The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-06-04

she 5hlvered Win repugnance.
Katy took a clean white card and
opened her color box.
PPM going to be painted" the Rose
said, proudly. "She's been admiring me
all the morning.
"You're certainly very pretty" said
the leaf, politely.
"Keep your admiration to yourself p
responded the rose. "a queen isn't
spoken to in that common wayl and she
tossed her head and displayed all her
crimson petals while Katy arranged her
colors.
"Not you, my lady," she said, as she
turned the glass about, to bring the clover
leaf we'll into the light. You're too
common"
The shock of disappointment and hu-
initiation was too much for the rose. She
dropped her proud head over the edge of
the glass and shed her petals, one by one,
into a crimson heap on the table, and
that was the last of her beauty and her
pride. While Katy was painting the por-
trait of the clover leaf, her mother re-
turned. She was CHEEKY woman, who
found much that was pleasant in life, in
spite of her hard circumstances.
"Pve thought out my card, mother"
said Katy. ~ shall put this four-leaf
clover in. It's lucky leaf, you know"
eff you get the prize, Katy, we'll have
coal stove. Pm sure you'll get it."
al hope so. Perhaps the clover leaf
will bring that good luck for u.s." said
Katy.
She painted him over and over, until
she had a handful of him in picture.
Then she drew her Bible from under her
pillow, and, turning the leaves until she
found this verse, read softly:
eff God 30 clothe the grass of the field,
which to-day is and tomorrow is cast into
the oven, will he not much more clothe
you, o ye of little faith ?"
She laid the clover leaf in the book,
over the verse, carefully arranging his
leaflets so that they should not be crum-
pied. Then she kissed him, and closing
her Bible, placed it under her pillow
again, and in the darkness and silence,
over against the sacred words, his life
went out, and he became spirit leaf.
Katy worked steadily out her design
until it was completed. 1t was swing
ing cradle, the frame in which it was
hung twined with the delicate blue flowers
sometimes called infants breath. Thrown
csrelessly over the cradle was a white
satin coverlet; corner, trailing on the
floor, was embroidered with cluster Of
creamy lilies, with long golden stamens
On the sheeny satin was handful o.
four-leaf clover, by accident so arranged
as to resemble in form an irregular cross
Katy did not notice this resemblance, mol
did her mother or Reuben, who pro
nounced the card successful work, anC
certain to win the prize. She retouchec
it carefully, and sent it to Mr.. Wood.
Three weeks passed with no report from
her card, and she began to be anxious
Her mother went to town and called a
the shop where she purchased Katy
artist materials, the proprietor of which
had suggested that Katy should compet
for the prize. She asked him if Mr.
Wood had made a selection for the baby
card.
"My dear madam" said he, "have yol
not heard? The baby is dead.'
Shocked and disappointed, she returne'
home with the sad news.
"Poor babyi" sighed Katy, her owl
disappointment forgotten for the time.
The summer passed, and dismal, rain,
autumn set in. Katy's mother took
violent cold, which resulted in rheumatic
fever, and, but for the kindly Offices o
the neighbors, the two helpless women
would have suffered severely. Thei
friend, Reuben, had gone to look after
sheep ranch, in the wilds of Montans
and the old house missed its annual bank
ing up, and was colder than ever. Tn
little hoard laid by for the rainy day dis
solved away, and, when winter came on
actual want stared them in the face.
1t was frosty day, short time befor
around, with the aid of a crutch, prepal
ing their scanty meal, and wondering, il
despairing way, where the next on
would come from. She had no friends t
aid her in extremity, and, for herself, sh
felt that she would rather starve than as
for charity, or that worse alternative
apply to the town authorities for assis
ance. But she looked at Katy's pinche
and hollow face, and her pride died out G
her. What she could not do for herself
she must do for her child.
Katy, well wrapped up as a protectio
from the cold which stole in at ever
crack and crevice of the old house, wa
sorrowfully contemplating the dried Glove
leaf in her Bible, which lay open on tn
painting table before her.
"You promised good luck" she though
sadly, recalling the time when she place
it there. "But it did not come. T'r
afraid to think what will become @
u.s."
Was it the draught of air from tn
loose window, or did his spirit return, an
turn the clover leaf over on the other pag
so that Katy's eyes, resting where the lea
had been lying, she read, mechanically
"If God so clothe the grass of the feel
which to-day is and tomorrow is cas-
; into the oven, will he not much NOR
clothe you, o ye of little faith ?"
Then came knock at the door. Merr
Dick Sharpe, neighboring urchin, ha'
been to the post-ofiice and brought lei
ter for Katy.
"Is it from Reuben ?" her mothe
asked, as Dick tossed it on the bed.
NO." said Katy, looking at the out
; side. at is strange hand" She opene
it and read aloud as follows:
My Dear Miss Katy This morning too
a book from the bookcase which WAS reaC
ing last summer, just before the death of m
} dear baby. Shut between its pages foun
, your card, where placed it the evening m
baby was taken sick We were pleased wit
your simple and unique design, and had d,
!, cded in your favor, when the terrible sorro