St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-08
fnr Me children.
Gertrude's Graveyard.

|
to persuade every one who used it to
give it up. She was a queer child.
She never acted like other children, but
had way all her own, which some
times made folks cry and sometimes
laugh, and always made them shake
their heads and say, ''What queer
child Gertrude hurry is"
She took a notion into her head one
day that she would have little grave
ward all her own. There was quite a
large piece of ground in the old garden
behind the house where nothing was
planted. There was a long row of
black berry bushes which hid this cor
ner from the house windows, and she
often used to go down there to play
alone. 1t was one day after she had
been to visit James True, the village
undertaken, that she got the idea Of
having the graveyard. She went
straight off to the weeds and brought
home four pretty little hackmatack
trees, which she planted in the fOur cor
ners of the lot she had chosen, and then,
happening to think it would be better
to secure the ground by asking her ia
ther to give it to her, so went in pur-
suit of him.
"Papa papam she called aloud, as
he was threshing grain in the barn.
Papa, will you give me the northwest
corner of the garden ?"
"The what, child ?"
"The northwest corner of the old gar
den, papa. 1t is bounded on the north
by the seek-no-farther apple tree, east
10y the wall, south by the blackberry
bushes, and west by the sweet-corn
field"
There was a general laugh over this
speech. Father and all the thresheIs
stopped their work and held their sides,
while such peals of laughter resounded
through the great barn as brought man.
ma and Hepsy ont to see what was the
matter.
"You need not make fun of me-" ex-
claimed Gertie. 81 tried to be partic-
ular, Just to save you the trouble of go
ing down."
'Gertie wants me to deed her the
northwest corner of the garden, moth
er," said Mr.. hurry as soon as he could
speak, care you ready to sign the pa
pers ?"
"What do You want it for, dear ~
asked mother, care you going to build
doll house ?"
Her mother knew that particular spot
was her little girls favorlte resort, and
scarcely day passed but the dOllies
were taken there, too. So she thought,
of course, that Gertrude was planning
some sort of dwelling for them. She
was quite unprepared for the answer,
and the roar of laughter, which was re-
| Il, 81,
meekly and replied:
81 want it for a graveyard, mamma
When her father had recovered the
power of speech he pursued his inquiries
farther.
"What are you going to bury, dear ~
Quick as a flash of light Gertrude
picked up her fathers pipe which lay
on the wooden bench by the door
''This, first" said she, and off she ran.
So quick was her motion and the words
that accompanied it, that no one of the
amused group perceived what she had
done; and as she was fitting down the
garden walk, thought only that she was
running from their mirth. But when
the work was done and the farmer was
ready for his evening smoke, the pipe
was nowhere to be found.
"Where's my pipe? Who's seen my
pipe?" shouted father, up and dOwr
the yard, in no very pleasant tones.
81 buried it, papa, in my new grave
yard" said the child coolly. "Comt
and see."
The heavy steps of the tired man an6
the light trip-trip of the girls feet tel
together on the garden walk as they
| 1AI 10 h.
the garden, when Gertrude pointed t.
a neat little mound about foot long
nicely rounded and turfed, at the hea(
Of which was placed a bit of shingl'
with the inscription:
''Here lies
My Fathers Pipe.
Rest forever
: The astonished parent was at los
what to say. He hesitated whether t.
laugh or chide. He finally concluded
to do neither, but to try to get at tn,
child's meaning in all this. So, sittin.
down on an overturned wheelbarrOw
he took Gertrude on his knees and be
gan to question her.
"Why did you do so, child ?n
"Because, papa, l didn't want you tt
uiO do WI. HulotOu ulu vi pipe. lGI
, fact, papa" seeing a smile gathering
in his eye. 81 heard DR.. Small say Sc
E when we were coming home from tn,
funeral. Miss Simpson asked him wha
allied Mr.. Thurston, and DR.. Small said
Pipe, Miss Simpson pipe. He smok
ed himself out of this world into-well
Miss Simpson, | can't say exactly wher,
he has gone. If folks get so used t.
| their pipes in this world, don't SCI
what they are going to do in the other
! Seems to me they will want to keep VI
f smoking, but I'm most sure they cam
, do it in Heaven; fol- you know, Mis-
Simpson, Heaven is a clean place, ant
they are not going to let anything il
there that defileth. So l don't know
Now, papa, you see l want you to b.
my papa long, long while first befor,
you die, and then want you to 90 t,
heaven. So, you see, thought woult
dig grave and bury the old pipe. You
. won't dig it up, will you, papa :"
The farmer held his peace for few
minutes. Then he spoke slowly, bu
4: firmly:
, ''No, Gertie, your father is no gray,
, robber. 1 shall miss the old pipe,
suppose but must say about it as W,
do about everything that's put in tn,
grave, THY will be done.'"
'"That's good, papa,n said the child
: with kiss. "Now have good, clean
everlasting papa. Amt everlasting
what we call things that don't die q
she added, again perceiving smile.