The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-06-13
The Story of Susan.
e Stop, boys! For shamel"

"Stop, boysl For shamel"
Patrice Kimball's voice trembled
with indignation. The boys were roll
ing an old felt hat across the road, &C.
tually using it for football, while its
owner-poor little Susan Rice-stood
helplessly looking on; but she did not
cry. Patrice picked the hat up, shook
out the dust, and gave it to the child.
"Dld they ever do so before, Susie?"
she asked kindly.
"Yes'm; it falls off so. l can't keep
it on very we'll"
81 should think not; it has no elias.
tic nor strings. Why don't you tell the
teacher?"
con, no,' said the little girl; "they
would only plague me harder when they
got chance. They don't always do so.
They wouldn't do nothin' to you now,
cause your things are pretty. don't
have anything pretty, you know"
Il think you've got pretty good dis.
position to bear it so well. But come,
we must hurry to school,"
When recess came, Patrice called the
girls of her class around her, and told
them the story of Susan. "Now," said
she," I've got "a plan. My cousin jose
phine helps to take care of girl in
India,-she and some others. They send
money and clothes and playthings to
her, and they have named her Marion.
Now, why can't we have Susie here for
our missionary girl, and fix her all up
so she'll look good? I've got two or
three hats at home all trimmed, and
Pm going to ask mother to let me give
her something else."
"I've got a dress I've outgrown, :"
said Emma Jones.
"And I've an apron" Minnie Ames
said
"I'll give her ribbon to tie up her
hair" sang Lii Roberts.
"I'I give her toothpick," said
sober Bessie Clark; and of course the
girls laughed.
"We'll take up a collection, and get
her some stockings and shoes,-that' 8
the way folks do; and I'll tell the boys
she is our girl now, and they won't
even dare to look at her again" And
Patrice appeared to be very much in
earnest.
"Let's have another meeting to-
morrow at recess time, ard have our
reports ready; and we'll ask the teacher
about it and our Mothers" said Dora
Franklin, who was almost as much in.
terested as Patrice in the project.
The teacher encouraged the girls
spoke privately to the boys, and smiled
with unusual sweetness on poor little
Susan. The mothers good-naturedly
helped their daughters in their CHART.
able plans, and Susan was never 80 well
dressed in her life. But one day she
came to school with the old dress or
and the first tears in her eyes the girl:
had ever seen. Her father had taker
away her clothes to pawn them fol-
money to buy liquor to drink. Hel
mother wanted her to stay at home til
she could work and earn enough to ge
them again; but she chad rather come
to school in her old duds than not Il
come at ALL" she said.
"Isn't she brave?" said Patrice, will
flashing eyes. Something is going tt
be done about this"
Mrs. Kimball went down to see thu
Rice family. She found the mothe
almost discouraged at the fathers con
duct. He would work steady for weeks
and then have a spree and spend ever,
cent he could get hold of, and paw
everything in the house, unless sh
could prevent him, - sometimes sh
could, and sometimes not, she said sadly
Mrs. Kimball sent for the man, ant
talked with him. She found out hi
failing. The gin-shops were terrible
temptation, he said; and there wer
six of them near where he lived an,
worked. Mrs. Kimball told her hus
band about it. She said these place
seemed to her like cruel spiders webs
to entangle poor, weak men, like flies
in their meshes.
Then she fitted up back room, re
covered the clothes from the pawn-shop
and here every night and morning littl
Susan stopped to change aud leav
them, and put on the old ones befor
going home or the new ones befor
appearing at school. 1t was the onl
safe way.
AT the very next Mothers Meeting
the story of Susan was told again, an
the danger set forth the children wer
in from the presence of 80 many saloon
in their neighborhood. The mother
the great wheels of public sentimen
began to revolve and threaten to crus
out these black spots, until at last on
election day, when a large no-licens
vote was cast, they were swept quit
away. All this happened few year
ago, but the change is quickly seer
The poor mothers look happier, tn
children cleaner, and the father
prouder because of the good work. 81
sans father has moved into bette
house; and she now has a room of he
own in which she is not afraid to leav
the clothes, books, pictures, and pla,
things her schoolmates from time
time have given her. AS for PatriC
and the girls of her class, they still ca
|, her their home missionary girl.-Chri
- tian Register.