Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-31

seemed to cease their close watch Of her,
and away she sped, leaving a very i'm
perfectly cleaned room.
The third morning came, and poor
Peggy acted as though she had really
grown desperate under the strange spell
of the picture. Once she clinched her fist
and shook it menacingly at the innocent
Roman lady, but dropped it again, quell.
ed by the staring eyes. Slowly she walked
up to the bed. half crying now, and nut.
tering to herself
II want that ar CONAN to stop starin' at
me-" and glancing back nervously to
meet the same relentless gaze. the poor,
silly girl seemed actually to lose the little
mind she had. and, rushing to the hearth,
seized poker sharpened at one end and
without a moments delay was again be-
fore the picture exclaiming, ''I'll fix yer
and the next instant punch went the cruel
pocker through one eye, punch! through
the other, and there hung the poor Roman
lady with only two round holes in her
fair face where the dark eyes had been.
With grunt of deep satisfaction. but a
frightened glance at the havoc she had
made, Peggy finished her cleaning, and
left the room.
run up stairs, Nettie, and put these
clothes in Walters room." said her moth
er, as Nettie came in from scnool hall
hour earlier than her brother.
With never a thought of dismay await
ing her, the little girl ran lightly up the
steps, laid the articles in their proper
places, and then turned for an admiring
glance at the Roman lady.
With half uttered cry, and sudden
terror-stricken clasping of her hands
Nettie stood like one petrilied before the
disfigured picture. She could not possibly
believe her own eyes for a moment; nor
till she drew nearer, and reaching up
actually placed her finger in the poor
pierced eyes, could she realize the terrible,
mysterious catastrophe.
Lost in grief and bewilderment she
stood uncertain what to do till suddenl,
Walter voice from below broke the spell
that seemed holding her. Instantly all her
thought was turned TO him; she must
try to tell him gently what had happened
that he might be spared the sudden shock
experienced by her.
fastening out of the room, she stood at
the landing of the stairs as he came
bounding up, her little face looking pale
with grief and her hands still claspet
tightly together. Scarcely noticing her
Walter was passing hastily on, when she
laid her hand detainingly on his arm, ant
said in low, trembling voice.
80 Walter, don't, don't go in there
yet"
Her brother stopped and looked at her
as if he thought she was suddenly losing
her mind. "What in the world is the
matter, Nettie? you look as though you
had seen something terrible"
80 Walter" she repeated in reluctant
broken sentences, "the lady-tho lady"
In moment the words had filed him
with vague alarm.
"Tell me, Nettie" he cried almost an.
grily, what is it-what do you mean?"
80 Walter, the Roman lady-has-ha:
had her eyes put out!'
Walter paused only an instant, staring
at Netsie in speechless amazement, and
then, dashing past her into his room, bis
own face the next moment was rejecting
the expression of hers.
"Who could have done it!' he cried, at
last finding voice. "Who has ruined my
picture? y Nettie, who could have done
such thing"
II have thought and thought" sale
Nettie, deiectedly, "and know it could
be no one but Crazy Peggy; will 90 and
speak to mother about it at once"
She was turning to leave the room, when
Walter caught her almost, rudely, by the
arm. "Stop" he cried, II will not have
you say anything about it; father and
mother never cared anything about my
paintings; everything and everybody is
against me; l will never. never try again
and / don't ever again want to hear of my
picture!
Poor boy, grief and anger had taker
full possession of him, and seizing the
unfortunate Roman lady he hurled bel
under the bed out of his sight. then threw
himself face downward on his pillow.
Nettie did not know what to do; the
calamity seemed so great, destroying 81
suddenly their long cherished hopes, ther,
appeared no rsom for comfort or cheer
But she could not see Walter in such grie
without trying to do something for him,
and kneeling down beside him she said
gently:
"Do try and think it all best, Walter
have prayed so much to God to let YOU
succeed that do not believe he means i
all to be failure; perhaps some good ma,
come of it that we can't see!'
80 Nettie, please hush!' cried Walter
almost crying in his comfortless grief
YOU talk so foolishly, and don't want t,
hear any of your own fancies; you see tn
harm is done and can't be undone, thel
what's the use of talking of some goot
that we can't see.'
Poor little Nettie felt indeed that it wa
useless to try to comfort Walter just now
and while trying still to cling to her trus
in Gods promised help, her own littl,
heart could not feel how forlorn hope i
seemed to look for good from such appar
ent failure. She wished she could tall
with her mother about it, but Walter wa
peculiar boy, and when he said thin!
was to be kept quiet, he always meant il
and Nettie knew it would not do to tell O
the trouble that had como to them.
Walter was not ready for breakfast tn,
next morning, strange to say, and Nettie
with a face still sad and troubled, went t
his room to see what could detain him
The poor boy looked pale and sick.
II don't want any breakfast, Nettie,
said he. lust tell mother that l have 8
bad headache and want to lie still littl
longer.
Ah, Nettie knew we'll enough what
was that was making Walter i'll; what
he should hreal5 his heart and never In
we'll again! She had read of such things
and the thought was more than she coulC
bear, scarcely tasting her own breakfast
She went absently through her Saturda,
morning duties, followed closely by tn
longing thought that she must do some
thing to help Walter. Had not the busy
mother been so engrossed with her man,
cares. she would have seen something wa
wrong from the little girls face.
But suddenly, in the very act of washin;
the dishes, new, hopeful idea rushc,
into Nettie's troubled brain. and the YER
moment her task was done, away sh
flew up stairs again to Walters room, an
crept in softly. Worn cut with grief an
restless night, he was now sleepin.
heavily. and STOPPING quietly. Netti
drew the picture from under the bed, an
softly left the room.
Only few squares distant she had oilei
noticed the sign Of an artists studio, an
had sometimes seen beautiful pictures il
tho yuindnyU helow WaitinU fnr ,,otb;,,