Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-11-16

| mo y said he.
'Mr. John" said Molle, not looking him
in the eye, when you have doll as long as l
have had Helena. it is 6nly natural that she
should seem TO you like u live person If l
didn't play with her at ALL she'd seem real to
me. and shouldn't like to have her go away
any more than would mother"
(which tells the secret that you have some
sort of human fondncss for the lifoless bundle
of rags said Mr.. John, "and proves what l
feared, that you arc q very woak-mrded little
girl, Mollic"
you wont believe in me at all" said Mol
lie. You wont INK | am doing my best,
and that l ever succeed. You are not like
| you used to be-
THAT naturally follows yOUr being differ
ent said Mr.. John "Of course we can't
have the same feeling toward each other now
rs when you were contented TO be little girl
and to let me treat you rs one. Pm sorry
you don't find me agreeable as before.
Mollie but You must acknowledge that l am
acting as a friend in doing all that l can to
help you in your dear project"
ut isn't dear" burst forth Mollic, indig-
nantly. II hate t!-but I'll never give it
up"
"Of course not" Mr.. John said Then
presume you are all ready to part with Hele-
MAJ"
I'm go and get her." said Mollie
No one saw the parting in the play-room.
1t was quickly over and she was back by the
| fence.
"Give her to Bessie" said Mollie. putting
Helena and her wardrobe into Mr. Johns
arms. Bessie was one of his many nieces.
ITO Bessie" said he. Where you can
feel that she is away on visit where you
know that she will be petted and cared for
where you can see her occasionally If you
are sincere in this matter, Mollie, send her
of whore you can no longer care to think of
her Our ash-man would be very glad to car
ry her home to his little girls
Mollie's hands made a frantic dive toward
Helena as a vision of the little grimy man who
crept into their areas for ashes rose before her.
Decide now" said Mr.. John. Take
your doll and be Mollie Kelly again, or be
boy and give her to the ash-man's children
without pang.'
Mollie hung her head There was color
coming and going in her cheeks her fingers
trembled, how they longed to snatch Hee-
ma and her mind was full of indecision. Mr..
John watched her closely, and he thought he
saw the tide turning in favor of her girlhood.
He held the doll nearer that it might tempt
her fingers but, on the instant, she turned
and ran away He tucked Helena under
his coat and carried her upstairs and locked
her in a drawer, there to abide until Mollie
should want her again.
That was a gloomy day to Mollie. She was
out of humor with her boyhood. She was
ashamed of herself one moment for bewailing
Helena, and furious the next with Mr.. John
and the ash-man. She felt cross and dscour-
aged, and was glad when darkness came, and
She could go TO bed and sleep. But the next
morning she was in no cheerier, braver frame
of mind and she walked home at noon. con-
sidering plain sewing rcrSuS book keeping as
means of subsistence. Mr. John would
have re eoiced if he could have seen his little
leaven" working"
The cutters on the roof are full of leaves
Mollie," said her mother as she came in
stop on your way back TO school and send
Michael TO clean them out. Il think we are
going to have rain and we don't want them
washed into the pipes"
How much will he charge. mother! Z"
About fifty cents"
That fifty cents shall buy something for
you" said Molle TO herself. The boy of
the family shall clean the roof"
There was just enough recklessness in her
mood to make her rather enjoy than fear the
prospect. She left her mother get
ting dinner, and took broom and es-
capped up the garret stairs and through the
scuttle. The roof did not slope steeply. and
she let herself down with an easy slide to the
rear caves. She rested her feet on the edge
OF the house and swept as fnr rs her arms
would reach cast and west Then she shifted
her position and swept again until the whole
length was clean.
She heard her mother calling her to dinner,
but she had the front gutter yet to sweep. and
climbing up, went down on the other side.
There was a thought which gave zest to her
work on that de,-AIr. John would be COM
ing home that way to dinner and would see
her. Besides, other people would see her,
and no passer-by should say that she did not
do her work as thoroughly and fearessly as
any boy. She had taken for granted that Mr..
Johns eyes would be drawn upward: but
when he had walked almost by looking
straight ahead, she sent him shrill call He
looked at the windows, around the yard and
even as far up as the trees.
"On the roof, screamed Mollie. and in her
excitement she forgot her situation and lost
her balance and slipped, not far but one
foot went out beyond the caves into the air.
The other one rallied to the rescue, supported
her whole weight, and helped her to regain
her position. Danger was over in a moment,
but it had been danger of death, and Mollie's
heart beat wildly, and faintness came over
her. Still through it all she was able to see
MIR. Johns approving smile as he lifted his
hat and waved it gayly in applause.
He wouldn't care if l had fallen and been
killed" thought AIollie. as she recovered her
self ''All he wants is to have me succeed in
being horrid boy I've mind to give it up
just to spite him"
She could not know--so successfully had he
concealed his agitation under that bland smile
how faint he, too had been in the moment
Of her danger, nor how fast his heart was still
beating as he walked on nor what resolves he
was forming to put speedy end to her boy
hood.
He stopped on his way back from dinner to
tell her that lie had engaged to take d party
of his nophews and nieces nutting that after
noon, and that he wanted her to come.
: 1T will be so nice to have a big boy on
hand, Mollie" said Mr.. John, especially one
that isn't afraid of heights. We may have
some TO climb"
Not word about her danger and his glad
ness for her safety, and she knew he had seen
her narrow escape. But she felt so gay over
memories of Mr.. Johns nuttng parties. and
the prospect of another, that she forgave him
all, and prepared TO be thoroughly happy
that afternoon.
School closed at three o'clock, and Mollie
flew to Mr.. Johns yard, where they were all
waiting. She came dancing by the gate, her
cheeks rosy, her eyes shining her old
self, she had been in the days when no boy
hood loomed like an ugly shadow between her
and Mr. John. He saw it all and charged
himself to be stony. So he gave no better
response to her impulsive greeting than he
would have given an ordinary boy Her spirits
fell a degree but with those happy children
bobbing around her, expecting her to be the
, happiest of all, they could do nothing but rise
again.
Mr.. John did not offer to lift her over fences
as he lifted the other girls he even called on
her TO help the little ones over. He held back
branches that came across other girls paths
he let her clear her own way. He carried
, Kittie and Bessie, and Esther and Dora, over
the brook; he let her splash across on the
stones with the boys. He gallantly made