Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-11
TrOps Adventure.

One fine spring morning nice little
girl came toddling in to be admired by her
admiring grandma and aunties before going
down town.
"Tee my tockings " she said, holding out
one plump leg, and nearly topping over as
she tried to balance herself on the other.
"Booful, darling said grandma, oblige-
ingly for in her heart Of hearts she thought
the gay.colored stripes an abomination, and
considered white to be the "only proper
thing for little girls" or anybody else.
"Ozer ones booful, too said Trot,
holding it out for inspection.
Just then Trot's mother, Mrs. ID Unity,
came to the door and said, Come, precious,
run here's the car" which startled the
girl so that she toppled over entirely. and
had TO be picked up and Strengthened out
by her grandma, and kissed and comforted
by her mamma and all her aunties, which
took so long that two or three cars had
chance to trundle by before they were ready
TO go.
Mr.. Daintys store, so Trot thought, was
a very dull and uninteresting place, full of
big boxes, hammers, saws, files and nails
so, after she had shown her new stockings
TO her papa, she went out to the door in
search OF amusement, and, not seeing any
thing but yellow spotted dog which inter
ested her, she slipped out and walked CON-
posedly down the street.
She looked back once or twice, expecting
to see mother or father after her but they
were busy talking, and If they thought of
her at all they supposed that she was just
outside the door.
Not being at all in favor of straight lines,
she turned up this street and down that,
gazing about her with great delight, and
trying to "make believe" that she was a
"big, grown-up lady"
She did think of her mamma once, and
seeing pleasant looking man driving along
in buggy, she stood on the edge of the
sidewalk and called out as loudly as she
could, mister Mister Man |"
He looked at the little red-eheeked mite
and drew up his horse, saying pleasantly
enough:
| "Well ?"
aft you tee my mamma tell her not to be
worried"
But I'm afraid she will be worried
said he-I think he must have had little
redcheeked girl at home" and you had
better get right into my buggy and let me
take you back to her."
"No, flank your replied Trot, with a
|
with which she walked serenely off and left
her new acquaintance gazing after her in
surprise and amusement.
"Whose girl is that 2" he said to himself
as he went on. "Ive seen her somewhere
before"
1t was not until hours after, when he met
his friend Dainty coming from the police
office that he was able to place the midget.
Trot made very slow progress, for she had
to stop aud gaze at everything; but she lad
crossed and recrossed so many streets that
the father and mother, who were frantically
searching for her by this time, were COM
pletely off the track.
At length even she began to think of be-
ing tired and going home; she was not by
any means the same Trot who had slipped
out of the store door and started on an ex-
ploring expedition, for her hair was in her
eyes and her face was sticky and dirty !;
also her hands, in one of which was GRASP ed
the remains of stick of candy.
The young man with his hair parted in
tie middle was slightly surprised when this
little lsssie walked in and said:
am take a tick of candy"
| "Wheres your money 2" he inquired.
al amt dot no money, but my papa dot a
whole pottet full" replied the small GUS
toner.
"Where is your father ?"
al don't know" replied Trot, indffer-
emily.
arm give you stick of candy for kiss"
said he.
GAN right" she said, and, standing on
tiptoe, she kissed him over the counter and
trotted off, evidently quite satisfied.
She had worse luck in a bakery, kept by
sour-faced woman, where she applied for
cake.
allow many do you want ?" said the
woman.
"Just one" replied Trot, patronizingly.
| "Whst for 2 F." was the next question.
To eat, of tourse exclaimed the mid.
get, astonished.
"Where's your money Z"
"Ain't dot nome"
"Then go right out of my store, you lit
tie beggar F" said the Souriace, Grossly.
| Trot retreated to the door, from which
place Of safety she faced the woman and
said, Indignantly:
al amt beddarl You tink beddars
wear dis kind of tockings and stamping
her little foot, she stalked solemnly away.
She did not dara to ask anybody to show
her the way home, for her confidence in
|
shaken sadly since her experience in the
priced stockings, began to be fearfully tired
and when the candy was all gone she real
\ lied that she was exceedingly hungry.
| Kerney street where she now wandered
was crowded with people, and as Trot
walked along she looked wistfully in every
ones face feeling sure that among so many
people she must fluid her mamma nobody
spoke to her, probably because of that calm,
| self-sustained air OF hers, which made her
seem as if she knew just where she was
going.
So tired that she could hardly move, she
| at length sat down upon the step of small
| store. feeling more forlorn than she had
ever felt in her life before, and wishing 10
see her mamma with almost agonizing
fervor.
But her rest was not long; boy who
had been left in charge of the store, feeling
the immense Importance of his position,
came out and shook the little waif rudely
by the shoulder, saying,
"Come, get out of this We don't want
you blocking up the doorway
"You let me lone cried the midget,
jerking herself out Of his hand then, as the
| full wretchedness of her situation came
| upon her, she cried out in a flood of tears
"Mamma 1 want my mammal
"See here, sir I've a good mind to dust
your jacket for you " said young man
who had seen the boy, and heard poor little
Trot's despairing cry.
"Whst do you mean by catching hold of
a little girl that way2" The boy muttered
something about blocking up the doorway
and judiciously retreated.
"Whats the matter, dear ?" he then
said, turning to Trot. Are you lost 2"
"No," sobbed Trot. "Pm here; my
mammals lost And my house, tool"
He lifted her up in his arms, and wiped
the tears away gently from her poor little
dirty face he was young fellow, not more
than twenty, plain and even rough in his
dress, but Trot knew that she had found a
friend, and putting both her plump arms
around his neck, she said
"Take me to my mammal"
ayes, darling" he said it seemed long
| time TO Trot since she had been called dar-