The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-01-22

river wide, instead of staying here to
be roastedp How low they are hyingl"
she added, looking at the wild geese,
which were now just overhead. Their
cries sounded more plainly, aud she
turned in astonishment at an answering
cry from the barn-yard. There
was strange commotion among her
geese. 81 wonder if they recognize
some distant relatives" she said, laugh.
ing; but her laugh gave way to cou-
sternation as she saw one big fellow
spread his wings and fly up toward the
wild geese. Another followed, and an
other, and Alice seemed rooted to the
door step as she tried to realize what it
meant. "Would they all go?" 1t
seemed so; for when she sprang up
and called frantically-making the pc.
culiar call she always used al feeding
time, and scattering the corn for them
they paid no attention to her, but
with harsh, strange cries rose toward
their new acquaintance, and clumsily,
but swiftly, joined them in The air.
She stood fixed to the spot, watching
the departing geese as if fascinated,
while the chickens focked around her
to pick up the scattered corn.
Ithad happened so qucklyl Yet she
realized all it meant; no delightful
lessons; no happy, busy winter; only
the old humdrum work-all her sum-
mer's work lostl A food of bitter, an
cry thoughts rushed over her. She
dared not turn and meet her mothers
eyes-not yet. At the thought of her
mother, the angry thoughts fell back,
but the tears came, and that was almost
as bad. "Quickl Alice Creightonl"
she said to herself, "you must turn
round in minutel Be your mothers
own daughter, and don't let her see
how this hurts"
She watched the flock until it faded
from sight in the distance, and then
turned to her mother with laugh (that
was not altogether forced, after all, for
the humor of the thing struck her tor a
momenD and said:
Il wonder if they took it for permits
sion? l shall be more careful how
give advice in the future. One doesn't
usually expect to have it TAKEN"
Her mother looked at her searchingly;
saw the struggle she was making TO
keep from breaking down entirely, and
said, lightly, 81 am sure that 1 never
saw advice taken quite so promptly
The geese may not have been 30 fool
ish as you thought them"
Neither dared to say any more, and
Alice scarcely looked at her mother as
she went about her evening work.
Her father was very much troubled
when he heard the story. "My poor
little lassl" he said. 81 have heard of
riches taking to themselves wings, and
flying away, but l never knew the wise
old proverb to be quite 80 literally full
filed"
"Now, father" Alice said, trying to
laugh, "you are disgracing the family;
| for plainly see tears in your eyes, and
you know they're forbidden here"
She kept brave face until she was
upstairs and alone in her room, and
then she cried herself to sleep.
And mother, in her room below,
knew it though she heard no sound and
her heart ached to comfort her brave
little girl.
"Can nothing be done for her,
John?" she asked.
Nothing" her husband answered
sadly. 81 would give anything to be
able to help her, but can't this win.
ter"
Mother thought about it far into the
night, and at last confided to him plan
she had made.
She watched Alice narrowly all the
week, but the girl bravely fought down
her encouragement, going about her
work cheerily, and not throwing aside
her drawing in disappointment, but
working at it as earnestly as ever. In
those days the mother wrote a number
of letters when Alice was out of doors
but said never word about them
Thanksgiving passed, and December
came, and with it the drawing teacher;
but Alice, though she did not JOIN his
classes, was learning other lessons
lessons beyond his power to teach.
On Christmas morning, mothers face
wore an unusually radiant smile, and
father went about laughing and nodding
at mother and trying to look mysterious;
and Affects wonder increased; but mat
tiers reached climax when she found
upon her plate square envelope, from
which fell thin letter and little
folded slip of blue paper.
She opened the blue paper-it was 9
| ShSSh iOA navy uoiioios
The note read: "Send your girl tc
me and I'll put her in an Art School fol
the rest of the winter, and We'll see
what she's made of" 1t was signeC
Joanna Hartman. Miss Joanna Har
riman was Alice's great-aunt, who livet
alone in New York, and who had little
to do with any of her kinsfolk.
When Alice realized that her mother
had told Aunt Joanna the story of thu
geese, and asked her help, she fell to
hugging mother convusively, and sho W
ering her with kisses and endearing
terms. But at the very height of hel
joy, she suddenly drew back, as if sh'
had forgotten herself, and looked yer,
sober and resolute, whereat mothe
laughed gaily at the solemn face ant
said:
"Oh, don't say you can't leave fathe
and me, for cousin Sarah is coming u
to study music at the academy, and sh,