Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-04
4 BRAND.NEW YEAR.

really Geraldine, but everybody called her
jill because she and Jack we're twins, and al
ways together) Becky and Taddy, aud little
Sam and the baby, to say nothing Of George
Washington Lafayette Robert Lee Lincoln
Aunt Patra's boy, who, when it came to mis-
chief was equa. to all the colored children
put together.
Once it had been only a cause OF rejoicing
that they were so many they could have no
end Of fun by themselves, and they we're 80
sorry for the little Fergusons, who we're only
two, and could play hardly any rousing game
at home of a rainy day and as for Thanny
Thorpe who had not one single brother or
sister, he always made them think of the poor
giant Pewobbet who was shut up in an iron
tower, and wept 80 for loneliness that he
trickled all away.
But, oh dear everything was sadly chang
ed now,
Papa had lost all his money, and they had
been obliged to leave their beautiful home in
the South and come away of to this little
New England town where a house and some
land had been left them by relative and
then papa had died suddenly, aud they were
left alone among strangers, and with hardly
any money
Mamma tried to keep the tears out of her
eyes, and taught music, aud sewed for people,
working sometimes far into the night, and do
ing her very best to earn money enough to
make them all comfortable. But there was
mortgage on the house, and the interest bad
to be paid very often, and there were so many
Of them And there was that boy Liukum"
that was what his old nanny always called
him, and they had fallen into the same habit
Lnkum wore out two pairs of shoes to the
other children's one, and his knees and ell
bows seemed to have such fOndness for the
utr hat gIa,. ,-.l.. III av-
through the thickest cloth in less than fort
night.
And Linkum's bump of destruc,iyeness was
developed to an alarming extent. He could
not be trusted to take anything into his hands
that could by any possibility be broken, and
he declared himself that if he looked at a
dish it done fell over and split open"
In the bottom of her heart Aunt Patra was
very fond Of Linkum, but she WAS always
saying that "dere was enuG moufs TO feed
widout dat lazy nigger's, and it was high time
he done went of and earned his own libin'."
1t made all the children very sad to hear
Aunt Patra say that, for, in spite of his
pranks, they had great affection for Lin
KUN. He was devoted to them, and always
80 good .natured and merry you must be feel
ing very badly indeed if Linkum couldn't
cheer you up. When mamma WAS 30 pale
and tired that it would make ones heart ache
to look at her, she would laugh, Just as she
used to do, at some Of Linkum's droll say.
ings. And it made her feel as badly as the
children to think of letting Liukum 20 away,
especially as she was afraid he might not find
people who would bear with his troublesome
pranks. But one day she said she was afraid
that he would have to go. She had lost
two of her music scholars, and her eyes were
beginning to trouble her SO that she was
afraid ba yrpu1I mn h. 10 oh
longer, and the interest on ths mortgage was
overdue. And a man over in Lancaster want
ed to hire Lnkum to cut wood
1t was the last day Of the year, and things
did seem very sad. Christmas had not been
in the least like any Christmas that the chill
dren had ever known. 1t did seem little
too bad that Santa Claus should turn the cold
shoulder upon one because one was poor.
And now, with all the rest of their troubles,
they must part with Linkum-poor Linkum,
who doubled himself up as if be were in pain
at the mere mention Of his going, and uttered
most melancholy howls.
Tommy, who was the oldest, and felt him
self to be the man Of the family, although
be was only twelve, shared his mothers con
fdence, and realized what sore straits they
were in. He agreed with his mother that
since there was nobody in the neighborhood
who wanted to hire Linkuni, he must 90, al
though it seemed almost too hard to be en-
dured
"Well, tomorrow is New Years Day: per
haps something very nice will happen" said
Jill Jill read fairy stories and was always
expecting things to happen just as they did
in the stories.
Sometimes things go on happening just
the same, if 1t is a new year" said Aleck. II
wish this would be brand aeto year :"
IL did seem very sad that Tinkum should
have to go on New Years Day, but the man
who wanted to hire him came for him, and
they all resolved to put brave face on the
matter for il would never do to begin the
new year with tears, and besides, their tears
gave renewed impetus to Linkums howlngs
which were really frightful to hear, and caus-
ed his new employer to inquire if he wasn't
subject to cramp in the stomach
At the very last Tommy took Linkum be-
hind the shed door for little private inter
view.
What was said there nobody knew, but
when he emerged from the retirement the
cramp in Lnkum's stomach seemed greatly
abated, and he responded with faint semb-
lance Of one of his customary grins to the
good .byes showered upon him.
Tommy took his way to his daily work with
resolve to ask Mr.. Savage. the lawyer,
whose office.boy he was, to raise his wages.
But when he opened the Office door there was
a strange young man at the desk, and Mr.
Savage was occupied with several gentlemen
He turned his head to say earelessly to Tom
my:
~ shan't have any further need of your
services, as this young man, who is to study
with me, will attend to your duties believe
there is a small sum due you and IL you will
cal, some time when I'm not busy I'll give it
TO you"
Poor Tommy be left the office without a
word, his hopes all crushed There were very
few chances for a boy like him to get work in
the town. He might have to go away, as
Linkum had done, aud that would break his
mothers heart.
1t was just possible that there might be
some work he could do at the iron mills a
| few odd jobs would be better than nothing.
Mr.. Forbes, the superintendent, was always
busy and man of few words. Tommy
dreaded to go to his office, because he held
the mortgage on their house, and he might
say something about the unpaid interest; but
| as it was the only chance for work that there
| seemed to be, he summoned all his courage
and knocked at the office door
! "Want boy 2" said Mr. Forbes "Well,
if we do, there are plenty of big ones in the
world, so we needn't take up with a little
chap like you"
! But there was pleasant tWlnkle In Ms
eyes, so Tommy didn't mind that the words
were not very polite.
you're Tommy Woodford, are you ?" con
tinued Mr.. Forbes. "Well, we do need an
office-boy, but l was thinking of having one
older than you, who could help the clerk Will
his accounts sometimes. Are you quick al
fguresT"
II am not so very slow, sir, " he said, mod
estly. You might try me-"
"Well, that is not bad suggestion, sale
Mr. Forbes, who was looking him over care
fully all the time. "You may come to-mor
row morning, aud 1 will try you"
Tommy flew home as if he had wings, ant
told the good news,
He found that there was hard work in thu
Office of the iron company, and the clerk wa
not so pleasant as Mr.. Forbes besides, when
he found that Tommy was both quick and OK
act at figures, he left work for him to do tina
did not rightfully belong to his share, and h
sometimes went away when he ought not t
go, and left Tommy in sole charge of the of
flee.
But Tommy was determined nothing shoul'
daunt hiui and he never complained, aud Mr.
FoTbes's attention was attracted from wha
was going on in the Office by disturbances il
the mills, owing TO the dissatisfaction of tn
men and their threatening to strike for highe
wages One night at the end of Tommy