Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-09-29
Little Elsie.

We were not rich, but we were very happy
my Elsie and |. We had two rooms on
second floor, which, if they were not large,
still answered our purpose quite as well as
whole house would have done. / was get
ting good salary so if we had few of the
luxuries of life, we lacked none of the nee
essaries. What more could man ask
My Elsie used TO argue in this way, You
say, George, we are not rich but there we
cannot agree If you mean by riches that
ilusive commodity of exchange, termed
money-which to-day you have, and to-
morrow you find it has taken to itself wings
and you see it no more-then we are not
rich f; but what do we need that we do not
have? We have enough to eat, enough to
wear; | have you, what is there in the world
to compare with you? And" looking up
archly into my face, "you have me. What
would you take for me George, we are rich"
Yes, we were rich for we were very
happy and contented. There was but one
thing denied us, but one shadow that would
sometimes thrust itself in and cause sigh.
We had been married for FIVE years, and yet
we were childless.
came from the office one evening, and
found my wife greatly excited.
"Oh, George" she said," there is the
sweetest, sweetest little child up stairs with
such cruel mother
Ny Elsie believed that if an adjective
qualified a word, to repeat it must necessar-
lily make it doubly strong; and the little
woman, as was her custom when greatly
excited, buried her head in my bosom and
sobbed. | soothed her as best could, and
after while she told me what had excited
her so much.
"There are new dodgers in the room just
above us. An old woman-such harsh,
cruellooking old woman-and little child
with the sweetest face that you ever saw"
" So we are to have new neighbors ~
"They came to-day, and she was so harsh
and cruel-the old woman, | mean-it
made my blood boil She made the little
thing carry bundle after bundle up stairs,
and spoke so sharp and savage to her, it al
most made me cry; and when the little
thing, exhausted, sat down TO lest, she slap.
ped her and made her move on.
"She must be very hard-hearted," / said
81 don't see how she could do So"
Every evening my wife poured into my
ears the story Of outrage.
"The mother is BRUTE" she would say
"a cruel, wicked, and inhuman woman"
would, expostulating, say My dear
you are prejudiced; you, perhaps, misunder
stand her, and Judge her harshly."
"Judge her harshly, indeed cannot
find language strong enough to express hel
| wicked and unnatural conduct"
But was brought to her way Of think
| ing in regard to the third-hoor dodgers.
was Just leaving the house for the office one
morning, when half dozen steps off saw
the little one coming with small pitcher oi
milk. 1t was the first time had seen her
and | was struck with her at once. She
was not more than six years old, and hac
the sweetest face ever saw but so sad il
made ones heart ache to look at it.
Just as she reached the door small dos
came galloping along the street and trippec
her feet from under her. She fell, and thu
pitcher was smashed to atoms. | helped
her up, and brushed the milk from he
dress. She smiled sad smile, and thanked
me so prettily it won my heart. saw tn,
tears gather in her eyes in spite of her Ell
forts to drive them back, so said
"Never mind; you could not help it; /
was not your fault"
"No, sir; | could not help it, but tina
will make no difference
The door was pulled violently open AM
the monster, as my wife delighted to cal
her, came out with rush, and seizing tn
child by the arm, said
81 will teach you TO be so careless"
"Indeed, could not help it, mamma"
Hush not word"
,L raS',I. ~ =, aoo;5s,t that vonr I;ttis gi,
wa. n. en,;rsIv s % unable m To avoid. a dog trippe
her feet from nnder her, and the result wa
;na,;,aSia
:" Sir " She ren,;ed "J mnst reouest tina
vo, w;ll not interfere with business tha
a. na, corcarn Won Come :" and an
srsaoaJ A. I Tho iittla thing into the house.
"Ss 49, L. 10 Pa snnhhsd so thar
49, oansas al wort in NV mind tba
a., a;,h,r &c of which With q raasopahI
t 10y, u,," os ooo,ra ,ament was canabls =
danalon;na into an antinathv for this ol
so,nan nnita az farce az that of NV wifi,
ri ~ annrass;on ;ryor;ob,y craata
in ns a fesling af resentment a desire TO se
,h;uos ~ uo r;oht % snd TO cbsstise the onpresso %
IN a5d;tion 10 this I was apprieved on m
in "oul'io" ~ .u'o' ,nnt 1"' TSs n,annsr i
,,,h;oh nv ;ntarferenca had heen receive
.,onndad nv d;gnity IN snch a degree that
Mroaaodad mou ~ ths oft;cs With a feeling nears
p; pat;n ~ raas in INV heart than | had exner
anaad tor long time Rv the time
raaohod hama in the evsnipg / was fnll
nranarsd 70 andorse anv and avery anathem
nv w;te might bean On the wretehed W,
msn,s 2 head
- / mst the little one every morning afte
that carrying her pitober OF milk, / stoppe
har one por,ing and asked her name. fb
Nina aves Looked at me in surnrise, but al
ran,isd.
FIsia"
Eis;e wbv that ia nv wife's name
oTha nre,tv Woman on the second floor ?
Yas tbsi ia NV wife"
al ON aIad"
~" b, a.,