St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-06-08
A CHANGED SKIN.

a snos lifted up again. Thus it went
won man the weeks beginning to its
end ~ He grew tired of her, and
could have liked to run away from
h MT But he did not dare, for she
was his masters daughter, and he
was-wel, there was the rub-he
did not know who he was.
He woke up one fine day and
connd hin self born. He was christen-
l od in a random way, Ola, and was
nnt on the parish, as they say. eus
psstruo took him as his share of the
oor;sh burdens. When he was six
rears old, he could be made useful
enough to earn his food and shelter.
Ieus Oestruo then wanted to send
him away, but his little daughter
p;ro;t was so fond Of him that he
decided to keep him.
When Ola was twelve years old,
he could kick a cap from nail high
ahove his head. Bright was so fond
of Ola that everything he did seemed
odmirable. Once she said a bad
word, and Ola was whipped for it.
ut is time now to send that bad
how away" said the mother.
"send him to the mountains"
said the father; "he is big enough
now to herd the cattle"
So Ola was sent to the mountains.
Rarefooted and bareheaded, with
nair of leather patched kneebreeches
hanging by a piece of string, he
roamed with his alpine horn over
the wide mountain plains, ate ber-
r;cs caught fish, set traps, and was
banpy He hardly thought once of
the little girl down in the valley,
though it pleased him when the
dairymaids told him she cried for
him.
One day, late in the summer, she
came up to the dairy with her moth
er When she saw him, she flung
herself down upon the grass and
screamed with delight.
Get up, child" said her mother,
don't act like fool"
She got up, little shamefaced,
and hid herself behind her mothers
skirt. But when her mother had
reached the hut, she ran up TO him
and Rugged him. While the cattle
were being MIXED, he went to look
after his things. She followed him,
proud in the thought that he tolerat.
ed her.
Look here" he cried, lifting up a
brown hare, isn't that big fel'
low?"
What is it ?" she asked.
1T is hare"
mo, it isn't hare. A hare is
white"
1T is brown in summer. II
changes its skin"
That made deep impression on
her.
"How does he do it?" she asked
after a while.
II don't know"
HAS he two skins, one inside the
other?"
Instead of answering, he took hi:
knife and cut the hare's skin.
No." he said, "he hasn't &c,
more'n one"
The time came when he had to &C
to the parson to prepare for con
6rmation. 1t so happened that she
went the same year. She was a tall
fine girl now, and all the lads of tn,
parish tried to show off before her
Ola would have liked to do the same
ii he had had anything to show off
But, though he had coat now, il
was a cast-off one OF Jeus Oestruo's
which was much too big for him
His boots, too, and his trousers ha(
seen better days before they mad
his acquaintance.
He walked aside from the rest, hi
ears burning when any one looked
at him. But if any one dared t
mock him, he used pair of fist
which inspired respect. He was I
handsome enough lad, and fnel,
made; but his clothes and his frows
hair made him look ugly. Heav.
thoughts came to him, and fierce
defiant spirit was kindled with
him.
The world seemed all out of gear
He longed to be back in the noun
tanS, where he could be alone wit
HI, birds and beasts. The girl
glggled when he went by; and whe
he heard their laughter GROWN
louder as the distance increased, h
wanted to kill somebody.
Il was at such a time that Birgi
sought him and spoke kindly to hin
You mustn't mind the girls, sh
sad; they laugh at everything
They don't mean anything by il
ats just way they have
Somebody will come to harm
YOU ever do it, he answered fierce
y.
That is foolish talk she gentl
demonstrated. II know you to
we'll, Ola. You wouldn't harm me.
All, you don't understand me,
he said; tits no use talking"
20, yes, | do understand yot
OIa," she replied, with a smile IAN
wish you would let me say on