Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-12-18


"He was quite enthusiastic in his
sympathy over the poor little woman
who's to be sold out"
"You're wasting yours. People
needn't have 'vandews' unless they
wish"
"Mistake. These unfortunate neigh
bors are not indulging in this luxury
from choice. Think of it. If all our
household stuff had to be set out for
the inquisitive to criticise and haggle
over. 1t would about kill one.'
eff you go there, Bah, you'll do
some foolish thing. We have no
money to waste on secondhand furni-
ture. Besides, this cottage is full
now."
"Oh, I'll not buy an article! 7
think. But I'm curious to see how
such affairs are conducted. Good
bye"
Barbara left the room with decision,
and Mrs. Belts sighed as she rose
from the lunch table.
Kathryn laughed. ''Why protest,
motherP Whom my sister sets out to
make fool of herself she generally
succeeds"
"Humph! She could not make a
fool of herself child. I'd like to
know what would become of us butfor
her energetic character.
"Ah, WE'LL" Kathryn pushed back,
lazily, managing to get her chair into
admirable focus for rejecting her
pretty self in the mirror opposite, and
fell to reading novel. An hour later,
tap on the window aroused her.
"For goodness sake! Barbara
Betts!"
eyes," defiantly.
"What in the world?"
"Where's mother?"
She was at the door, instantly, des-
pite her lameness.
"Why, Barbara, my daughter!
what are you doing with that crea-
ture?"
Leading it. 1t isn't creature.
It's steed."
"Whose?"
"Mine."
"Yours! Have you-bought-a-'
horse?"
cit belongs to that race. The van
dew folks called it the goat"
"And you went to that auction to
buy-a--horser'
mo. went for fun. This repre-
sents fun and sympathy combined in
one beautiful form. Isn't it sweet?'
'It's hideous. You're jesting. 1t
can't-be yours.
1T is. My very own. I love it al
ready; the first living thing which ever
belonged to me-"
"Well! Where will you get the
money to pay for it?'
cts paid for; and the halter was
thrown in. That cost nothing"
"How could you pay for it?'
Easily"
'The price,"
eighteen dollars"
"You bought a horse for eighteen
dollars?"
eyes. If you've looked at her all
you wish I'll put her in the stable"
Mrs. Belts sank into chair, gasp
ing. Kathryn arose and closed the
door.
eve should never have taken this
house, mother. Then it wouldn't have
happened"
'I should like to learn the connec.
ton between this house and that
horse"
"There's a stable to this cottage,
you know. Bah has been tormented
with schemes for utilizing it. She
says its the first stable she ever paid
rent for and it's emptiness reproached
her. Let us be thankful it wasn't O
cow-to be milked."
| "H'm. It's such horrible look ING
thing; and she has nothing to make il
comfortable"
81 suppose they nicknamed it goat
on account of it's size. 1t isn't much
bigger than Bab."
"It looks very old"
"About her age, too. Thirty, if 9
day"
"Here she comes. She looks per.
fectly happy, yet eighteen dollars
disgrace Well, Barbara, wha,
next?"
"a blanket and some feed. I'm
going down street after them"
"The animal must be returned. We
cannot be bothered"
Mother, don't get worried. She
is mine. Her name is Flora. hope
you will be considerate of her feel
ings. She has been q house
hold pet. Her mistress cried at part
ing, and invited her to call"
"Why, of course. Another link, ,
murmured Kathryn, softly.
Bah went ont of the yard, down tn,
street. Her slight figure was girlisl
in its activity, her dark eyes beautiful
| and her month-wall nndan s..,,, a;,