Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-11
Our New Walk.

For once 1 have done right. L always
used to think that if l stuck 10 it and tried
to do what was right, would hit it some
day; but at last | pretty nearly gave up all
hope, and was beginning to believe that no
matter what l did, some of the grown-up
folks would tell me that my conduct was
such. But have done real useful thing
that was Just what father wanted, and
he has said that he would overlook it this
time Perhaps you think that this was not
very encouraging to boy but if you had
son, as often as l have been, Just because
you had tried to do right and hadn't ex.
actly managed to suit people, you would be
very glad to hear your father say that for
once he would overlook it,
Did you ever play you were ghost l
don't think much of ghosts, and wouldn't
be bit afraid if l was to see one. There
was once ghost that used to brighten peo
Pile dreadfully by hanging himself to hook
in the wall. He was one Of those tall white
ghosts, and they are the very worst kind
there is. This one used to come into the
spare bedroom of the house where he lived
before he was dead, and after walking
round the room, and making as if he was in
dreadfully low spirits, he would take rope
out of his pocket and hang himself to
clothes-hook Just opposite the bed, and the
person who was in the bed would faint
away with fright, and pull the bedclothes
over his head, and lie in the most dreadful
agony until morning, when he would get up,
and people would say, "Why, how dreadful
you look, your hair is all gray and you are
wbiternany sheet" One time man came
to stay at the house who wasn't afraid of
anything, and he said, "I'n fix that ghost
of yours I'm terror on wooden wheels
when any ghosts are around, am" So he
was put to sleep in the room, and before he
went to bed he loosened the hook so that it
would come down very easy, and then he
sat up in bed and read till twelve o'clock.
Just when the clock struck the ghost came
and walked up and down, as usual, and
finally got out his rope and hung himself;
but as soon as he kicked away the chair he
stood on when he hung himself, down came
the hook, and the ghost fell all in heap on
the floor, and sprained his ankle, and got up
and limped away, dreadfully ashamed, and
nobody ever saw him again.
Father has been having the front garden
walk fixed with an askfelt pavement. Ask
felt is something like molasses, only four
times as sticky when it is new. After a
while it grows real hard, only ours hasn't
grown very hard yet. l watched the men
put it down, and father said, "Be careful and
don't step on it until it gets hard or you'll
stick fast in it and can't ever get out again.
I'd like to see half a dozen meddlesome
boys stuck in it and serve them right" As
soon as heard dear father mention what
he'd like, determined that he should have
his wish, for there is nothing that is more
delightful to good boy than to please his
father.
That afternoon l mentioned to two or
three boys that | knew were pretty bad boys,
that our melons were ripe, and that father
was going to pick them in day or two.
The melon patch is at the back of the house,
and after dark dressed myself in one of
mothers nightgowns, and hid in the
wood-shed. About eleven O'Clock heard a
noise, and looked out, and there were six
boys coming in the back gate, and going
for the melon patch. | waited till they
were Just ready to begin, and then came
out and said, in a hollow and protuberant
voice, "Bewarel"
They dropped the melons and started to
run, but they couldn't get to the back gate
without passing close to me, and l knew
they wouldn't try that. So they started to
run round the house to the front gate, and
ran after them. When they reached the
new front walk, they seemed to stop all of
sudden and two or three of them fell down.
didn't wait to hear what they had to say,
but went quietly back, and got into the
house through the kitchen window, and
went up stairs to my room. l could hear
them whispering, and now and then one or
two of them would cry little; but thought
it wouldn't be honorable to listen to them,
so went to sleep.
In the morning there were five boys stuck
in the askfelt, and frightened most to death.
got up early, and called father, and told
him that there seemed TO be something the
matter with his new walk. When he came
out and saw five boys caught in the pave
ment, and an extra pair OF shoes that be-
longed to another boy who had wriggled out
of them and gone away and left them, he
was the most astonished man you ever saw.
told him how had caught the boys steal
ing melons, and had played | was a ghost
and frightened them away, and he said that
if I'd help the coachman pry the boys out,
he would overlook it. So he sat upon the
piazza and overlooked the coachman and
me while we pried the boys out, and they
came out awfully hard, and the askselt is
full of pieces of trowsers and things. |
don't believe it will ever be a handsome
walk but whenever father looks at it he
will think what good boy have been,
which will give him more pleasure than a
hundred new askfelt walks.-4iplmy Bro,on,
in Harper's Young People.