Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-06
IN THE WRONG HOUSE.
4 Cheerful story of the Present Day.

1t was in Boston. The first snow of
the season had fallen the night before,
and the wind was dashing it off the tops
of the high buildings filling the air with
tiny particles that glittered like diamonds
i'll he brilliant sunshine. 1t wasn't quite
so pleasant to have it come with rush
rig Int into ones face, but every one was
merry and brisk this morning, and why
shouldn't the wind he so too? Two
bright-faced girls were rapidly threading
their way through the crowds that
thronged around the great dry goods
stores. For an hour they had been fit
ting from place to place, attending to
matters important or otherwise, towering
over the pretty things piled high upon
the counters, but laughingly shaking
their heads over their empty purses.
81 shall have to appoint myself your
guardian, Alice, and put a veto on your
buying what you don't need" And the
speaker linked her arm with that of her
companion, and drew her towards the
door.
81 ought to be grateful, for am III
debt now, and really ought not to spend
accent. Did you ever see such good
naturcd crowd ? Now, you have that
call to make, and while you go there |
will run i'll and see Mollic. Don't stay
long. will you, Grace?"
"No, | won't. What wind ! | should
think it camesstraight from Labrador
This was rightly named Winter street I!
Here, give me your hand. Let us get
into the sunshine, somehow, as quickly
AS we can.
Hand in hand, laughing, breathless,
with heads bent to meet the fierce winds
that came tearing around the corner, the
cousins struggled forward until they gain
ed the corner, where Alice halted for
breath but Grace ran on, across Ire
mont street, and there stood in the flood
ing sunlight, waiting for her compan-
ION.
(Which way shall we go ?" asked Alice
when they were together again. up
Park street or across the common"
"Across the common, by all MEANS"
said Grace. 81 60 out of my way when
i'll Boston, to walk on the common. 1t is
such relief to me to escape from the
cold shadow Of the high buildings"
So they went with their faces so bright
from the cold air and their merry hearts
that all who met them smiled and went
their way more blithcly. Suddenly their
path was blockaded by the snow, on
which men were still ut work. An I'M
broken white expanse lay between them
and their goal.
'rhree alternatives exclaimed Grace,
gayly ; 'to wade through this snow,
which looks rather deep to wait till the
men finish the path for us, or to take this
path over to Park street"
SIN view of the lateness of the hour,
perhaps we had better make concession
and accept the last. See, there is Mol
lies house. You SEQ the house with the
roof higher than the others p
Yes said Grace, not very decidedly.
"Well, it is the third house from that.
If you finish your call first, you can stop
for me, or vice versa. | will go to meet
you. Now don't stay long"
And they parted. Alice keeping on
down Beacon street in the sunshine, Grace
turning north over the hill. Neither had
far to go from the corner where they sep
arated, and Grace was soon waiting for
admittance at her friends door. The SER
want who took the card returned present.
ly with the intelligence that her mistress
was so ill that she was quite unable to
receive any one. So it happened that in
n few moments Grace was again upon the
street.
This ls nice, she said to herself, as
she retraced her steps. "Alics will moi
hurry herself, and, meantime, what is tc
become of me | do not wish to shorten
her call | will walk down the street very
slowly and try to kill time"
What an exquisite picture it is And
truly it was beautiful The leafless treet
on the common lifted the delicate tracery
OF their branches against the cloudlest
H.
spotless, on the streets and housetops
Along the few paths that had been open
ed on the common, people passed and re-
passed. The roar and rush of the great
city came softly to the ear across the
white plain. Near at hand the state
house raised its shining dome high in the
air, and the tinkle of sleigh bells and the
merry shouts Of children added life ano
interest to the scene.
81 am getting somewhat tired of this