Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-11-07
Tte family CirtlF.
BObby's Work.

musical cadence in II jolly, good-natured
sort of II way, and dripping with a purl-
inc sound into the great eavetr0ugh thai
led into IL barrel ut the corner of the
house.
That barrel was Farmer Jordan's els
tern. and had stood there from time inn
memorial-or one Just like it. The e'ldirs
spun round and round in the barrel us the
swift little streams came gurgling into 1t,
and scattering the tiny hecks Of foam mp
on the side. leaving them to trlckle down
among the bubbles that sDlashed upagalns
the end o. the spout.
Ont in the barry ard the chickens scam
pered away to their accustomed roosts, and
the cattle crowded and huddled into the
straw covered sheds Farmer Jordan had
prepared for them, us if afraid Il borough
wetlng would spoil the beauty of their
shining coats.
Inside the house noisy group of chill
dren were playing Hide and seek, > ann
every available hiding-place had served
its turn, until good, old-fashioned Mrs.
jordan protested that the play must stop.
The dull drilling rain outside and thu
hilarily indoors was more than ner weak
nerves could bear, and IA summary sto
was put to the uproarions game.
"rd like to know what you weuld havt
us to do, then" snapped Bobby Jordan
sending th,l little black kitten whirling on
her head across the floor, in his spite
1--WE can't 20 out Of doors to play. for
YOU are so afraid we'll catch the measles,
or whooping cough, OF some such tol-
mented dl ease. Just as if those beaut
full drops of water would hurt anybody. !
don't care! It's mean that we can't d.
nothing but NOPE all day indoors; and
such grist of us, too"
"Bobby,' said the pale-faced woman,
rocking wearily back in. the old, worn
rocking-chair that had served as crhdl'
and rocker for that host OF little ones
b" Bobby, how many hours have you be-
at play this morning?'
"OnIy since eight o'clock; and now it''
twelve "
-Four hours of pleasurel How many
hours of pleasure have had this morn
ing? 1t is pleasure for you to run AM
romp, and keep the house in an uproar
1t would be pleasure to me to have NJ
noise in the house ut all. Just the gentle
patter of the rain would be all the music
/ would wish to lull me to rest. And oh
i, would be so sweet to listen to its sooth
in4 murmur and think over the days o
the past. So sweet to have every nerve II
rest, and no jarring noise to tear my brail
into slretls. Four hours of rest! Oh! i
would be heaven to me-"
The weary head fell back against thu
rocker, and Mrs Jordan covered her fac
with her hands; and the tears tricklet
silently from beneath her fingers.
Bobby looked ut her moment, AM
then stole quietly away from her, on tip
toe. But, as he passed Betty, he gave he
hair II pull that sent her bowling to he
mothers side for sympathy; and pinche
Allies ear until the two roared in uni
son.
The poor woman got up from her chat
and took down whip from overhead
then dropped YEARLY back into the rock
er.
Bobby Jordan, march yourself int
, the woodshed, and stay there until' 20
can behave yonself. You are the wor:
boy there is on this creek. Don't let m
+ see You in tie house again to-day. CT
| sir.'
5 The boy went, pouting into the WOO,
} shed, where Lille, the pet Of the houst
hold, sat quietly cracking nuts, and bega
teasing her, in his rough way.
+ Come Lii" at last he cxclaime,
/ catching her by the hand and pulling h'
; . her fee. I'm going out in the fail
and you've got to come with me. Won
! it be nice to have it trickle down our back
and run rivuets over our feet? -
, Bat mammu says We musn't 90 ont
, the rain. We Il catch our death, if we d
L Bobby, don't want to 90
&" But you must 90. don't care if W
do ca ca our death. I'm tired of Twin
, with such Il heathenish set. Ma amt Il
h more sick than am She only makes b.
II Iievc, so she won't have to work.
. Mamma Is sick, Bobby. Just see hO
5 Thin and pale she looks. just like til;
n woman they put away downin the groun
Il the other day, Bobby, maybe they'll pr
c our mamma down in the ground sou
o day"
:, " Don't care if they do, She's II meu
e old thing, she is"
Z Bobby, you mustn't talk 50. She's
!, nigel, our ma is A dear, good ange
Bobby. And you'll think so when you g
so you are not so naughty t. her
81 amt naughty to her, Lii. It's h
g that naughty and mean, and SO on to m
ii Come on! I'm going down to wade
the creek, and pull lily pods and sec II
IS Ieeches cling To my toes. We can get o
e the back way and plunge into the plu
t lhickct, and nia nor anybody else wOr
y SEQ lis. Come, Lii, out in the nice rain.
: Bobby, mamma says we must not {
Il out in the rain; and shall not"
e MAS woman, and don't know not
T. ing. Pa never told US SO. You shall g
5 Lii I'll make you 90 Come along, III
e if you make noise Il kill YOU"
Bobby caught the poor girl around ii
10 the waist AMI drew her, sobbing, out
C the woodshed and into the thicket, beto
Is she could make any resistance. She dI
l. not cry, for his threat still rang in her Cd
J. and he looked us If he would not hesitI
lc to execu,e it. Once in the thicket, 81
he demonstrated; but he drew her along bel
IS essly until they stood on the bank of Il
stream.
N Amt it nice, Lii, to feel the wat
Is soaking through our garments? I'm
.. wet as rat already, and feel as cool
u on iceberg. just see the bubbles dane
y up and down on the creek. Amt it wor
coming down here Tor, TO seelhem dan
'e ing all over the waler?'
is " There's nothing nice to me, Bobb
/ for we've disubeyed our mamma"
n "Sluff and nonsense! Who cares
y that? | don't. And now Pm going
n wade in and get some lily leaves for far
W Amt it lunuy how they grow clear aw;
d, up through the water, just to spread thel
IN selves out, like great bed-quits, over i
II top of itP III spatter water on you ii y
n. don stop crying he called out, pluckil
III and pulling away at the pods.
+ All the time the cold raindrops we
rs tricklme down the poor girls body, al
+ she shiyered dolefully as she stood al
s. watched him gather his hands full
n The great leaves.
BIT " Bobby, if don't 90 TO the house
rs shall Freeze" she at length cried, in
Mt piliful voice. The cold water runnil
over me makes me sick, and l just stu
here and SILVER and grow colder and coldt
is Bobby
al "Well 90 to the house, then, you goo
m for-nothng little goose, you. But dor
/ dare to tell nil where am. shall ney
nj 90 home any more to be nosed around
III thew nose me IN almost II man no
- ami I'm too biV to be tied to mas aDro