St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-01-11
Tots, the Peace Maker.

Tots was just upon the point of step
ping into bed, when an idea struck her.
1t had been trying day for Tots all
the way through. From morning until
night this insignificant member of the
family had been in difficulties, and a
source of much discomfort to herself
and other people. 1t was hot, every
body WAS cross, and Tots, whose re-
sources in the way of entertainment
were limited, had had great trouble to
dispose of her time. In the morning
she had gone fishing in the duck pond,
with Il crooked pin for a hook, and a
hall of worsted for II line. After wait
ing patiently for her prey for some time,
she had tired of this amusement, owing
to its non success, and determined to
go after some water-llies. When Tots
graspad the waterlily, the board upon
which she rested her tiny feet slipped
from under them, and Tets was sum-
marily precipitated into the pond
When she appeared at the house,
her bedraggled condition brought down
such storm of denunciation upon her
head that the unsuccessful angler, who
had expected nothing but congratula-
tions upon heI narrow escape from
drowning, was disguised. Aunt Susan
dressed her, and Tots suffered so much
during the operation that she vowed
never to go near the pond again.
After dinner she had wandered out to
the arbor, underneath whose leafy roof
Flo Stanton was playing with her cler-
gymau-lover's heart, as if there was so
little pain in the world that she could
afford to manufacture more. Tots list
ened to the whole interview, and watch
ed the minister go away, too well be-
haved Il young woman to interrupt the
tete-d-tete. But after having furtively
watched Aunt Flo cry as if her heart
would break, for the two hours sue
ceeding his departure, Tots thought she
might venture upon little consolation
1t really was too bad that her we'll
meant efforts only resulted in pair of
boxed ears, and abrupt orders to "go
away"
Then life became burden. Tots
began to look upon the world us a mel
ancholy place. There was nothing to
do, and every body was too full of their
own affairs to pay her any attention.
1t was gleam of brightness when
the bell rang for supper. In spite of
her WEAKNESS and general disgust with
sublunary affairs, Tots still retained her
appetite, and her bread and butter and
Strawberries certainly did their part
toward raising her spirits. But after
supper came the eliminating disaster
OF the day. In thoughtless moment
Tots, in spite of the warnings of past
experience, wandered into the kitchen.
The kitten lay under the stove, and
| lots made rush to take possession of
her pet plaything. Her foot slipped,
she fell against the table, and a big
china dish went humping, bouncing,
crashing, on to the floor. The altar up
on which burnt sacrifices were daily Of
fered lay broken in hundred pieces.
Aunt Susan witnessed the whole trans
action, and in two minutes Tots was
seized, spanked, and sent to bed.
There is nothing to do but yield to
Fate and Aunt Susan. They are a
combination too strong for Tots to over
come. So she tOddles up stairs, lays
aside the garment she has worn during
the day, and buttons herself into her
biturcated night dress.
Then it is that the idea comes to her.
Tots, Notwithstanding her tender years,
is devoted to fictictiOus literature. She
can not read herself, but she takes great
pleasure in listening to Aunt Fanny,
who sometimes entertains the family by
reading aloud. Their last author was
Dickens, and Tots's imagination has
been greatly excited by the beautiful
story of David Copperfeld and his child
wife, little Dora.
eff" says Tots to herself, 81 could
only marry somebody. Now Dora was
just as good for nothing as | am. and
yet Dodo loved her, aud nobody called
her nuisance and boxed her ears. 1t
must have been very nice to live in the
little house with Dodo and Jip. l won
der if L could find any body to marry
me %
Then all of a sudden, Tots thinks of
the minister His name is David, and
he lives all alone in the cunningest little
cottage, with an old woman for a house
keeper.
at would be just the thing" thinks
j Tots. ''Pll ask him."