News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-29
LITTLE BROTHER.
BY ]. T. TRowBRIDeE


He was not so very little either. He
vas fourteen years old and as tall as
most boys of his age.
But he was shy and sensitive child,
with features almost as delicate as those
of girl. And compared with his big
brothers, be seemed fitted well enough
by the nickname they had given him.
They we're great, rough fellows, the
youngest of whom, though only seven
teen, appeared full-grown man. That
was Luff-a word into which bis real
name, Eliphaz, had been appropriately
boiled down. Somehow Luff Keller
exactly described the fat, stout, club
by-cheeked, iovial, rude, reckless sort
of boy he was.
Then there were Walt, aged nineteen,
and Russ, twenty-one tall, boDy, mus
cular young men, loud-voiced, full of
coarse fun and brag. How Milton Chat
was the name Of Little Brother) could
have been one of the same family, and
yet so wholly unlike these three, was
subject Of wondering remark to every
body who knew them.
The nickname had not been bestowed
upon him out of tenderness, I am sorry
to say, but rather out of contempt.
They could not understand how any
body should be so fond of books and
pictures, freside quiet and his mothers
society.
The truth was, Milton loved fun as
well as they, but very different sort
of fun; and it was his dread of their
rude ways which drove him to the
chimney corner and the shelter of his
mothers affection. She was a gentle.
quiet woman, to be the mother of three
such boisterous young men and the
youngest boy was naturally her pet
Many a time she had to take his part
against the tyranny he suffered from
them, especially from Luff. Not that
Luff was viciously cruel to Little
Brother ; being so unlike him, he never
knew how cruel some of his tricks really
were. If he thought of any thing Milton
especially abhorred, like the sight of
reptile, or the blood curdling shrek of
q sharpening saw, he took strange de-
light in inficting it upon him.
''He's got to get used to such things"
he would say, when his mother reproved
him ''wbat's the use of his being a
baby all his life ?''
'tBut what's the use of your torment
ing the life out TO him when you know
ne can't endure such things ?" she many
times had occasion to reply, with eyes
that coull fash when she was aroused
Gentle as she was, she had much re-
served dignity and determination of
character, which commanded the re-
spect even of the lawless Luff He
would turn laughiDgly away at such
times, with careless, "Oh, val won't
bother Little Brother any more p and
perhaps play another trick upon him
within an hour.
Mir. Keller, kind-hearted but not
very refined man, also took the part OF
the youngest when the others were too
rough with him more to satisfy his
wife, however, than because he thought
Milton ought to mind their okes.
snow, boys" he said one day, as he
was about leaving home, "don't you go
to plsguing Milton while I'm away do
leave him in peace for once, if only to
please your mother.
They were digging we'll in the cattle
yard they had reached ledge which
they had to blast, and Mr.. Keller was
driving to town to get some drills
sharpened.
''Now, Milton" he said to Little
Brother, who held the gate open for
him to drive through, ''help your broth
ers and don't mind their nonsense"
"What you call nonsense is some
times awful to mel" replied the boy
rom the ground. "Why can't they let
ne alone ?"
''Fhey would, if you wouldn't pay
any attention to their Jokes" said his
father.
81 can't help paying sttentionl" Mil
ton exclaimed. "What does Luff catch
me for and hold me up to the brink of
the well and make believe he is going
to tumble me in p
"But you know he WON'T" said his
father.
''Of course I know he won't. But /
don't like to be held at the brink of the
well and made to look down with him
pushing me ! Tt gives me horrible
feeling T. And tears started to the boys
eyes.
well, well I don't think he will
do it any more any way, try not to
mind it if he does" With which mild
ly consoling words Mr.. Keller drove off
to town.
It was some time before Milton went
to the yard where the work was going
on. That gave Luff a chance to forget
his fathers parting charge to him and
to prepare another trick for Little
Brother.
"Milt Milt p he called. "They re
waiting for you'll"
As Mllt knew that he was expected to
help Luff draw Walt and Russ mp out
of the well, he Reluctantly left the
kitchen-corner and his book and went
out in answer to the call.
Luff stood amid the rubbish at the
edge of the well leaning on the wind.
lass and looking down. Milton, as he
drew nigh, could hear the steady click
click of the sledge and drill below.
He walked carefully around to the
opposite side of the we'll from Luff, and
looking in, saw Russ and Walt still at
work, with no appearance of stopping.
you told me they were waiting" he
said. They are not half ready yet"
Yes, they are, replied Luff, with a
sober look on his red, chubby face.
"They are going to lamp now, and they
want the fuse. Run and fetch it"
"Where is it ?" Milton asked.
"Why, under that board there; don't
you know? Hurry"
Little Brother did not ask why Luff
could not have got the fuse, instead Of