Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-04-16

Of this window, so that the light shone
away down the road and just as soon
as the mail carrier crossed the river and
came up out of the little belt of timber
he could see the light like great red
star. 1t helped him on dark nights
when the road was hard to find. and
then it seemed to make the way shorter
to see it shining away there. and remem.
Der that his little girls had lighted it for
him. When Lo.tie sat down in the big
chair Bun came and snuggled in beside
her, just because it seemed so good to
have Lottie there again and while they
rocked and talked she told her all about
her day, and how she had made herself
cry over a make-believe story. She
jumped down to point it all out on the
window-the old witch and the little
girl sitting by the brook, and the white
shower raining down-only the tea ket-
tie and the wind had been playing tricks
with the old witch and turned her into
little white church with high steeple.
Lottie laughed at Buns story and then
said:
"I'll make another end to it. The old
woman wasn't witch, she was the
queen of the fairies, and the flannel
made her so warm she turned into a
lovely lady, just as butterflies hatch out
of ugly caterpillers, and she smiled at
the little girl and few away. And all
the trees and bushes blossomed full of
beautiful flowers, and the grass was full
of ripe strawberries, and there were gold
fishes in the brook that sang like canar-
les, and great showers of stars sailed
through the air before the little girl just
like fire flies. And while she was sitting
by the brook. eating strawberries and
listening to the music, little blue bird
came and said to her, This wood is en-
chanted and you can never get out of it
unless some one that loves you very
much keeps thinking about you all the
AimA- While. they think about you you
will 90 right, but the mrrs.t.. they stop
you'll lose your way And the little
girl laughed and said. I've got father
and he's thinking about me, and I've
got little sister and she's thinking
about me-, And SO she got up from the
grass and ran straight ahead, and all the
stars like FIRE flies Auttered on before
her, and something seemed to pull her
along like string tied around her heart,
till by and by she got out of the woods.
aud was only little girl with freckled
face, and big bundle of flannel. But
she got home pretty soon and there was
her little sister, wishing for her as hard
as she could, and the father came home
and they were all as happy as
Away in the distance Lottie heard a
long quivcring call-"Hoo-oo-oo." such
sound as the looms make when they 70
laughing to themselves over tho clear
little Minnesota lakes. She ran to the
door, put her brown hands to her mouth
and answered it as we'll as if she had
been boy. That was the fathers sig.
nal, and all was hurry and scurry tC
have everything look its brightest and
best for him. The tea was ready and
the tea kettle left to purr sleepily on the
back of the stove, while, in spite of al
the bright tin cover could do, little
whiffs of fragrant steam crept out from
the iron pot and said, "Soup! he
soup !" all over the room.
Presently they heard the stable doc
shut with bang, and in minute more
great clustering giant of man came
whistling into the house. He had on 1
buffalo overcoat. a wolfskin cap, anC
enormous boots and mittens. His grea
bushy beard grew almost up to his mer
ry eyes, and beard. eyebrows and breas
were all grizzled with frost. You nigh
have been frightened half to death if h
had suddenly bounced upon you ant
! squeezed you up in his strong arms, but
bless you! Bun and Lottie were no
frightened. for he was all the world
| them And that IL the end Of The story