Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-23

amidst the flowers and the tender grass of
spring.
Draxy's eyes grew large and solemn as
she looked, and it occurred to her. in some
dismal association of ideas, to say darkly,
20 Davy Did you know-they say-some
of the tombs 90 under this mall, and there
are people buried down below these flag
stones we are walking on!"
Dear little Draxyl All her efforts to be
cheerful had failed to gain the least re-
spouse from Davy. But something about
this gloomy question, and her saucer eyes
and hollow tone, brought quick smile and
flash of fun into his face.
Yes, have heard it," he said, looking
down at the little face beside him, with a
loving and amused expression.
But presently he added in bitter tone,
What then 1t is no worse to be living
underneath the stones, than to walk on
above them all your hope gone-ambition
crushed out of you"
His voice quivered and broke. Draxy
stole her little hand in hi+, and they kept
on again in doleful silence-poor, SORROW
ing things 80 out of place in that bright
stream of people, hurrying along with
laughing looks and Christmas secrets shin
ing in their eyes.
But, as they reached the crossing of the
malls, and Davy came out of his reverie,
the little sisters troubled face smote his
kind heart, and prompted him to cast about
for something to divert her.
"Drax!" said he presently, in a tone of
mischief that she knew full we'll
whats" she responded, eagerly.
Here is the baroness ~ said Davy.
"Oh, my graciousl Oh, Davy-please
turn off and walk the rest of the way on
fremont street, l can't go by that awful
old woman No, l can't"
Oh, that mysterious old woman. crouch
ing there beside the malls on Boston Com
mon, grinding her old, cracked, half-mute
hurdy-gurdy
Who has forgotten her In rain and
shine, year in, year out, there she always
was, sullenly turning the organ-crank
scorning the charitable who dropped pen
MES, and with her eagle eve piercing each
face that passed, as if on the eternal watch
for some one.
Lean and gaunt and brown and wrink
led was she -impervi1us and indestructible
-rained upon, blown upon, shone upon-it
was all one
There she would be, still, when next yor
passed-familiar as the malls themselves
and yet forever mystery
Wonderful old witch What did sh,
there Let those who know say what au
thority there was for the written words
screwed under frame and glass, on TOP o.
the old hurdy-gurdy, wherein it was de
clared that the weird dame was none les
than the wife of a French baron, exileC
| long ago.
Strange freak of fortune Marvelou
old baroness
"Ugh-h-h !" chartered Draxy, who al
ways fell into panic at the sight of her
II wonder who that awful old woman i
looking for Whoever it is, pity him
! o Davy, just imagine you were-the one
And you've walked and walked all rounC
the world, but at last you will walk acros
this Common, and she'll catch you I"
Davy threw back his head and laughed
a genuine boys laugh-sweet to hear.
Draxy and the baroness were great ful
always, but the last notion struck him, a
more droll than usual, and quite beguile,
him from the trouble that lay at his heart
till they reached Music Hall place an,
turned into the court.
Here was hallowed ground. The yer,
paving-stones were like old friends to Da
Wy, but at sight of them, down sank hi
desperate look that was pitifnl to see.
The old storm-doors croaked as the,
swung in, bright fire, in the darkness 0
the lower hall, winked cheerily through tn
gloom, and, from the gas-lighted windo,
of the box-office, somebody leaned out t
say pleasantly:
"Ah-Herr Won Weber That you &c
ing up to practice ~
DaVV took off his hat in an absent
minded way, and answered drearil
enough
Yes, sir Is Schwartzs time up yet 2
Schwartz just left. Coast is clear &c
ing to astonish us this time, Ell, Davy 2"
Davy.s features quivered II am NOR
likely to break down altogether" he said
turning away quickly with Draxy, an
dashing his sleeve across his eyes as 500
as they were out of sight ON the landing.
who's that - demanded the gruff voic
of a sharp old gentleman who had bee
talking to the pleasant man in the box-o
fee.