News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-05


key.
''H you two don't stop quarrelling, I
surely won't like either of you," sal
their mother, looking in the door at th,
moment. Don't get your ideas too hig
up, my children, she went on: "but
be sure, Uncle Patterson has got mic
house, and big barn, and cows an
chickens and horses, and we shall hy
in clover, if he makes up his mind t
have us. So, if you want to go, remen
Der you must all behave so like littl
ladies when he first comes that he'll 50
to himself, Those children won't b
any trouble to me; I'd rather have the1
than not"
"We surely will, mamma" said a
three little girls; and, indeed, the
meant it.
That was very long week, but th
eventful day came at last. Saturda,
dawned clear and dry and warm. Their
was no danger lest Uncle Patterson
should change his mind on account o
the weather. They might expect hin
by the stage, he had written. TIL,
stage came by at five o'clock in the
afternoon. He would stay all night, o.
course, So Mrs. Milham had been Civ
ing their one little spare room an extra
cleaning and arranging, A natural
good taste and skill at needlework had
made the room, even with its old fash
ioned furniture and white walls, very
attractive. The bed-spread and pillow
cases and towels were spotless.
To man who had eyes to observe,
everything in the room was the strongest
Recommendation of the housekeeping
abilities of the one who made it ready
There was, of course, to be something
little extra for supper. Bess had gone
SO far as to suggest frosted cake, but the
| others were not so daring.
| The children were thoroughly drilled
and posted as to all their duties, and
had made most solemn resolutions to
observe all the good old rules about be-
ing seen and not heard, not speaking
unless spoken to, and so forth. Nothing
should be found in their words or ac-
tions that the most precise and critical
of uncles could find fault with
Lizzy had been out to the village for
something That morning, ard when she
came back she had news to tell that al
most drove their own great event out of
their minds. "Oh, mamma, what do
you think'" she cried, rushing in breath.
less. "Now, last night there was hor-
rid old tramp came to Deacon Johnsons
and nobody but Mrs. johnson was
home, and he was awful ugly. He made
her give him supper, and then he want
ed some money, and said he'd knock her
down if she didn't give it to him-and
only that Deacon johnson came home
and chased him with q horsewhip, she
thinks he'd have killed her. And he
hasn't been caught yet, though some
men from the city have been after him"
"Mercy on u.s." said Mrs. Milham.
eff there is one thing I'm afraid of, it's
tramp. 1 hope to goodness he won't
wander out here. / don't know what we
should do"
"Hel take Bess first" suggested the
ever-ready Carry. ''She's so fat he can
eat her when he's hungry"
''No, he won't, neither" roared Bess,
and burst into an agonized wall at the
prospect.
People said that Ca1Ty's nose was
badly put out of joint when Bess came,
md that she never got over being little
enlous of her. Certainly there never
was very long space between them.
"Why, whyl" said Mrs. Milham.
''There, Bess, nobody is going to touch |
youl Carrie, I'd be ashamed to tease
her so! Just think, you two quarreling, |
and Uncle Patterson coming only this !
evening"" This was enough. The two
subsidized, and the tramp |
alarm was swept out of the children's |
minds.
Afternoon came, and it got to be three
o'clock. Never had the hours seemed |
to move on SO slowly to the little girls. |
Their clean, white dresses lay on the |
bed in their mothers room, reserved to !
put on at the last moment, so that by /
no mishap could speck of dirt soil |
them. Playing was almost out of the |
question. They could only watch the
clock and long for the time to hurry
on.
"Well, I declare" exclaimed their
mother, hurrving suddenly out of the |
closet, "if didn't forget to tell you to
get sugar this morning, Lizzy! There
isn't grain in the house, I do believe. !
Here, YOU run down to the village-no, !
I can go quicker myself. There'l be |
plenty of time before the stage comes"
She hastily put on her sunbonnet, but
just as she was going out of the door IN |
recollection crossed her
mind. "That tramp-what if he should |
come here while am away!"
She turned to the children. "LiZzy,"
she said, 81 want you to be very careful |
while I am gone to keep the door shut |
and locked. Don't let anybody in unless
t is one of the neighbors. If any |
man should come, looking like |
that tramp, and knock, keep quiet and
don't pay any attention, so that he'll /.
think there's no one at home and go /
away"
The caution was enough. The chill
1ren's faces grew scared and their eyes
arge at the suggestion. They had
come to think of tramp as an awful
being combining the worst qualities of the
ghost, the lion, and the ogre of the
airy stories-a creature whose very
east ofiense was devouring children
alive. There wss no danger of their not
keeping their promise to be careful in
This matter.
Their mother went away, and Lizzy
locked and bolted the door,
hut all the blinds, and fastened the
windows. They even talked in low
ones for q time, lest the horrible tramp
hould be somewhere lying in wait and
bouId hear them, until Garry could not
esist the temptation to tell Bess, who
yns sitting by the wood-box, that q
,reat long arm was reaching out of it to
yrab her.
The shrek with which she greeted
his announcement and the commotion
hat ensued in getting her quieted
.ather broke the spell of alarm, and
hey soon began to play together more
than they had all day.
But Bess and Garry could not longer
agree, and, despite all Lizzy's attempts
20 quiet them, they soon squabbled
more vigorously than they had in week
1ast in despair, Lizzie longed for her
return. In vain she reminded
hem of Uncle Patterson's displeasure;
or the time even that had lost its ter
.ors. The hands of the clock moved on
o four. By that time Garry had got
3ess's doll, and was standing on chair
holding it above her head, while Bess
,elabored her as high as she could reach,
md in the utmost wrath tried to pull her
lown by the dress. Iizzy was almost
distracted between them.
"Ah ha, Bess Milham," cried Carry,
n her most aggravatlng tone, Il wish
Uncle Patterson could see you now.
he think you was q nice, lady
ike little girl J!
81 don't care" screamed Bess, resist
n9 ali I.izzy's efforts to pacify her. 81
gish an old tramp would come and carry
rou off. I do"
At this moment the front gate clicked.
"Therc z" said Lizzy, ''theres mamma
coming back, and I'm glad of it." She
an to the window and peeped through
he blinds. but ran bac ( in a moment
With n white face and cried in a tremb-