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

But wasn't it fun7 Her eyes so black,
and the bows on the peak of her bon
net bobbing and dancing SO funny as
she pranced around the sch0Olna'am,
shaking her twigs in Miss Mobiles face
and shouting, 'WhO on aiTth larDt you
to make your manners?' Ha! ba Then
she said, Schools dismissed, now
the children can all go ont. Make your
manners when you go out the door,
and Just then she discovered that bald
place on top of Miss Mobiles head, so
she took straight line across the
school-house. pointing the twigs before
tapping the spot she just shouted,
That looks and shines just about like
an iv'ry BALI on the top of your head,
don't it 2 Oh, but just couldn't bear
that. i couldn't, truly. | just had to
scream and boiler.
But the greatest fun after all, NAM
time You see the men were working
on the canal smbankment just below
the school house, and Dick Weiss was
there waiting on his father, SO | told
him what fun we'd had with Susy, and
said that she made awful funny pray
ers sometimes. The men brought their
dinners and were roasting some corn
before a fire they had built. When
Susy walked out that way they began
to tease and coax her TO make prayer
for them; but she was not in praying
mood, she said. Uncle Isaac Goose
had the most to say to her concerning
the prayer, and finally asked, why
won't you pray for us, Susy "
What ken do a-prayin'. said she,
when you won't do your part
why, yes we will said Isaac,
what shell we dew? We are jest avon
derin'. You'll hev to tell us, Sue And
he tipped such wink to Joe Partridge.
''Finally Susy said, suppose you
know the Bible says you must watch
and pray
"They all promised to do as she said,
and she arranged them in half circle
little way from the fire with their
backs toward it. She next put us
children on the other side in a straight
line, and made lis promise not to whls-
per or he a-smirking in prayer time,
then she went around the circle, touch
ed all their heads with the twigs, shut
their eyes all up, and commenced her
prayer. She prayed for such funny
things they laughed, and then she
would tap them and say something
funnier still. When they all were in
terested she began to back off slowly,
praying faster, and shaking her fist at
us to keep quiet, while she gathered
up the corn, ear after ear, and put it
into the great green bag. Next she be-
gan to pray for Isaac Goose, that he
might be blessed in basket and store,
that they might meier grow lighter
while he shared the contents with the
hungry and thirsty, peeking and peer
ing around behing little brush heap,
she crept so softly along, and, mamma,
actually and truly, she stole Uncle
Isaac's whiskey bottle, keeping up the
prayer until safe beyond reach, when
she shouted, Remember always to
watch when you pray. Amen
"Shall you ever forget, girls, hew
those men looked when they got up
from off their knees and found their
corn all gone p
And the shouts of laughter filed the
yards and echoed back from the hills
until the cows in the clover fields
seemed to look up from their cropping
and ask the reason why.
81 never saw man So s'prised as
Clarissa GOOse's grandpa was" said
little Bessie Johns, ''when he hauled
his basket out Of the brush heap, and
found his whiskey gone. You know
he hasn't got one bit of hair, and he
scratched his head and shook his fist"
"Poor Susy," said grandma, as she
W
induced 10y the hearty laugh.
.'Why do you call her poor Susy,'
grandma p
because her life has been such
sorry one"
ooh, did you know her before she
was crazy SusS p
eyes, my dear children, knew Susy
Purcell when she was the belle of Haw-
lcytown, beautiful young girl"
'"rell us about her, will you, grand
ma p
Just wait until | get one drink"
cried Jack. II have laughed so much
am positively choking"
''it must be, began Grandma Johns,
40 years ago, come December since
them children come to Hawleytown.
Twas the night afore the big snow
storm, for the man that brought them
got out of his course, and stopped to
ask your grantiIer the way. They were
twins-them two-RObin and Susan.
Their mother was Uncle Jerry Gray's
wife's sister. and they were orphans.
The man had 'em out in his cutter, and
went out to look ut EN-, handsome as
pictures. Uncle Jerry and Aunt Polly
never had any children and they sot
store 10y them two. They want very !
forehanded, and Aunt Polly went with
out a new bunnet for five year, and did |
her Own washin' so they could be kept, !
but they brought 'em up tirst-rate.
..IIncle Ierru usel 10 say i ynIn |