The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-08-26
Miss Pussy.

could gradually be merged into so ugly
nickname as " Fussy' was thing
which people who were not acquainted
with Florence Fay found it hard to I'M
derstand. In fact, the process of
change had been simple and natural.
Floss and Flossy the child had been
called when curly-headed creature in
the nursery. Then, as the peculiari-
ties of her character gradually showed
themselves, the change from that to
Pussy" was easy enough. People
are said to determine the shape of
of pouts or smiles or Fuckers; and, in
like manner, peoples names sometimes
alter to suit the circumstances of their
owners. Now, Florence was fussy.
When almost baby her bent toward
neatness revealed itself. She cried if
there was spot on her small hand or
her white apron; nothing pleased her
so much as to be equipped with buster
and allowed to dust the chair-rungs,
and whatever else came within her linn
tied reach. Later on, it was her nurses
pride to exhibit to visitors the child's
bureau drawers, and call attention to
the fact that each sash and hair-ribbon
was perfectly folded, and that the
handkerchiefs, laid in a regular pile,
had their marked corners exactly over
each other. And when Florence grew
to be fifteen, and had room of her
own, and no longer needed a nurse, all
her appointments and herself kept the
same air of precise eXacttude. Her
lesson-books never had blot; her hair
was always as smooth as glass: her
slender fingers had knack at keeping
clean. 1t seemed as if dust dared not
cling to her dress or the toes of her
boots, as it did to those of other chill
dren.
Still it was none of these traits that
had won for Florence the name by
which she was commonly known among
her brothers and sisters; it was that
she was bound to make every one else
conform to the same immaculate stand
ard. She made her neatness a rod of
offence to others who were less neat,
and, so to speak, scourged their vices
with her virtues every hour of the day
in manner which was highly disagree
able to all concerned.
Mamma, won't you remind papa
about putting his india-rubbers into the
coat-closet? Mamma, wish you would
tell Ruth not to leave her hair-pins
loose on the bureau; it does look so
badly. Mamma, ought Philip to hang
his hat on Helens nail?" Such were
the appeals which sounded continually
in the ears of long-suifering Mrs. Fay.
" You ought to be thankful that
boys never do" she would answer,
calmly.
go mamma, not really! l should
think their mothers would make them"
There are weightier matters than
hats to consider-temperance justice,
mercy, TRUTH" quoted Mrs. Fay, dream
lily; then, rousing with amusement at
Florence's scandalized face, she added
My dear Fuss, like to have you
neat; but pray don't keep your neat
ness as a rod in pickle for all the rest
of us. Don't make Phil uncomfortable
and give him distaste for home, be-
cause he hangs his hat up on peg
which you choose to call Helen's."
Florence went away feeling injured,
and said to Helen, y" Mamma is so
easy! When l am married l shall be
great deal more particular than she
isl"
"Will you? Then hope you'll never
be married; and l pity your husband
dreadfullyn' retorted Helen. 60 i think
he'd be the most unhappy man in the
world"
81 shall make my children put up
every one of their playthings as soon
as they stop playing" went on Flor.
ence;" and if they leave any of them
about, shall send them right off to the
heather children, and not let them
have any mOre!"
my! Won't they hate you! Dc
stop, Pussy; you make my back ache
l wouldn't be your child, not for 8
thousand million dolarsp'
Now neatness is an exquisite virtue
but virtue carried to excess is fault
and Florence carried hers to such an ex
cess that it became an actual stumbling
block-not only to her brothers anC
sisters, but to herself. She had much
that was valuable in her character
She was kind, helpful, beautiful. She
had real talent for system and organ
lzation, and might have been bless
ing and comfort at home, had she only
learned to distinguish between the lit
tie and the weighty, the important an(
the unimportant. A speck in her tumb
Ter, dusty spot on table disturbed
and shocked her for the moment a,
much as an act of cruelty or an un
worthy deed. In fussing about small
things, she often overlooked great ones
and in this way the balance and sym
metry of her mental growth were in
terrupted, and her character did no
mature and ripen as it should have done
There was, however, one saving in
fluence in Florence's life. One human
influence, mean; for the divine in
fluence which cares for us all, and will
for us all the best of good, cared ais,
for this single childish soul among thu
million others which draw their lif,
and impulse out of Gods great fountain
of giving. The influence, mean, wa
Florence's love for her brother John.
lie was the oldest of the family, an,
had been away from home most of tn
time Tor some years-at college first
and afterward at the seminary wher
he was studying theology. Florenc
was his favorite sister. He had beef
particularly fond of her as a baby, an,
her grown-up faults annoyed him les
than they did the others, because he ha
been less in contact with them. ii
was coming home at last for long va
cation and Florence, who had a dir