Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-01-21
aMistellanu.
Quiz.

That's what Fred called her when she
first came and the name has clung 10 her
ever since, although she has really earned
more musical appellation.
One day when Fred and all of us were
ut home, u strange woman, with queer
little girl about five years old, came to the
door and asked if she might come in and
get warm 1t was the afternoon of cold.
windy day in March;-and as Bridget had
zone out and the kitchen ire had gone
down, mamma let her come into the sitting
room, where we all were, Fred reading,
Nell and | sewing, and Willie and baby
Belle playing with the blocks.
Mamma placed chair by the fire for
the strange woman and pushed up low
stool for the little girl, who seated herself
demurely upon it, and then began looking
ut Fred, who sat next to her.
Pretty soon the woman arose, said she
had long walk to take, and as she was
soon to return, asked if she might leave
the little girl, who was tired, with us until
she came back
We lived in small country town, you
see, where trampS were few and far be-
tween, and mamma, Suspecting nothing,
consented, and the woman went away.
The little girl sat still for Il long time,
and then suddenly startled US all by asking
in clear, childish voice:
"What dat be?n She was looking at
Fred, and nodded comically ut the book
he held in his hand.
THAT is book, said Fred.
"What be you to do with it?' she ask
ed.
I'm reading it."
"What dat is ?'
Here Fred's gravity gave way and he
burst into hearty laugh. The child only
looked at him wonderingly and repeated
her question with grave earnestness.
"What dat is you do?'
Look here, little Quiz" said Fred,
"you must be Il savage If you never saw
Il book bcfore;' and he tried to explain to
her what he was doing, but at every step
she stopped him with question, always,
Willie said, putting the cart before the
horse.
"Well, QUIZ said Fred, at last" you
display marvellous desire for information
if you don't know much now. Pray tell
US what your name is
But for all we could learn from the little
stranger, who asked questions far easier
than she could answer them, she had no
name; so Fred said he should call her
Quiz rs long us she staid with US.
The afternoon wore slowly away, and
still the strange woman did not come
back. Little Quiz staid with us all night,
and the next morning papa made inquiries
and learned that she had taken the train
for Chicago, and was by this time beyond
the possibility Of tracing.
We were all very indignant when papa
told us about it next day at dinner.
Quiz amused us with her odd ways and
dlol questions, and we thought it very
cruel for her mother, rs we supposed the
woman TO be, to desert her in that manner.
And what was to become of poor Quiz
now, was the question we all asked of
papa.
county house, said papa.
II guess you'll find out what the rest of
the little paupers know in just no time,
won't you, Quiz?' said Fred.
Quiz looked at him moment with her
great serious, gray eyes; then her lips
quivered, and two big tears rolled slowly
down her cheeks.
Where be | sleep?H she said, with
little sharp sob.
Fred heSitated q moment between de-
sire to laugh and temptation to catch her
in his arms and kiss away her tears. FL
nally he asked her in sOftened tone:
Don't you want to go?'
Il like to 'tay wi you," she answered,
with another great sob, leaning her head
on her hand and her elbow on the table,
looking the very picture of sadness.
Couldn't we keep her?" asked Fred,
suddenly, of papa.
81 don't know; what does mother sayP"
"Oh, mamma. do said Nell, whose
heart was even softer than Fred's.
"Oh, S mamma, do" urged little WILL
lie.
Mamma, thus appealed to, looked per-
picked. Her motherly heart had gone
out toward the lonely stranger, but she
had so many cares, and quite children
enough TO occupy ho heart and hands.
"rll help TO take care of her" pleaded
Fred.
1--WE might keep her awhile" mamma
said, and so we did.
Willie clapped his hands and cried,
" lluIrahm Mel said, Oh, goody" Fred
said, That's jolly' but Quiz said moth
ing, only took up her fork aud went on
W tn her dinner.
tached to her. Her demure, funny ways
were constant source of amusement,
and she was gentle, atloctonate and gen
erOuS.
But il was Fred who held complete pos
session of her heart. For him she saved
half Of her candy, apples and other good
ics for him she learned TO sew, draw
pictures and write letters; when she came
f,,u uf "a spbppl il IN hin, ebo opt,EJ Ja 4
all trials and triumphs, and to him she
wen. for aid and assistance in mastering
hard sums and SO we called her Frcd's 5
protegt.
Wh,n she first went to school, Fred
gave h'r the name of Orphana, and the
children called her Orphie, but she retain
ed her habit of asking questions about
everything, and so, partly for fun and
partly because the name suited her, we
continued to call her Quiz, and thus things
went on until she was twelve years of age
and Fred was twenty.
One day Fred went TO the city on bust
ness for papa, and we did not expect him
home until the s o'clock express came in
the evening. Toward night there came a
furious storm, it Numbered and lightened,
the wind blew and ratified the window
CtStIncHlS, Wlllle III lllleS lue rain 1tl IN
torrents. As we were all seated around
the evening lamp with our work and
studies, mamma shivered and wondered
if Fred had an overcoat with him, and 4
papa, who had not come up from the
office, would think to take one over 10 the
station.
\ few minutes afterward Quiz arose
and Slipped quietly out of the room, but
r =.
the habit Of slipping away without saying
anything, and we concluded that she had
either gone to the kitchen to Biddy, OF
else had gone TO her own room.
She had done neither, however Step
ping quietly into the hall, she had first put
on her thick waterproof and rubbers, then
lighted Fred lantern, taking his overcoat
from the nail, and went softly out of the
front door into the driving storm.
The wind almost blew her over, and the
rain beat on her face. hnt she only tnscnI