Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-03-07

DOT or some II uTess ueC III ELK, huu
Almost set her in char. She do look
lack chiny doll, sure 'nough, settin'
wishin' the Lord'd teck her, Little
Square, my grandmother pities your
grandmother hear that?'
The shaggy pony kept its feet plant
ed in the middle Of the lane as the
little Squire's indignant eyes followed
the figure of Anu Elizabeth going on
to his school
The trees met overhead in the ave-
nue. up which the little Squire galloped
his pony. He had muttered "china
teapot" and ''china doll" deiautly, be.
fore he persuaded the pony to leave
that spot in the lane, and his face was
ahame as he ga!loped up the avenue.
"China teapot! China doll, in.
deed!"
The little Squire was in an irritable
mood as he mounted the hall steps,
Everything about him was elegant as
he had always remembered, large,
comfortable and elegant; and yet he
never Tor moment doubted the words
Ann Elizabeth referring to his grand.
mother "potterin' round at Farmer
Hathaway's." He entered the back
par!or where he knew his grandmoth.
or was sure to be buthe did not speak
to her, he just went to tossing about
the papers on the center table. Be.
ing angry with the common little girl
made him angry with the whole world.
But never in his short life had the
little Squire RENAME ed angry for II long
time, All ut once he raised his eyes
from the scattered papers and re-
garded his grandmother. She must
have seen him when he first came in,
but she was not thinking Of him now |;
she was sitting in her rocking chair at
the west window. No, he was not
angry, but Ann Elizabeth's words
were ringing in his ears: "Dress her
in silk and Almost set her in chair.
She do look lack chiny doll sure
'nough." Was his grandmother sit
ting there wishing the Lord would
take herr Then the little Squire hid
his face for moment il his arms; for
even as he had galloped fur iously past
Ann Elizabeth's home he had heard
the useful old grandm other laughing
and singing to the baby. And that
old grandmother pitied his grand.
mother He walked softly across the
room and stopped and kissed the little
old lady, "You don't want to go Heav.
en- yet while, do you, Grandmoth-
err" he asked, anxiously.
She started guiltily, her shrunken
little face flushing. cts very nice
down here, Charley" she said, smooth
ing out her gown.
"Is it made of silk?" questioned the
boy, following the movement Of his
grandmother's hand.
"Yes, dear, it's made of silk-fne
silk" she murmured.
"But you don't feel like like you
was q china doll, do You, Grandmoth.
err"
"a china DOLL" repeated the old
lady, in tremulou, tone-"a china
doll. Who says that, Charley9"
But the little Squire hung his head.
He never intended to tell of Anna
Elizabeth.
As the day went by the lad aid not
go again to the village school; instead
he SET diligently to Watching his little
china doll grandmother for that was
the way she began always to appear
in his thoughts. He wondered how it
would be to grow old and sit still and
have nothing to do. Some people. OF
course, might like it, but not person
who had once been busy, not person
who had gone "potterin' round at
Farmer Hathaway's." His grandmoth-
er used to take up her knitting coca
sionally hut she didn't care for knit.
ting; it cramped her fingers. Some.
times this the little Squire noticed
with great sinking OF his heart-the
little grandmother sat at the western
window and cried softly TO herself.
One day the little Squire kissed the
little old grandmother right where the
tears were settling on her cheek, and
cried out, in his impulsive way,
Grandmother, did you use to like to
work."
"Like to work, Charley ?" she asked,
family. And then of sudden the
little grandmother was quiverirg and
crying and laughing all at once, as she
told the little Squire about her past
usefulness and how she was wont to
"Ay around the house." "And now"
she added, "I've nothing to do, moth.
ing whatever to do, no more than If ]
wasn't in the world. But it's all right
yes, of course it's all right" she went
on; "I'm the Squirrels mother, and I'm
proud and happy" and then the poor
little grandmother, from something
she saw in the little Sqnire's big blue
eyes, hid her little, old face in her
little, old, useless hands, and fell to
sobbing like baby.
Ten minutes later the little Squire
knocked boldly at his fathers study.
"Come inl" roared the Squire.
When the little Squire, thus hid
den, opened the door he found his
mamma idling away the Squire's time
to the Squire's infinite satisfaction.
The lad walked resolutely to his faith
er's desk, and determination in his
blue eyes, his lips pressed together.
"I've Just been with grandmother, "
he began; ''she isn't happy here. I
say, grandmother ought to be made
awfully happy, she's so little and she's
so good"
Thereupon the Squire was for rush.
ing of to the back parlor to find out
what was the matter; but his wife put
her hand on his aud babe him ask the
little Squire to explain.
"Mother unhappy in my house?'
fumed the Squire. ''What do you
mean, Chnrley?"
"She's got to have something to do, "
said the little Squire, boldly. She and
have got to take care of the parlors
or some'n she mustn't sit still all day
any longer" Then the lads bravery
deserted him, "It's true, Mother,
he sobbed out, "my grandmother
| treated like she was n china doll. and