Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-29

self upon "a stool IN one corner Oh lho pew
from which elevated position he could
watch the motion of his fathers lips. ms
ewes rowing from his to Aunt Lucinda :,
wondering why it was that they didn't
move Just exactly together AS Danie'
would have put 1t.
The singing being over, he began to
think what very nice stool that was
Nee TO stand on, and nicer yet to sit on.
lie would push it over by the dooT and Try
il. This brought him very near the aisle,
and what he liked better still, very near
little Ruth rrbbiIs, who sat just In front Ol
him.
Ruth was whole year older than Pilly- |
wink, which male her Just two years
n af old She had bright blue eyes and
golden curls, and she WAS almost engaged
to ID ,niel.
When she saw Pillywink approaching
she covered her eyes and shook her head,
AT which he vook one of her curls i'll his
fingers aud pulled it.
- Sit sullcr," whispered Miss Ruth, with
dignity, leaning her head a little over tue
back of the pew to give effect to her
words.
PiIlywnk took her little face between
his two Ia. palms, then leaned over and
kissed it IN such sweet baby fashion that
Aunt Luc ndu, who didn't dare to take
her eyes from HIM for an instant was
moved III spite of herself, and, instead Ol
the lutte shake which she had made up
her mind To administer, she raised hun
gently from the STOOL to seat him beside her.
&" BE IL good bev,' she whispered softly.
No, no, said Pilly wink, quite loud.
Her cheeks We're burning, Uut she re-
solved to make another attempt. "ConIe,
Erasmus" she said, coaxIngly, you may
open my fam"
She held it towards him as she spoke,
but Erasmus only scowed tiercely, rs
II tie mere mention of his real name
were IL grave indgnity.
COME, cume.7 She touched him on
the arm, when he wheeled round quickly
ON his stool, shook his naughty little
shoul lers, opened his naughty little mouth,
and shtleAei rather than sa d, mo. no!
O-o.o-oh!' whispered horror stricken
Ruth. Poor mamma blush, as if she
had been dong something very naughty
herself; but Aunt Lucinda's face expressed
unqualified Indignation. Az for papa, lie
turned calmly. took his baby from the
stool AMI seated him, rather enIphaticaly,
besde his giglng brother.
When Aunt Lucinda had recovered her
compusure lutte, she glanced at the
minister. Surely he had not been able to
carry his petition TO the throne Of grace
without frequent stammcrings, and much
vain repetition. amid such distul bahce.
But he had. Apparently he minded
PIllywink's " tantrum no more than the
Duzzing of the little fly which lowered so
pertlnacOusly near him. He Was think
my intcntly of human wants and needs
which only the good Father could supply
and his whole soul went out in the prayer
which came so earnestly from his lips
" DR.. Frobisher never would have
stood it in the world" whispered Aunt
Lucinda to her sister. The pul pit couldn't
nave held him. That MAN must be IA
saint
Lucretia smiled family. PiIlywink
catching II glimpse of her face, breatned IL
lilllc easier, though. feeling that he had
been in deep dIsSl ace, he sat very still I'M
I'll the prayer Was ended.
But W en- the sermon had fairly CON-
mcnced, oh! then he forgot everything
gut the narrowing fact that home and
good Zines were IL long, long way oil. lie
listened to each impatient neigh of the
horses, us the Sound tlOtted in ut the open
window, AMI wished mos heartily that his
I ms were around old Grays neck, and
hat they were going away, no matter
where. He li-tened To the mild reInun-
stance of an infant in long clothes, who
evhrnly considered the sanctuary II
wearlsDme place, and to the occasional
y acres of two other babies who were OF
the same opinion, and VINO didn't scruple
t. say SO; luasing out loud like every
ding, Dlnlel az ,n), and not ceasing
anil they were taken out for II run u On
,he grass, and IL look 1T those same hon seo
which IIywink wanted to see So much
"That man is Il saint, sure enough"
honght Aunt Lucinda. "lf couldn't
come To mee,ing Without bringing II baby,
Il stay ut HON" >
Here her attention WIS attracted by IL
iltle ru>tlmg upon the Il ,or 1T her feet.
She looked down; something darled by
>ilh lightning speed. IL was P,llywink
wi om her nstunisled eyes beheld trotting
swiftly up The aisle, his eyes fixed upon
lhe minister S face.
:" Go Tor him, Hiram, do she said dis
trace'Ily, to her br 'ther-in. law.
IN" use, replied that gentleman com.
pusedly, he II come back
Come backn' She settled herself
n her seat with dreadful camness.
A. for Pllywink, he walked coolly up to
he pulpit stars, There he stopped for II
moment unde1lded. He was thinking of
he " nuts and sweet apples and sugar
pIums gay" forgetting the switches - of
course OF Aunt Lucindas goose verse
Did the preacher really carry goodies in
us pocket? He would see.
20, ." fast us anything" went the tiny
feet up the stairs. The minister, seeing
thai the attention of his people WAS di
vlded, followed the direction of their ewes
for second, but was otherwise undis-
uurbed.
All ut once, however, he felt the clasp
of little arms not about his neck, but
toout one OF his legs. 1t was trying
moment.
And so we see the reasonableness of
Gods requirements" he went on. How
plain our duty
Bla-hla-bl.a-a said the baby
approximately, tightening his grasp.
1t was too much. A smile flashed from
iace to lace of the amnsed congregation
Upon tho of The younger portion it
broke forth into merry laugh, or an IT.
repress5Ie giggIe. Pnlywink's father
rose, but the pastor waved him back TO his
seat.
STOPPING he gently lifted the child to his
; desk. There he sat, looking down upon
the people the very type Of unconscious,
innocent bahyhood. His bright eyes
wandering about among what seemed to
him II fuhomlcss sea of heads, at last en-
countered those of little Ruth and his
brother Daniel.
"Ju-ju! Dada" he called gayly, but
"Ju-ju looked frightened, and for the
first Time in his life, Dada" did not
respond.
i And now PlllYWink felt n hand laid soft