Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-03-02
FUZz.

II wish could do just as please, and
not be bothered with This isn't right and
THAT isn't nice, and ooh, don't do so and
So Just for one day. Yes, do, Mann
selle. oh, you big grown-ups have your
own way about everything, and have lots
of funp'
els it lots of fun to try to make care
less, disorderly little girl neat and careful
and PARTICULAR" said quiet voice from
behind the screen where Lollie was "hav-
ing time' with her nursery governess,
who was doing her best to get her charge
quickly into fresh clothes for the little trip
she was to take with her aunt to the city.
81 s'pose not" said Lollie; "but Nam
selle is so particular. l didn't know you
were there, Aunt Kate"
81 have been here only a moment or
two, and 1 have admired Mamselle's pa
thence. 1 am going to grant your wish,
too. You did not know could be good
fairy did you?'
"Why, no." said Lollie, now beaming.
"What do you meanY'
81 mean just this we will leave Nam
selle home, so that there shall be no one to
direct you in anything, and you shall do
just as you please all the time we are
away"
Lollie clapped her hands aud danced for
Joy, while Mamselle's face wore a very
doubtful expression of mingled surprise
and anxiety.
"You fear Lollie will come to grief, Nam
selle?" said Aunt Kate, smiling.
Indeed, yes" said the young woman,
turning to pick up Lollie's books and
work, which had been thrown down where
she had been standing when Aunt Kate's
invitation had come to her, ''she is so
thoughtless.'
1t was a great treat, this going to the
city; for Lollie lived alone with her aged
grandmother, who had been made very I'M
happy by the loss of several children. The
last one, Lollies pet uncle, very young
man, had died recently, leaving to Lollie
herself many of his treasures, among
which was a fine terrier. This dog,
Fuzz, now came out to the carriage, bark
ing wildly; and at once Lollie seized the
idea of taking him with het on her visit
"Of course, Fuzz can go, can't he, Aunt
Kate?" said Lollie, hugging the dog in her
arms, while he licked her nose and nestled
close as chestnut burr.
Aunt Kate was not one to retreat after
once going forward. So, though little
disconnected at having the care of Fuzz as
well as Lollie, she said: 81 promised you
should do just as you please, so, if you
wish, Fuzz may go; but you know how
delicate he is and how valuable. 1t would
be much safer to leave him at home"
"Oh, no! it would be cruel to disappoint
him. Dear, dear Fuzzy shall CO." said
Lollie. 81 will take good care of him, see
if don't. Good-by, Mamselle. am to
do just as l please" she said triumphant
ly, as the carriage rolled off and Fuzz gave
a parting bark.
The journey was one of only few
hours duration; and Lollie soon found
herself quite at home in a large house on
washington Square, New York, where
Aunt Kate was visiting. The household
was composed of elderly people, with two
young ladies who caressed Lollie and made
much OF her; but there were two things
she soon discovered. The first was that
everything was very exact and regular; the
second was that neither dogs nor cats were
welcomed in the parlors.
She had to scramble out of bed and get
dressed as best she could, in the morning
If she was late, or she found the breakfast
table all cleared, and only tasteless bit of
toast on the side-table. Then, if she was
not ready when the carriage came, she lost
her drive; and even when invited by Mrs.
Roanoke to go to a matinee, having to
hunt for her gloves, and getting half crazy
with finding odd ones, and not succeeding
in making her bang look just as it ought |
to, she delayed so long that word came up
that Miss Lollie would have to wait for
another opportunity, as the ladies wished |
10 hear the opening overture, and the doors
OF the concert room would be shut if they |
were late. This all seemed very hard and |
dlsagreeable, but it was balanced by the |
large liberty she enjoyed.
Directly opposite Mrs. Roanoke's was
the delightful old square, on bright days
full of children and nurses: and here T,ol- |
lie could romp with Fuzz as much as She |
liked. To be sure, Fuzz had been Danish |
ed to the stable, and it was a great trial to |
her not to have him sleep on the foot of |
her bed or sit beside her and beg while she |
ate her dinner; but Aunt Kate had ex |
planned that in these matters there was no |
choice.
So far, Aunt Kate had indeed been a
good fairy. Not once had she said "Don't' |
or mo" or "You had better not' to Lol- |
lie, whose pockets were so full of sugar
plums that she really was tired of eating
them; and Aunt Kate only opened her |
eyes little when she saw Lollie telling
wonderful stories to crowd of strange
children on bench in the square.
She had noticed that Lolle was not at
all attentive to Fuzz, who was wandering
about in detected sort of way, and that
coarse-looking boy was whistling to him;
but she remembered her promise, and said
nothing.
She was not surprised, therefore, when,
little later in the day, Lollie came rush
ing into her room, and with a sob exclaim-
ed; 'Fuzz is gone! Darling Fuzz IS lost |"
70 Lollie, are you sure?" said Aunt
Kate.
quite sure. IL forgot all about him;
and, when began to look for him, he
wasn't there" And fresh storm of sobs
sent her into her aunt's arms.
There, child! try to calm yourself.
When did you last see Fuzz?n
II don't know. The story was about
cats. He hates meGo talk about cats; and
he just walked OFF, 1 suppose"
Aunt Kate smiled, but no smile came to
Lollie's lips. She knew she had not taken
proper care of her dog; and vision of
Fuzz, dirty, beaten and neglected, half
starved, smote her little heart with terror.
"And he was Uncle Fred's dog-Unele