News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-09-12
MISS HILDRETH.

Il must have peacock, john" sail
Miss Hildreth, as she met her man ser
want on the lawn ''He would look SO
finely ON tue balustrade, with his
feathers spread or trailing them over
the green sward. L really must have
one, John.
''They be an awful nuisance, marm, -
demurred John. 'fThey'd never stick
to the balustradc. They'd be as hard
to manage as children, an that's Il fac. -
They keep up an awful squalling,
Miss, put in Jane, tie maid, when the
matter reached her ears. '"rhey'li nc
worse than Miss Noyes's guinea hens
and Miss Dunn's Parrot, or them
children Of Parson Millcr's-I never
did see such neglected plaques as they
be, she added irre.evantIy Il
wonder their mother don't rise In hor
grave. But the poor man-what docs
he know Of the care of babies, with his
sermons and his prayer meetings, and
his parochial visits and his poorl He's
off to this wedding or that funeral, or
he's reading the Word to the sick or
blind. It's shame there's no women
folks but hired help. to look after 'em.
see him myself one day a-tidying Of
them up, and pinning on their clean
collars wrong side out and upside down
/ s'pose he was thinking of free Will and
election, like as not. -
9. wish him 10y of them, said Miss
Prudence. II prefer the peacock"
The first night after the peacock $
arrival, however. Miss Prudence never
closed her eyes, or the bird her mouth,
so to speak; but when he pranced across
the lawn in the morning light, Miss
Prue thought she would rather lose her
sleep than the sight of so much beauty.
Miss Dun says she will have to lay
in a stock of chloral and bromide, if
you're going TO keep the peacock, Z"
Jane reported; and Mrs. Noyes her.
self dropped in 10 suggest that ne
could be killed and stuffed.
He'll be quite as decorative, said
she without disturbing the noigh
bors
Every two or three days a small mr.
chin would appear with the bird in
tow, and remark demurely: "Your pea
cock straycd over to Dickenss, aud Two
fetched him along holne,' for which
civiity sundry pieces of small change
would be disbursed.
And who are you?" she asked when
the same youngster had performed tho
same benevolent service some half
dozen times
''I2 Oh, I'm Parson MiIler's boy"
His son 2"
"Why, UNI reckon so"
81 shall have to shut him up" said
Miss Prue. His travelling expcuses
will ruin me-"
BY this time the poor bird had lost
much of its fine tail feathers in the pro
cess of being run down by the Miller
brothers and their contemporaries, and
presented ragged appearance which
went to its owners heart. SO ho was
smut up in temporary pen till lie
should learn better ways; but Miss Pru-
dence, going to look after him ono
afternoon, found the two MiIlers inside
the pen chasing him about to display
his plumage, while their little sister
stood outside and clapped her hands
and with crowd of other children stood
peeping between the stats.
Z" What are you doing, children" she
cried.
"Oh, we've been reading about pea
cocks, and they need exercise, Won il
safed the eldest Miller.
1T seems to me that you need a
stick" said Miss Prue.
''Father don't approve of whipping, "
chirrupped the youngest; "do you,
father"
And Miss Prue lifted her eyes and
met those of Rev. Austin Miller, which
wore startled, perplexed expression,
while the color palpitated across his
face.
an y children have annoyed you," he
said, with the hesiteting tone which
begged to be gainsaid.
''They hlYo only annoyed the pea
cock" answered Miss Prue, dropping
her gaze, and flushing rosy red in lr,'l
turn.
81 came in search of these rogrIcs, lac
went on. "Bidgct was sure they scr,
in some mis.iiief--I did not expect to
find you.
''No, OF course not, said Miss Prue
in voice studiously matter of fact.
81 have read, somewhere, the Rev.
Mr.. Miller pursued, "that tho only real
happiness which ever arrives TO us
springs up quite Unexpectedly in our
path--it is not the result of search. 1
dropped the thread of my sermon,
against my vii at a critical point to
pick up these little folks. | have my
reward.
"You are very easily satisfied,
returned Miss Prue, i'll the same remote
voice. She was hardening her hear:
against the persuasive tones which had
once been like the music of the spheres
to her.
'tNo, am not easily satisfied. have
never been satisfied with mysclf--with
some hasty actions of my own, should
say. Miss. Prudence, you have never
forgiven me2" he spoke half-ques-
tioningly, as he would fain be contra
dicted.
''Inever thought of it as anything to
forgive, she said, and her voice melted
and broke a little in spite of herself.
ut was so long ago" little proudly,
rs If she would not let him suppose that
it signified. ''I see nov that the fate of
providence was kinder to us than l
believed. ] don't think 1 was intended
for domestic life, rs her eyes fell upon
the three harnm scarum children i'll
their torn frocks and mischief-thc
children who might have been her
own but for their mothers double deal
ing.
Austin Miller smiled little sadly as
his glance followed hers.
''They are torments to the neighbois s,
fear" he said, ''but they are all the
comfort / have" holding a hand To
them. "Come, children, make your
bow to Miss Hildreth, and tell her yon
are sorry"
t'But we are not a bit sorry," snid
little Amy. ''The peacock is SO beauti
fuI wo are glad we comod. We mean 10
do it again.
Truth is no longer At the bottom oi
n we'll" said Miss Prle, with real
smile dimpllng her face as shs said
goodbye,