Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-31

~ aged eleven and nine years sat WIN
a. IA their heads close together and their
backs to the observer, and conVersed III low anu
thrilling tones At the other end, under oriiiiant
" towering bush of goldenglow the observer
Eenevieve Maude Wentworth, sat IN spendld iSo-
iation holding her favorite doll absently by the
lief, leg and regarding with growing disfavor TINS
nloofness and absorption Of her sisters GeneVieVe
Maud was but four, and Of an innocence behttns
these tender years; but she knew that such coh-
spicuous consultation, punctuated as it was WITH
frequent glances her way, BODIED no good Tor lac
little girl Experience had taught her that IL
meant one of two things: the planning or 1orolu-
Ron pleasure from which she would be relentlessiy
excluded or the consideration Of some reform OF
which in its eventual working out, she would DC
The helpless and protesting victim
"Genevieve Maude" Helen Adelne frequently ex
planned to her friends, "is bein brought up by us
BY me an Grace Margaret-cause mammals too
sick an papas too busy. Ministers is always TOO
busy OF course" she sometimes added, expansive
" Katie dresses her an feeds her, but we nave
tc take care of her soul, cause souls is more i'm
portant than bodies, papa says, an poor Maudles
soul is pershn just as fast as it can.
These repeated sisterly efforts in behalf Of her
soul formed the tragedy of Genevieve Maude's in
Sly took on as the play progressed, aspects of
,ubtly refined torture such only the ingenious
mind OF Helen Adeline could conceive. Genevieve
Naude possessor at once OF an optimistic tempera-
hen, and an excellent memory was necessarily
lorn by the conflicting hopes and fears that COM
bnation produced At present the fears predom
mated She rose from the grass and backed away
precipitately her sisters approached her. the
ight OF lofty purpose in their eyes.
Don't want soul saved announced Genevieve
Uaude firmly edging into a nowerbed and seating
herself violently on a choice geranium in her haste
Helen Adeine stopped considerably at the border,
md REGARDED her with the sad patient smile her
features always took on at the beginning OF a dis
russiop with her infant sister. She allowed it to
sink in and then sighed and turned ostentatiously
pway.
Very we'll" she said, careessly; "if you want
% miss all the fun, you act that way. Come along
Gracie; Well play it by ourselves"
Geneyieve Maude wavered. Her fat legs made
tentative effort toward rising. Clouds Of doubt
still rolled over her but the sun OF hope shone tri-
,lmphantly behind them. Vaguely she reasoned as
she always reasoned, that some day Helen Adelne
must think OF a really nice game; perhaps TINS
was the day. The experience Of the Simple Lte
TO which they had once subjected her, had not been
wholly bad But Geneyie7e Maude was growing
wise: she dropped her brown eyes now and stub
bornly awaited further developments, which Grace
Margaret seeing her opportunity, fastened to sup
ply
"Nv.' she exclaimed, comfortably, "t would be
. drofoo nitv to leave Maudie ont of it! She loves
nrizes So" Maude wriggled Helen Adeline paused
in her ostentatious retreat and appeared to reflect
.We.u' she conceded slowly, "if she wants to. She
said she didn't want to-
"Don't want soul saved" muttered Geneyieye
Naude with logged determination. "Yon't have soul
savod" The saving of the soul, topic much dis
,ussed in the household of her father, a somewhat
fanatical minister. had been unpleasanty rubbed
into Genevieve Maude's consciousness by these
earnest domestic efforts in her behalf. Grace Mar
earet more tactful than Helen Adeline, waved aside
with careless hand the artless prejudice so openly
expressed
81 don't blieve it's goin' to be saved she an
nounced reassuringy. Il don't bheVe we can
save it ever But it's lots of fun trying Don
Won think its fun trying? An this is lovely game
Its ethical cutter"
Geneyieye Maude surveyed her susplcousIy' ana
Grace Margaret smiled suavely down into her Sulky
little face Maude adored Grace Margaret, and that
Young person though hopelessly under the thumb
o. her older sister, hau lHohcH'9 Vi "c'N'''' iN'
the younger She privately resolved now to see
that nothing very bad happened to Maudie Hell
en- Adeino wisely leaving the present conduct OF
the affairs to such able hands, ga2ed pcnsvely to
ward distant point the horizon eth cal cul
ter" Genevieve Maudo turned the words slowly
over In her mind They sounded interesting
"Hurt?" she asked, guardedly being more Spar
tan.in speech than in endurance.
No"
Keep clothes on?" asked Genevieve Maude
mindful OF the time they had stripped her ant
made ner spend the day attired in innocenc and {
large 5un.hat as an apostle OF "the Simple Life
Yes You have to-" replied Grace Margaret
Amply. Then she added; "You go round an d.