Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-08-21
"a Little Gempleman.n

lie certainly was Il very little gemple-
man" indeed, being only four years old
when he won the title. lie was the
youngest of five, but the others were ali
much older than he, and Basil had always
pretty little boy, with dark curly hair and
laughing blue eyes; and, dressed in ~
white frock and bright ribbons, he made a
most charming baby. But when he was
four years old Master Basil put off his
baby clothes, and with them his baby
ways.
In the fourth summer of his life he and
all his brothers and sisters went to live in
very lonely part Of one of the most
beautiful of the Western Islands; and his
mother, Mrs. Waymere, saw at once that
her poor little boy would be anything but
happy in his white dresses, especially Us
there was II delicious sandy hole" quite
close by, just made for children 10 play in,
AMI where white dresses would not long
remain white. So, in spite OF nurses
walls and his sisters plealings, b ,by's fat
liule legs were thrust into pair of his
elder brothers. funnel trousers. which
were much too large for the tiny limbs. A
sailor shirt of equal dimensions covered
his plump body, and a GIengarry bonnet
was drawn, by his own rosy hands, quite
down over his ears, SO rs to entirely con-
ceal every curl he possessed, and. rs Seen
from behind, to complete his resemblance
to the back view of IL baby elephant or
rhinoceros. With no shoes or stockings
on his soft white feet there stood the little
Scarecrow, Us proud and happy rs a baby
could be.
Il M II big boy now" he sighed; /" I'm
rs big as anybody" And from that hour
baby was Il baby no more.
With solemn step he marched off to the
SANDY hole, and there upon the road
side, under a golden canopy of whins, dug
bitches, and planted gardens, and raised
castles, AS happy rs the day was long
And when ut last hunger told him it was
getting late, he stumped home alone, as
haughtiy as the lrotLing feet would take
him. . He was SO happy that his mother
listened 10 his request, and gave him full
permission to remain out of bed rs long as
ne wished. This was delightful news.
But alas for baby! some of the grains OF
sand seemed to have got into his blue eyes.
they would not keep open, and scarcely
more than Il half hour after his usual time
for disappearing he gave Il tremendous
yawn and mcekly begged to be taken to
bed. When his fearful garments were
removed, and he was clad in his little
white night, gown, he kuelt down to say
his evening prayer:
Gemple Jesus, meek an mild, whis-
pered the sleepy voice, :" ook upon a little
IL; 1, h nh,l-
the curly head he corrected himself" No,
gempleman-'ook upon u title gemple
man." and with perfect earnestness he
then finished his prayer, and hugging II
leg of his fl fnnel breeches, fell asleep.
From that hour Btsil's title was " the
little gempleman. " The next morning
he was up with the lark. The first object
which met the nurses eyes when she
awoke was vision of II child, apparently
in RAGS, vanishing through the nursery
door. She recognized the apparition rs
Basil, ana called to him to return He
came back readily enough.
"Oh, Mary, y said he coolly, you is
wakenea. I'm welly solly. | did not
mintend to disturb you. y
Where are you going, baby?" inquired
the astonished nurse; and what do you
mean by leaving the ulsery in that I'M
dressed statep -
rs not baby. Is Master Basil; and |
is dwessed. dwessed me. "
In this however, nurse did not seem to
agree with him. She tried to pursuade
him to 90 back to bed, but he would not
% she dressed him in his wonderful gar
ments and let him go down stairs.
When, about an hour after, she followed,
here was no baby anywhere to be seen.
His Glengarry WAS not on the hall table,
and his little figure was nowhere in the
garden. Nurse went along to the sandy
hole to look for him, hut he was not
there. While she stood in the middle ol
the lonely road wondering what next to do
Il wild, rough looking man came slouchng
along, singing scraps OF songs, and savage
ly shaking his fist at his own shadow,
thrown by the morning sun on tho rugged
banks between which the road lay. The
nurse was very much alarmed. for she saw
at II glance that the man was but half
witted. She shrank back, hoping he
would not see her. But he did. lie made
a rush at her, then drew back, took off his
hat, and began to address her in almost
inarticuate language, yet with great seem
ing politeness. But Mary did not wait tc
listen. With Il cry she fled past him, and
rushed along the road.
"Oh, my baby! my baby!" she cried
"What il he has seen that awful man
He'll be frightened to death. Master
Basil! Master Basilw
What is it Mary?' asked little voice
so close beside her that she started, and
looking quickly round, saw, climbing ovel
gate, her little scagecrow.
"Oh, where have you been, my owr
boyP' sobbad she. lifting the blndle o
blue flannel from his perilous position.
"I've been at the Shore" answered he
coolly. kicking to be set down; for hi,
dignity was wounded, and, | must allow
he was just little spoiled.
"At the shore!" exclaimed she, in as
tonishment. Why, that's more than
mile away"
Yes; an the bother was that me ha,
to climb free gates. An | sawed such
funny man. An he talked to me; m HI
talked so funny"