day, and not new one"
But while she thought about it Betty's
fingers were busy with her dressing, and
when she ran down stairs and plunged
her sleepy eyes in the cool water at the
pump, the world began to look little
brighter. 1t was a crisp October morning,
with frost in the air, frost on the grass,
and in the stones around the back door.
Over towards Bald Mountain the woods
were all ablaze of bright color, crimson
and scarlet and the fine clear yellow of
the chestnuts; but Betty had no time to
admire them. She went in to set the Ia
BILE for her mother, who was hurrying
back and forth from the pantry to the
kitchen. Her father and Hugh would be
in presently, and they must have their
breakfast promptly to be in season for
their work ut the foundry. Hugh was
only fourteen, but he hardly seemed like
a boy, and Betty was quite surprised to
see him rush into the kitchen with his
pail of milk, looking as if he had some
very good news.
~ am to have a holiday he said; "the
school children are going over to Bald
Mountain for nuts, and Mr.. Norton has
promised them the big foundry wagon and
sent Michael to say am to drive"
"Oh, uugh!" exclaimed Betty, and
could not say another word. Her little
heart was full of delight at the thought OF
the good times for Hugh, but the iaintest
idea of sharing the fun never entered hel
mind. Only when Hugh had finished his
breakfast and slowed away his luncheon
of bread and meat in his big pocket, Betty
ventured to say:
Maybe, if you have time, Hugh, yor
could bring me just three or four nuts anC
some of those red leaves that look like
roses"
Hugh nodded good natnredly and said
Yon watch at the gate, Betty, and l II
drive this way so you can see the horses
and me driving"
Betty laughed and thought it was very
kind of Hugh, and while she was washing
the dishes she kept sharp watch until SHE
saw the great wagon with its merry loat
of children come rafting down the narrow
street,
Two splendid great horses, with shining
dapples of gray all over their sleek sides
and Hugh upon the high seat holding the
reins and whip; Betty thought it was the
finest sight possible.
But when they turned into the narrow
street Mr.. Norton looked up from slowing
Kitty Carson in a safe place, and said:
"Why do you drive this way, Hugh
The other street is the best"
Please, sir, l promised Betty to come
this way So she might see us 90 a.past,
said Hugh, and ut that moment Betty's
round face made its appearance at the
gate, all smiles and delight.
And why does not Betty 20 nutting
with the rest?" said Mr.. Norton Il" doesn'
she like nuts and fun"
MY mother cannot spare her to 60 tc
school" said Hugh; Betty is little, bu
she is u good one to work"
"All the more need of holiday, then,
and the next minute Mr.. Norton was ir
the house talking to Betty's mother, anC
the next minute the little girl found her
self whirlcd over the gate in pair oil
strong arms, and actually seated in the
middle of the merry children, while hel
mother with the baby in her arms was
smiling mt the door. She sat very soberly
at first, with her hands in her lap, trying
to make herself believe that it was true
that she, Betty Waite, was really going
nutting; going to those wonderful noun.
tains that always seemed to her like fairy
land; riding behind those great glossy
horses that tossed their beautiful head,
and nodded ut each other as if they knew
all about it.
They stopped ut Mr.. Nortou's house
long enough to stow away large baske
under the seat, and Mrs. Norton brough
Betty pretty little red and white baske
to gather nuts in. The other children nj
had luncheon in their baskets, but Betty
didn't care for that. She knew very wei
she could never be hungry, or, if she was
Hugh would give her II little bit of his
luncheon, just Il bite.
On they went past the market, past the
foundry, over the long toll-bridge, out
upon the river road that wound pleasantly
in and out among the trees, climbing al
the time more and more up the bluff, until
the river was SO far below that they only
now and then got a glimpse Of it through
the tops of the hemlocks. The children
laughed and chartered like troop o.
monkeys, but Betty sat rs silent as little
nun, enjoying everything, but too happy
to talk. Once troop Of quails rar
across the road, and often squirrel dash
ed up q tree and chartered at them from
the branches, or splendid red-headeC
woodpecker walked slowly up a messy ole
trunk too intent upon his business to notice
them. Whenever the road came ou
upon IL little clearing they could see thu
gorges below them all flame of glowing
color, and the air was full of sweet spicy
smell from the hemlocks and the dry
leaves along the roadside They met bu
one person in all the way-a farmer with
"A load Of apples, Mr.. Norton tossed him
Il quarter OF u dollar, and the farmer
emptied basket of apples among the
children. Shy little Betty would hardly
have vontured TO pick up II single apple
hut onn of the bipDpst bows tossed three