The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-27
Ethelinda's RecitatiOns,

1t was not the fault OF the landlady.
She strove patiently and conscientiously
to make the place homelike and pleasant
There peace might have reigned and
Joy expanded had it not been for lady
who thought the landlady ought to have
help. That she meant well none would
be 80 cynical as TO deny. She was as.
sisted in her attempts to make life less
monotonous for her fellow-boarders by
her daughter, a small, seven-year old
girl, with abnormal powers of obedi-
ence, and whose most prominent facial
characteristics were freckles and look
OF resignation. Whenever the two
were present the other people would
talk fast, because they knew any lapse
in the conversation would be seized
upon to require Ethelinda to come for
ward and recite. The hard, mechan-
ical sense of duty indicated by the
child's manner OF compliance was more
appalling than the selections which she
droned off, hating now and then till
her mother could prompt her. The
lady's name was Mrs. McGoogan, but
she was always known as "Ethelinda's
mother"
The pair had only one rival in I'M
popularity. 1t was q young man with
large, wavy ears. He wore plaid clothes
and tall collar which never harmon
lied with his shirt bosom. There was
something about his calm self-reliance
that impressed the others uufavorobly.
So prone are we to misjudge our fell
bowman. When he had heard Ethel
midas repertoire once or twice he be-
gan to take great interest in the per-
Torrance, He spoke to her mother Of
the infants wonderful talents, and was
often seen with the little girl apart
from the others, keeping time with one
hand while she recited. The others
were perfectly willing that he should
thus monopolize her genius.
A new boarder came to the house,
member of Congress; man of i'm
pressive demeanor, as became his i'm
portance. There was a hush among
the people who had assembled in the
parlor Just prior to the dinner hour.
They were all under some slight re-
straint-all except Ethelinda's mother.
"Dearie," said she, "won't you re-
cite something for the ladies and get
tlemen?"
AS she spoke she placed her hand be-
tween the child's shoulders and gave
her a push out into the middle of the
floor.
EYES," put in the young man with
the large ears, ''recite that piece about
'Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight"
The prodigy hesitated in embarrass-
ment, "'Englands sun was slowly
setting,'" prompted the mother.
She looked up at the ceiling, and,
nervously rumpling fold of her frock
between her thumb and forefnger, pro-
ceeded:
England's sun was slowly setting.
Come, what mean your cried the sexton
oh" said she, ~ hate to tell
ba An tppi SaTe h 80 b SIf hia sight
And fear those bold policeman
Curfew-must-not-ring- to-nightp
Her mother looked, turned pale, and
gasped, but the young man, with a
bland smile, suggested:
Lets have that new one"
The prodigy promptly began:-
We will all be there when the orchestra plays;
In the ballet she Stands in the foremost row,
She's somebody's grandmother, boys, you know.
The applause was tremendous.
Don't you know any more?" inquir-
ed the member of Congress.
"Where she learned that ribald trash
is more than l can tell" exclaimed her
indignant mother.
How about 'Hostler joe ?" asked
the young man in nonchalant tone.
Ordinarily such a suggestion would
have met with chilling frowns. But
they all listened with cheerful expec-
fancy while the little girl piped up:-
Plump was Annie, plump and pretty when she
She got divorced and then went out and travelled
Her husband thought he'd go and see the play one
1t shocked him when he saw her coming forward to
But for her the blow fatal. She found out,
He was all the audience present, and he came in on
a pass.
"My child, leave the room this"
But the reproof was drowned by the
approving demonstrations, under whose
cover her new prompter gave another
hint. The child made the little bow
with which she preceded each selec-
ton, and went on:-
Go wash the dishes, mother
And wash them nice and neat
The two-step march so sweet
And blush upmy old clothes. mother,
For na'sS Sc sq Queen aSs 81 May mother
Pm to be Queen of the May
sEthelinda," said the mother in q
cold, hard voice, 81 shall give you one
more chance to redeem yourself. You
may come away from that part Of the
room and recite 'Casabianca.' l think
possibly you will be able to do that
without any of this rude interference.
Again the little bow, and again the
small, shrill -keyed voice took up the IA
miliar rhythm
The boy stood ON the burning deck,
Whence all but him had fled;
| They called TO him. he wouldn't bulge,
And this 10 what he said
go save yourselves. I'll linger here,
It's hard to have to toast
But Pm such a chestnut that
ought to get a roast"
Her mother was too much overcome
to speak.
"Of course you know Paul Revere's
Rider said the young man, innocently.
Eyes," answered Ethelinda, whose
expression had gradually assumed ra-
diance and satisfaction quite foreign to