Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-07-26

passionatey; but on she went, and rang
the bell of the front door. In few mo-
ments she had them all astirl In a few
more she had given the alarm on either
side. Then, unaided, she dragged the lad
der from the back yard and held 1t while
the mother of the family crept down IL,
carrying her six weeks old baby. The
father, above, lowered the children and
then coming down himself broke the
ladder.
"All safe,' cried the mother, drawing
her children to her what does anything
Just then there appeared at the win
dow from which they had come little
black head, and a plaintive, though en-
ergetic, little bark implored that the dog
gle of the establishment might not be
left to perish.
The father, In great distress, ran round
to a neighbours for another ladder One
was brought; but it was so slight that
he. heavy man, dared not ascend 1t.
| The rapidly gathering half clad crowd
| urged him to think of himself, and the
plaintve barking went on.
Peggy could not stand 1t. She placed
| the ladder against the wall, and before
| any one could stay her she was half way
up 1t! They cried, they besought, and at
| last they busted themselves holding the
! ladder firmly against the wall, while
| Peggy reached for the little dog, and
| clasping him in her arms, began the
| descent. When she reached the ground,
she felt for a moment as If she must
| faint, and then the thought Of her moth
| er seemed to bring her strength and calm.
She slipped from the crowd, now aug
mented by the fire department, and ran
| home.
For one terrible moment she was half
afraid to enter Then she pushed open the
| door.
! "Mother!" she said
The doctor turned around and held up
| a warning finger,
Hush" he said. shes asleep She's
doing WE'LL
Peggy began to cry. The doctor looked
| at her in surprise
Come my child, control yourself" he
began-and then he saw the red light
beyond the door.
They're all right, too" sobbed Peggy
II told them in time" The doctor looked
at her, light in his eyes.
Then he gave her some water, and
| babe her lie down beside her mother.
Twenty-four hours later the excitement
caused by the fire had died down. But
the story of Peggy's rescue, first of the
family by her warning, and second of
the dog, by her courage, had spread, and
| probably grown! AT any rate she found
| herself heroine.
In nothing was the estimation in which
she was now held shown so strikingly
as in the reception of her gifts. Edna, as
well as the others, had surpassed them
selves. But no one seemed to notice any
| gifts but Peggy's.
Yes, they're lovely; but, oh, see what
Peggy gave mel" was heard on every
side. Edna, kissing her, said that the
postal was to have the most beautiful
frame Boston could show. Alice declared
that her ornament was to be worn at her
first real grown-up party! Florrie's
mother promised that fine white linen
dress should be made for the crocheted
buttons-and so on until every gift had
been almost enshrined by its recipient
Ednas presents to her class ma tes-
really valuable pearl pins, all allke-were
taken as matter of course, and, like
every oher gift, thrown into the shade
by Peggys.
Just think how they like those simple
things" she said to her mother
"Ah,' said Mr.. Wilson, to the proud
and happy mother, 'if the giver be Of
value, so is the gift"
He turned to Edna, and the other girls
who were all looking half wonderingly
at Peggy
, my children, try, each of you, so t.
, live that your gifts are of value becaus,
of the value of the giverr'-tBy France.
Harmer in Christian Register.