St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-02-05
Crazy Susy.


and fiecked with patches of golden
yellow the meadows and corn-tields.
The quiet country road wound down
between the fields, and the farmers, on
their way to the fording of the river,
and to the mill just beyond, walked
their sleepy old nags, scarcely break
ing the hush of the afternoon. Here
the brown bees came cumming aud
buryiug themselves in the purple this
ties, and the cows stood knee deep in
the clover fields beyond the dusty
highway.
Grandma Johns sat on the deep
porch of the farm house, enjoying the
warmth of the summer sun and the
view of the fresh green valley, dotted
here and there with dark clumps OF
trees, aud the rolling uplands where
the farmers were at work. Mrs. Johns,
the younger had brought her basket of
darniug to the porch, and sitting on
the steps was busy mending the raYa-
yes made by four pair Of busy, restless
feet. Before very long the silence
was broken by merry peals of laugh
ter, and Mrs. Johns, looking up from
her work. said to the old mother, halt
asleep in the sunshine
"The children are coming. | hear
their voices way down by Uncle Jer-
RVS old place"
''Of course" replied the old lady,
Zone can hear them readily for half IA
mile but / never mind good natured
Voices And wipiug her spectacles,
she put them on again while with a
placid air she watched for the coming
of the children, gone since morning to
the day school, mile away. 1t took
but few minutes to span the distance
from "Uncle Jerry's place" a deserted
house standing on by-way called
Loves Lane. and a little less than
half a mile from the Johns homestead !;
and the advancing children came
through the low gate, tearing like
young whrlwinds across the kitchen
yard, never stopping for breath until
they reached the steps where Mrs.
Johns awaited their approach.
ooh dear, oh dear :" said Flora
Johns, "we've had such fun, haven't
we, Jack p
Fun replied the boy addressed,
throwing himself down at full length
upon the grass, and tossing his hat
high in the air II should say we had
fun alive - And lac burst into tit of
laughter which went like contagion
through the little flock.
at seems to me it's fun every day
remarked the smiling mother, as She
watched the earnest efforts of the lit
tie people to suppress their mirth Suf-
ficiently to tell the story so amusing to
them. Little Bessie Johns had stolen
into grandma's lap. and removing her
sun bonnet and brushing back the
golden curls, she exclaimed eagerly:
"Oh, mamma | can tell you. Don't
you believe il ? Susy Purcell came to
school to-day, and Miss Mobiles let her
come in. and she sat with uS-cne big
boy with six small girls. and five small
no big woman mean-and five
small boys. We had to, for she made
us, you know, an give her a drink of
water, an she told me what did call
my name-and asked her twas Bees
sic Johns-no- no mean said Bessie
rs her hearers. ready to laugh at any
thing, shouted at her mistakes.
"Never mind, sis. what yen mean
now" replied her sister Florence, who
had succeeded IN controlling her own
feelings for time, and who, together
with her most intimate friends Clara
Andrews and Agnes Merriam-who
lived in the next adjoining farm house
had placed their dinner pals in a
row upon the floor of the stOop, and
seated themselves upon the steps, in
positions preparatory to relate the
story to mamma and grandpa.
"Well. you must know that it was
nearly noon when Susy Purcell walked
into school, with her bonnet all trim
med with bits of calico aud ribbons.
and her dress adorned with patches
of every color the sun shines upon. On
her arm she carried the big green bag,
and in her hand she had the little bun
die OF sticks and PUSHES. Wherever
does she get, or why wonder does she
always carry, that little bundle of
birch twigs and rushes Well, Miss
Mobiles never saw Susy before, and she
was actually afraid of her. Wasn't she
Jack g.
afraid? of course she was" said
Jack; Il never, never can forget how
scared aud funny she looked when
Susy fiourished her bundle OF sticks
like a regular general, and ordered the /
spelling class out. Can you, girls ?"
mo, indeed - and they all INDUCED
in spasm of laughter again at the
memory of the scene.
And said Clara Andrews, "she
made Miss Mobiles go out with the /
spelling class, shouting all the time. !
Heads up! toes out make yonr bows,
boys! Tend to your curchys there, !
girls Oh dear oh dear - {
"And .namma,1 said Flo, "she was
determined TO make Miss Mobiles make
her manners, wasn't she, Jack And
she such little thing You know she !