Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-12-24


ledger"
The little taior's aside to his wife. "Thom
was swell clothes once, mother, and nothing
will Get the gentleman out of them any more
than ii will out of him. showed that others
thought as did.
Then came the old soldier, brisk aud neat
and right as a soldier with bullet in his
leg could I've expected to be. Everything
about him, from his clear, keen gray eyes to
his carefully brushed and mcnded clothes and
well polished boots. bearing witness to n life
of discipline BY the hand he led Annie, the
little motherlcss girl, whose father, the
drunken cobcr, lived in the same house
with him He had done what he could for
her in the way of adornment brushing the
beautiful golden hair and tying it up with "A
piece of string into funny little i;nop at the
top of her head, brightly polishing her poor,
shabby boots, and presenting her WITH gay
pictured pocket handkerchief to carry in her
hand; and he had paid respect TO the season
by pinling few holly berries IN the front of
hcr thin. worn irock
As they entered the room size hung back,
clngins ncrvousv to him, and looking rs
scared a. though She expected sio 20 Going
to he beaten. Honor hal some eli .uitY in
inducing her to loose her protectors ha"d end
take the stool provided for her in % warm
corner near the fire. Whnn She at length SAT
down She shrauk timdly against the wall, ~,
though only dcsiroGs 10 escape notice
All felt that little Annie needed sympathy
and kindness more than did any guest there,
if the soul was to be kelh much longer in the
great moutmful eyes. Most ptiful of all was
the old look in the pin"hed, white face. She
seemed TO regard us with a kind of calm in
diligence. n groNn-up children PLAYING at
me- "hl'h 'H' i!'' '"''S S'oh ti'e SUI re1I-
lty o.
All went "rII'aud WIN muse ana chatting
the Inn" wa Spent very hapllN uhtll .
ocI"' h' men, n'i,H' iu' queer company
was S'at'" di""''l 'U' laoLc, ll"l"T pI"lN'Neu
th"' 'ch one fra'' 'h' history oil Tue nap
pest moment OF ms me.
u, hAppl'H' ilo'H'''' nero was puA-
HIo', man d"u'dluI expression IN some oi the
faces as th"uSHt Travelled BACK mo the past
bar IL presently dlNapprar"i ana there was Il
smile more or less expansive upon every ones
face Even the poor I"dSer hHi retlcent
Slnl" upon M ilpN, a. he turned ms eyes med
ltatIv"lN toward the ire.
Johnnie let on lie admitted without
shame that the harWeNt moment ot his life
was When he mad been invited to the party,
ana sally hid assured nm mat thcr" would
he all the turkey, mln'e ple ana pudding that
he could eat HIS mother hluSheI over ms
very matrrlall~llc id"n OF happiness. Her
own story was tins; Il THINK the very hap
pest moment NAV" ever had was When the
manager at Tn" warehouse promised to give
me shilling dozen extra for making the
shirts. Tor Nh" aided, looking round with
| dcrr'"at'lN iH'Ie S'ile' a. Trough to apollo
! ElZ' Tor th' h"meIlil'SN "l TN" cause OF her
] 4fIf 81
Away hungry
Mrs. Paln"ii when called upon TO relate
| her story, couEhed meditatiNeIN behind her
fan for moment or two and then gracious
~ said THAT the hdppieNl moment of her life
was when She danced with Lord lAngland at
/ the tenantry ball, when She was just Is.
Grace Faillie and Honor had some difficulty
| i'll keeping their countcnanceo as they eX-
changed glanceN. Even the poor lodger"
was e'Inchg some N'gns"i having onre known
how /" laugh. l'ut the others appeared sufii-
/ GENTLY Impressed to satisfy Mrs. Parnel had
she had amy mI-Slying, upon the point. She
was G"%ng c"nWarcntlN INTO the fire She
! had simply reiuted fact, and was too much
ahsorhoI IN til" pleasant recolIe'tlons 1t had
called up to motto" any ones face.
Ola Nalihle Thought Inc greatest amount
OF bliss She ever experienced was when She
out"ltted the poor guardians ana got her
lowanre out stead OF GONG INTO the house.
The old soldier dies llI'ed no" feeling
! that ms Wothei was hear MN pulling hm
away from trench dUilh" a BATTLE gave
nm MS hNl''Ni moment hr'alt-c Just as be
| was falilN ont " smell burst III the trench and
he knew thai ne had been saved from certain
death 10y tho Nat'hiul spirit OF his dead
mother.
al ,,t, -l,,-. I+ !, o.