The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-10
Why Winnie did Not Go.


"Oh now tell me another story, please
do, Uucle viii, before it is time for me to
go to bed" Mabel pleaded, as her uncle
seated himself in the parlor after tea.
Uncle VIII had read the Peter Farley
books when he was boy, so he knew just
how to make delightful stories out OF
What little folkAusually think is very dry
But then anything that her beloved new
UDcle Will told her would be pleasant to
Mabel. Only few months before he had
married her dearest, best, sweetest auntie,
who had always been good to her, and
from that day, curious as it may seem,
Mabel took hun into her heart, and gave
him just as much love as she did Aunt
Alice, though auntie seemed to get as
much as before. Aud so there is no end
of loving, is there? Nobody found it
very hard matter to love Uncle Will, he
was so merry and bright, and there was
no end to the things he knew and could
tell about. Then he was unselfish he
would give up his own pleasure any time
to amuse child, or cheer up somebody in
trouble.
Before Uncle Will could answer,
grandma spoke up. She noticed that he
had just pulled the evening paper from
his pocket, so she said, as she drew her
rockingchair near the 6re--the very first
fire that had cracked in the CRATE that
autumn:
"Come over here Mabel dear, will
tell you story"
"Wlll it be nice, like Uncle Wills
stories2" Mabel asked, coming slowly
across the room.
" l will let you answer that question
after l have told it," said grandma, reach
Ing for her knittipg-bag.
WIN it be a history story ?" asked
Mabel again.
"What is history story ?"
"Why, all about something that truly
happened long time ago, to truly
somebody" said Mabel.
Must it have happened long time
ago to make it history? Don't you
know that history is being made every
DAY You remember all about our dear
President Garfield, don't you? 1t ia
only short time since those days, but
the story is published now in book and
that Is history"
"Oh, Yes, l know" said Mabel eagerly
SOME OF the things Uncie viii hac
taught her, just coming into her head
81 know; anything that happened hun
dreds OF years ago is ancient his
tory, and what happened lately or thu
last hundren years or 80 is called modern
history"
"Tnat is right" said grandma "well
now, will tell you story OF moderl
history"
"Ouce upon a time-not hundre'
years ago--there was little girl by tn
name oi Winnie.
Her home was q handsome house il
the city. There were many pleasan
rooms In it, but on this particular morE
Ing, Winnie was sitting in the attic.
"She had not been sent there as
punishment, it was the place she chose
DO. There was pretty window in on
end of the long low room. 1t had sma
panes of glass; some of them were co
ored. When the morning was chilly
Winnie liked to get off up there, for tn
sunshine came with rosy light throug
the red glass. There was u large Of
chair by the window, aud Winnie said
was cosey place. SO she had brougt
her slate and arithmetic aud geograph,
to study her lessons. So she alway
studied a couple OF hours in the morning
then recited 10 Aunt Lena; after tina
the time was her own TO walk or play q
she chose. She culled herself up i'll tn
large chair, aud opened her book, but dl
not look in IL; she looked out OF In
window, and saw up in the caves lit
brown sparrows futtering and twitterinl
She dropped her books and climbed u
On the chair and watched them Ion