The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-01-27
Selected storm.
"a Regular Little Imp"

full of innocent mischief, 30 pressed
down and running over with it, that
he was in continuous hubby state
of existence, forever in or getting out
of mischief. He was bit of boy,
not older than seven gay little years;
a debonair, dimpled mite with great
blue eyes and tangled mass of yellow
curls; so packed with propensity for
getting into serapes that there wasn't
o square inch of the sturdy little body
that did not stand ready for one any
hour of the day. He knew just where
the earliest birds built their nests, just
where the minnows were to be found
in shallow waters; knew where nuts
grew, and where berries we're the
juiciest and biggest, and with all the
lore of the woods the busy brain under
the brimless hat was astonishingly ia
miliar. He was motherless little lad,
passed around among the neighbors as
q kind of trust. He liked them all:
was devoted to the babies, and all but
worshiped the good doctor who had at
tended his mother and who always
called him my little man." in voice
80 gentle that Benjie felt as though his
mother had kissed him.
No wonder he liked DR.. Belts, a
sweet-minded man, who put some of the
heavenly into his share of the best at
tributes of the earthly. His yard held
some half-dozen hammocks and roomy
swings for use of any and all the neigh
borhood children. His watermelon
patch was free to every boy whose
teeth annually ached to bite into the
stripe-rhined fruit. His grapes ripened
for all. His buggy was a veritable
carry all, SO laden always with dain-
ties for the sick poor. He was queer,
was DR.. Belts. Actually cared no more
for money than for the tulips in his
pretty wife's front yard. Would rather
receipt bill, unpaid, after faithful at
tendance upon some poor family, than
fill his pockets with the well-earned
dollars. He gave himself, his services,
his days and nights, without stint; and
in return the blessings he gave to 9th
ers came back to himself, in the love
and grateful words that followed his
rounds about the country. He'd gather
the children, white-faced and black,
and send them off in happy wag on-loads
for a days pleasuring; would tarry,
with half a nights riding over dark,
muddy 70 IDS before him, to soothe a
sick blby for some wornout mother, aud
if he could not hush it's fretful cry,
would speed up to the village store and
come back with a gay rubber ball for
the wee one before riding away in the
night. Beniie thought him the most
beautiful man in the world and in his
seat on the top of the lumber-pile would
harangue the boys stretched out a-sun-
ming on the boards, ready to fight the
first who dared gainsay his statement
that the kind doctor was just the best
est mani"
None knew more of Benjie than
that, with his sad-faced mother, he
had come to the village year before.
She had soon died, this lonely-eyed
mother, leaving the child to charity
cold or otherwise. Whatever her Sc
cret, Benjie guarded it well after she
was gone. Not even to DR.. Belts
would he tell that which she had for
babe the telling.
1t was twilight as Miss Jessie crossed
the road leading up an elm-shaded
slope to the cemetery. 1t was quiet in
side the hedge, the air as still as the
sleepers. The stretch of woods beyond
cast long shadows down the tombstones,
creeping with soundless motion over
the grass after retreating day. Miss
Jessie paused irresolute, half timid, as
her glance fell on dark something
moving in the grasses high along the
roadside. AS she looked, it straigh ened
itself, and in the brown dusk she recog
nized Benie, his little hands filed with
clover blooms. Quickly divining his
purpose, she sped up the road.
"Why, Benjie! what is the boy do
ing?"-taking the round chin in her
warm palm, looking kindly down in the
blue eyes.
"Tm got clovers for mamma, Miss
JESSIE" said the little fellow, holding
the fragrant bunch up for her to see.
Mamma loved clovers. She said
they were poor peoples roses, and that
God put them everywhere, so they can
smell them and have all they want
without paying money" and Benjie's
brave little voice had sound of tears
as he hid his face in his blossoms.
ClOvers red and white grew along the
dusty roads, nodded their pretty heads
over curbstones, followed every turn in
the streets, every crook in the lanes,
rooted close against -palings, spill
ing their fragrance bounteously, and
even dappled the stony way that led to
the cemetery, thickest and tallest and
blithest right over against the gate
posts.
Miss Jessie took one little wrist; the
sunburnt hand held tight its love-gift
of clovers. "Come, Benjie, l am
going too, and will take my flowers to
mamma"
ITO my mammal" said Benjie, the
blue eyes wide with surprise. GAN
those roses and lilies-and-Oh Miss
Jessie, love you for that" Such a
glad little voice now. DO you 'spect
my mamma'll see them?" Benjie looked
doubtfully at the shadows creeping
longer and blacker under the marble
slabs, looked fearfully at the gloomy
woods. do you 'spect God'll let her
see now, it's getting SO dark. He might
think she couldn't find the way back
again. Do you 'spect so, Miss JesseP"
he queried anxiously. "Mamma wasn't
afraid nf tho larE Che aaid "a xvao a. n