Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-03
GertIe and Lucinda, or Two Bad Girls.


Lucinda was usually very bad, and Gertie
was usually very good, but on this particu-
lar afternoon they were both very naughty,
as you will see.
The Ladies' Aid Society met at the yes
try, and Mrs. Gilchrist was very anxious to
go, indeed it was quite necessary she should
attend, as this was business meeting and
Mrs. Gichrist was president Of the society
but what to do with Gertie was an I'M
solved question until Gertie's papa sug-
gested that "she was old enough to be left
alone. Let her take her dolls out in the
front yard" he said, {" | can watch her there,
from the Office window, unless | am called
away, and dare say shall not be for it's
distressingly healthy" Gertie fell in with
this plan at once, and although Mrs. Gil
christ wasn't wholly pleased with it she
consented thereto. al shan't be gone more
than two hours at the most " she said TO her.
self, and so she kissed Gertie and babe her
" be good girl aud charged her "not to
go near the back yard or do anything what
ever to get Lucinda over to play with her."
Lucinda, who lived with her mother at the
lower end of Mr.. Gilchrist's back yard, was a
bold rough girl who seldom told the truth,
and often took things that didn't belong to
her; and so you see why Mrs. Gilchrist
Now Gertie fully purposed to mind her
mamma in every particular, but after lit
tie time she heard Lucinda laughing and
whistling, as she often did when she wished
to attract Gerties attention. "Oh DEAR"
said Gertie, al wonder what 'Cinda wants
now. Mamma wouldn't care, know, if |
Just go and peek round the corner of the
house. shan't say word to her." That
was Gertie's first step towards wrong-doing,
and you know when one does that they al
most always take the second, and so on and
on; aud so it was with Gertie. She couldn't
see very well at the corner of the house, so
she stepped round on the back piazza, and
she was then in full view of 'Cinda, who was
sitting in her mothers back door. "Gertie,"
she called, "come down here, I've got sum-
thin to show you" "Oh, can't" said
Gertie. "Is your marin to home ?" "No,
she's gone to the s'ciety meeting" "Come
along, then, she won't never know it. I've
got sumthin awful neat" "I'm good mind
to Just run down and see what she's got, but
shan't stop to play with her minute, and
it's playing mamma meant" said Gertie,
trying to excuse herself. Then she called to
'Cinda, "I'll meet you half way" and down
the path she ran to 'Cinda. "See here
somebody gin this to me-" and 'Cinda opened
her two hands, and there lay the cunningest
locket that ever rejoiced the heart of child
"Oh, my how Splendid" exclaimed Ger
tie; "who gave it to you ?" al shan't
tell" answered 'Cinda, with a flippant toss
of her head, which provoked Gertie to say
"You stole it, III bet. You steal and lie
too, I've heard folks say So" al don't.
"You do" Hold your tongue" screamed
Cinda. 81 won't," snapped Gertie. You
,oil," said 'Cinda, and she gave her push
that sent her over upon a garden rake, aud
alas the day one of its cruel iron teeth went
nearly through Gertie's hand. She screamed
aud then tainted. 'Cinda, for once in her
life, was thoroughly frightened, and rar
home, and what further harm would have
befalen poor Gertie am unable to say
(and all because she didn't mind her mother)
if her father, who, missing her from the
front yard, hadn't come to look her up
and there he found her, lying white ant
still, in little pool of blood. All, me, wha'
sight it was Luckily it wasn't her mothe
who first found her, else there might hav'
been two in dead faint. But her fathe
was strong of nerve as well as arm, and
doctor withal, so he took her up tenderl.
and carried her into the house. AS con
seriousness returned she moaned piteously
but her father dressed her wound ant
auieted her as best he could with boil
words and medicine, and when her mothe
came home she found her lying on tn
lounge nearly free from pain, but looking
very pale and very meek and penitent
A scar always remained on the wounde'
hand, but Gertie learned lesson on obedi
ence which she has never forgotten. A
for Lucinda her chief regret about tn
matter was because the theft was discovere
and the locket returned to its lawful ownel
She waxed worse and worse after that, an
finally went to the city to live, and the las
knew of her she was bad girl still.