Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-12-11
.tta, rubbing against her gown and purring

eta, rubbing against her gown and purring
loudly.
"My daughter is very fond of cats"
Mrs. Carter explained. This is Rigs. Is
he not a fine animalW
Gle has very pretty stripes" Marietta
said, in scarcely audible voice. "Is he
special kind of catl"
eyes, some people call him tiger cat. y"
Marietta breathed more freely. Then a
sudden thought struck her docs he
ever have another namel" she asked Is
he ever called 'brindled cat'G'
"What a wise little girl you are, to be
sure! Yes, some people call him brin-
died cat"
Marietta was very unhappy. She was a
conscientious little girl, and it never for
one moment occurred to her not to pay her
debt, for had not Mr. Latimer said he
would trust herr But how was it possible
to get a cent? 1t was quite probable that
she would not have any money all the time
she was in Northampton. She had often
heard her mother say that it was disgrace
full to owe money, and, if this was a dis
grace, what must it be to owe money when
you had no prospect of being able to pay i'll
She stayed awake a long time wonder
ing what it would be best to do.
During the first week of her visit she
could not get free from the feeling of
weight and oppression. Miss Carter no.
ticed her sober face.
"You don't seem as gay as could wish,
dear heart" she said one morning. Are
you homesick for your little brothers and
sistersG'
ut is MT that"
"Then what is it, my lover"
Mariettas face was covered with bushes
but she thought it would be best to tell her
kind friend the whole story.
81 want to earn some money!" she
burst out.
"You want to earn some money! What
does little girl like you want of money!
Don't you have everything your little heart
can wish~
ooh, yes. 1t is MT that. 1t S debt,
ma'am. l owe some money"
81 hope it is MT large debt" said Miss
Carter, beginning to feel worried. "You
ought not to have anything charged at the
shops without telling me-"
Marietta looked more and more ashamed.
cit is MT that kind of debt" she ex-
planned, miserably. at s worse than
that 1t s bet"
"a bet, Marietta"
Eyes. know it s wrong to bet," the
little girl hurried on, especially when you
have MT any money; but Mr.. Latimer bet
that l would find thimbleberries and a
triple-arched window and a brindled cat
here, and l did MT think there could be
such things, and so I said l would bet"
Miss Carter was smiling. How large a
bet was itl' she asked.
Zone cent, ma'am."
GO nd haxva haan faa1ipfr ,nha,y,vr
about it all the week, dear"
eyes, ma'am."
81 will tell you what I'll do, Marietta
If you pick the thimbleberries for tea to
night, will pay you a cent, and you can
John. l know you won't feel happy until
you get your debt off your mind
A weight had already been removed from
the little girls heart, and she began to
stroke the brindled cat with affection. 1t
was the first time that she had thoroughly
enjoyed the society of this charming ami
NAL.
1t was a real pleasure to pick the thin.
bleberries Marietta accomplished her
task early in the afternoon, in order that
she might pay her debt before tea-time,
and with the cent in her pocket she pur-
sued her way down the village street.
Half way to Mr.. Latimer's house she saw
him cross the road. 1t was a formidable
thing to rush up to him, but she was eager
to get this weight off her mind.
"Mr. Latimer! Oh, Mr.. Latimer!" she
called out.
'How do you do, my little friendl" he
returned
She ran up to him and held out the pen
ny in silence.
"Why, what's that"
at s the cent l owe you"
The cent you owe met"
Yes, they were all there, just as you
said"
"Who were all there.'
"The thimbleberries and the triple-arched
window and the brindled cat. / lost my
bet"
"Oh, understand now," and he threw
back his head and laughed heartily.
81 hope you have MT needed it, sirP
The cent? Well, we got along very
well so far without it, but there is no say
ing what might have happened in the future
wish all my debtors were as prompt as
you are"
81 am very sorry bet with you when l
had no cent" said Marion gravely. II
will never bet any more"
81 hope you were pleased to find that
Mrs. Carter had such delightful things as
and brinded catl"
81 shall be glad, sir, now that We got
my debt off my mind"
I'm y