Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-25

had felt our parting. just flung him out of
my heart there and then, and my love and
my silence vanished looked into the face
of my misery with n smile, and | took this
little shop in the village and worked early
and late, and made it thrive. Then, two
! years later came my little Toddles to me, sit
| ting like lily on my doorstep, as if some
angel of pence had dropped her there. have
named her Theresa, but Toddles has always
| been her own pet name for herself, and like
| it because it is hers
The child has brought me peace And l
feel no vengeance against any one now. Nor
do / rejoice that Richards wife is said to have
turned out i'll, and spent the wealth she
brought him.
But had forgotten the shop in all this rev.
! erie and reminiscnce.
There was IA sharp twang of the little bell,
and l heard heavy step in the doorway.
set down my coGre-cup hastily, aud hurried
in to confront great muscular fellow with a
! big beard and slOuchrd lat. whose presence
seemed fairly to wipe out the little shop.
This was rather different type from my
usual customers, and was II little Shy Of him.
lie hesitated, and seemed bowildcrcd when
| spoke to him-mcn never do get used to shop
! ping-aud it was some time before | quite
made out what he wanted 1t was some sort
| Of wooden goods-a scarf or a kerchief
!
stock just now, aud had put the box con
tanning them out of sight somewhere While
| rummaged about the stranger stood in the
| doorway watching me in way | did not
| like perhaps he wanted to steal something.
He looked needy enough aud shabby enough.
"Oh here they ar at last. - said l. eagerly.
handing down the package from high and
dusty shelf.
The man did not seem to hear me- He
! ip,liY,, NJ a,
butterfly outside.
Whose child is that ?" said he abruptly.
1t was an impudent question, and felt my
blood flush up hotly for a moment. But
reflected that this man looked wayworn and
weary ; perhaps he had come a long journey,
and left little child like this at home.
1T is my child" said pleasantly.
yours :" he repeated.
"Or at least, said l, IF not mine, it was
left with me to be cared for"
Left with yOu,' echoed the stranger.
'Ay, SO l have heard Left with you by
the wretched man, the outcast, the de
graded, who knew none else on whom to
| thrust his burden when his tinseled wife fell
from the tight-rope and died there grovelling
in the sawdust-knew none other of whom to
seek charity than the woman who had loved
him."
/ listened as one stupefed with opium.
What did this man know or guess concerning
me and mine What object had he in view
lingering about the shop? But said. coolly.
That is story that needs to be proved"
The stranger stopped and looked keenly at
me. Verify" said he, with low, sardonic
laugh "he has reaped his reward, it seems
he is both dead and forgotten"
| | began to feel afraid of this man, who
seemed bent upon insulting or alarming me.
pointed sternly to the door. Sir" said
| |, ''if you are satisfied with the goods, beg
you will take them away. have other things
to attend to-"
For moment after the great hulkng fig
ure disappeared through the doorway Of my
little shop covered my face with my hands,
and all the past of my life rushed entirely
over me. had not outlived it yet after all.
Suddenly remembered Toddles and has
tened to the door to look after her. My Gus
toner had disappeared; the huge willow
trunk hid the road from view, but felt
lieved, for there was my little one swinging
back and forth with the long pendants of the
willow. Only one instant | saw her in the
sunlight-one instant. Then came rushing
tearing, and trampling, a terrible sound in
the air, and great bull tossing his horns
furiously, and with eyes glaring madly before
| him, came snorting and believing up the
street. The great willow was in his course,
and, God! my little Toddles
Then l know not whether l tainted or
whether | ser, amed for help. | saw u tall
| figure leap out from somewhere in the very
pathway Of the mad animal, and the next mo-
ment Toddles, half laughing half crying, was
nesting in my arms.
The man whom | had sent from my door a
few minutes since stood looking on us yoarn-
ingly-the man who had snatched my darling
from its terrible peril.
Both dead and forgotten" he said. "Oh,
jeanette jeanette do you not know me =
The rainbow ribbons in the little shop-win-
dow spun dizzily round, and all things grew
dim before my eyes. For l knew that Rich
ard Gray was come back to me. Poor and
degraded and deserted, perhaps, he had come
back to me.
He lifted his hat, and, STOPPING, kissed the
little one, who did not resist him.
II brought you my motherless little one
years agone. A beggar and a sinner though
| was | dared to pray your charity to my
child, whom its mother, flying from her home,
would have left to perish among the gewgaws
and clowns in whose company she died. Yea
verify, my punishment has been bitter. And
shall leave you now, Jeanette you and my
child, and depart forever, hateful in your eyes
for all years to come-hateful when not for
gotteny"
But something filed my heart Just then
like the rush of a mighty river | looked
back at my quiet life, my bright little shop,
the years of silence and of sorrow / felt
Toddle's warm heart beating against mine
He had saved her. And looked at Richard
Gray, and put my hand in his
Since then have tried what it is to be a
lady i'll the far West-a lady in a log cabin,
without china or carpet, or neck ribbons, and
Richard says l have succeeded.-HayPer's
W6ekly.