Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-05
PEGGO'TY'S BOOTS.
Why Papa Didn't Buy the Ca
Iron Ones.

Peggoty sat on the doorstep gazing
rctlectively out on the pleasant June
| landscape.
She had on her countcnance an ex-
preston of rapt interest and divine COM
passion that would have fitted cheru-
BIN in one of Fra Angelico's pictures
1t was one of Peggoty's best and most
effective poses. None the less SO for be-
ing entirely unintentional. That round,
rosy face framed in soft. golden curls,
large limpid, blue eyes and rosy button
of mouth, about all, that tender, pity
ing expression, made most attractive
picture. Strangers passing often paused
to admire and ask Il few questions of
such Il pretty little girl An aspiring
young artist, 4 friend of the family, al
ways alluded to her as that 'angel
child, and elderly ladies were apt to
shake their heads solemnly and fear she
wouldn't live long. That expression
was positively uncanny in child so
young"
People who know Peggoty we'll, how
ever were not at all taken in by it.
Members of the family seeing the 'angel-
child expression usually Surmised
trouble. In point of fact Baby Robin
had scarcely sobbed himself to sleep ten
minutes ago with Il long red scratch
down his chubby face made by Peggoty's
naughty little fingernails. The latter
had just finished an unpleasant inter-
view with mamma, and had come out
upon the doorstep to reflect. Not that
l'eggoty was bad child. twas simply
that those natural implements, fists and
hngernails, were always close at hand,
ana II baby was too greedy in appro-
prlating her toys or Johnnie vexing,
Peggoty came down upon tn EN- like a
small tempest, after hich she was sorry.
She didn't mean to scratch or slap. 1t
someway did itself without consulting
Peggoty, and she didn't think till after
ward, and not long then, am afraid.
AS she sat upon the doorstep she was
thlnking-not about the baby; that cpl
sode was almost forgotten, am sorry to
say Only enough memory fingered to
give that pensive, plying expression
before noticed-she was thinking about
her boots, but alas! the celebrity with
which her little toes worked their way
through the stoutest and best sewed
&hoe-leathcr was little less than mtrac.
ulous. When papa started for town
that morning he had asked if there was
any thing wanted, and Mrs. Sherman
answered with a sigh: Eyes! you must
bring Peggoty new pair Of boots to
wear to school tomorrow. Her last
ones are about worn out What! said
papa, 80 soon: You don't mean to saw,
Peggoty, that you have worn out a pair
of boots in eight days? What shall /
do with you? Now, look here. I will
bring you new pair of boots tonight
and l want you to make them last at
least two weeks. If you do I'll give YOU
some money for a party for Rosalind,
and If you dont"-Peggoty's angel-child
expression gradually dawned, and papa
had to turn away to complete his SEN
tcncc: much as he knew about Pegeoty
he never could quite resist it-'l'll
have pair of caSt-iron ones made for
you sure
Peggoty's active Imagination had dis
posed of the party and was now con-
templating the awful possibility of the
boots not lasting. No little girl she
knew had cast-iron boots. How heavy
they must be. Perhaps they would rust.
and above all what would Dotty and
Louise say! Dotty and Louise were
twins, and lived just across the way.
Peggoty was apt at times to cordially
dctest them. 1t was trying to have
nurse continually saying: ''Now if you
only kept looking nice and neat like
Miss Dotty and Miss Louise" They
were pretty little girls, too, with fair
haNcn hair, only it didn't curl much,
and large brown eyes. Their hair never
got rough and snarly, their aprons were
never musscd and dirty, and as for
boots, well, l suppose they wore out
sometimes. Peggoty declared they
lasted years and years.
The thought of Dottv and Louise look
ing with interest and compassion upon
herself arrayed in cast-iron boots was
almost more than she could endure
However, when papa came home the
new boots looked so shiny and so stout
that Peggoty's fears were dispeled, and
Baby Robin, having wakened in jolly
and forgiving frame of mind, the day
ended very happily. All the next morn
ing Peggoty behaved wonderfully we'll,
ana when she was fairly ready for