Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-04-11
DAISY AND GOTTHOLD.

DAISY :" But no answer was heard
daisy Daisy Where can the child be ?"
said the voice but again there was no an
swer, and the tired feet were fain to climb
the long stairways, their owner looking in at
open doors as she passed from landing to
landing, and again and again calling "Dai-
sy!"
Now, Daisy heard perfectly well all the
time but she had reasons of her own for
not acknowledging that she did so. Some
thing had been said at dinner-time about
sending basket OF good things to Widow
Gretchen; and, as Daisy was the usual car
rier Of such baskets, she had an intuition of
the purpose for which she was wanted, and
also, am sorry to say, strong sensation of
unwillingness to go. Not that Daisy was u.s.
ually very selfish little girl; but TO day she
was particularly busy, and to go out before tea
would spoil all her plans In one end of the
long, low garretroom, she was making a
playhouse, and displaying all her treasures
to the best possible advantage and every
ono knows what q fascinating occupation
that is
But our little American readers must not
suppose Daisy's treasures at all compared
with those which they have gathered by the
accumulation Of the Christmases and birth
days OF their lives. German children do not
fare SO well, or at least are not treated so Law
ishly. But then, possession is always com
parative and Daisy, having more than her
companions, thought herself a very rich lit
tie girl
On one side of the curious gabled window
was box, which she had fitted up as bod
for the real wax doll, which, with its fashion
able, II tiimsy, wardrobe, had travelled all
the way from Paris in cold winter weather,
to be in time for its place under the Christ
| mas tree while at the foot, seated in little
carved chair, which Daisy's grandmother
had brought from Switzerland when she was
| herself little girl, leaned-for she was not
| flexible enough to sit-the substantial wood
en- friend of Daisy's babyhood much better
loved in her short stiff, worsted petticoat
and scarlet bodice, with her often-renew ed
vermilion cheeks and staring black eyes,
than the French lady with all her Emery.
But, upon the other side of the little room,
| the child's energies were all concentrated at
present Here she had placed an old book
case without doors and upon its shelves she
was arranging such small treasures as she
happened to possess, with considerable srtis-
tic skill, every now and then stepping back
ward to study the effects produced.
On the lowest shelf was a row Of story
books in bright. colored and gilded bindings
on the second, a neat little workbox, whose
open lid showed an array of needles, scis.
sors, and thimble, not yet much the worse
for wear, fianked by several porcelain ami
mails and an array of curious shells. But the
top one, to which she was now putting the
finishing touch, contained only eggs, EAST
er eggs of every variety, saved from all the
Casters Of the little girls life. Some were
veritable egg-shells colored red, blue, and
saffron, or painted in delicate devices and
suggestive notices. Some were of sugar,
resplendent with patches and ornaments OF
silver and gold some Of wood, carved OF
painted. Daisy grouped them tastefully,
leaving space in the centre of the shelf
for, as she sale, -
"To-morrow there will be new ones and,
as I'm ten years old this Easter, they're sure
to be the hRndsomest 1 ever had" And
Just as she reached this conclusion, hei
mothers head appeared at the top of the
stairs.
"why, Daisy, I've been calling you fol
ever so long. Didn't you hear me ?"
Eyes, little mother, but-but didn't want
to come" with sudden burst of honesty
81 don't want to carry a great heavy baske
down to old Gretchen. II she Is so pool
that we must give her her Easter dinner, sht
might at least send for it herself"
"So she always did till Gotthold broke hi
leg. You know there is no one else to come
I am ashamed of my little daughters selfish
ness. She should find it a pleasure to carr
for the sick and poor on Easter eve. Blu
she must 60, nevertheless for / promised
: and have no one else to send. You won
find the basket heavy" she added "for Kar
took the sausages aud the anise bread thi
morning There are only the Eastor cake
/ and few red and blue eggs"
As there was no help for it, Daisy put he
Sab0ts (wooden shoes) over her boots, slippet
p on her cloak aud tied her warm wooden hoo
tightly, and taking the basket went down
stairs and with no very good grace wa
soon trotting down the steep and ston
street. Her rosy, good natured face locke
as cross as it could look and she muttere
4 TO herself
a "Its too bad. l haven't half finished m
a baby. house. 1t will be dark by the time
a get back. l don't see why l should be mad
to wait upon beggars, and don't see wha
business Gotthold had TO break his leg"
But, by the time she had thought all thi
g Daisy had reached the high arched and poin
:, ed stone bridge and as il was an ever-ne
n delight to look over the stone parapet, upC
a the swiftly running water as 1t roared al
" dashed around and over the boulders al
10 pebbles far below or to watch the suns
II colors setting the mountains on fire and gil
'r ing all the city steeples as they did to-nigh
she was in somewhat better humor by Il
a time she had climbed TO the fifth story
Te the quaint old house to the apartment
4 which old Gretchen lived with her grandso
r. Gotthold.
N ''A thousand blessings on you, FrGuLeiH
(young LADY,, said the old woman, as Dai