The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-04-04


other small portion OF fowl"
Thank you. no, Josiah. have a
full sufficiency."
The first speaker turned again to
their guest, Rev. Mfr. Robert Duncan
who had come to take charge for two
months Of the little church in the
western village OF S, and who was
being entertained by the Rawlins for
the first time.
did you hear that Miranda Spear.
our deacon's Wife, fell today on the ice
and broke her limb"
NO." asked the preacher, II did
not Then he asked, with a certain
vagueness OF sympathy pardonable
from the fact he had not met the un.
fortunate lady, Was It an arm or a
leg?"
tethered giggle here broke loose
from Sulalia, the only other one at
the table, and a niece OF the hostess
who, In default OF other relatives, had
undertaken to raise" her To sup
press" her would have been a truer
statement OF the case.
Mr., Duncan, with a responsive twin
kle in his eye, for the first time really
noticed the girl What ridiculous
looking little. creature she was. any
way with her freckled face, Irish nose.
and two black plaits Of hair braided SO
tightly they stood out from behind
her ears and curled up at the ends.
After the stilted meal WIS over and
Eulalia Notwithstanding Der fourteen
years, sent at once to bed, Mrs. Raw
Inns volunteered some information re.
garding her troublesome charge. Her
poor romantic sister It appeared, had
disgraced the family by clipping with
Rawlins was unwillingly bound to ad
NIT, she was not actually unhappy
even though such a marriage did
shorten her life. The husband, too,
child had been living with them. Here
Mrs Rawlins folded her hands piously
and expressed the hope the good Lord
would not hold her responsible. at
least not altogether, for the miserable
failure she had thus far made Of
things; that at least he would give
her credit for having In her poor way
tried to do her humble best
Mr. Duncan, who was very un-
conventional parson, was just about
to give utterance to most conven
tional remark, when a crash was heard
from the floor above
ITS some of that crazy stage seen.
cry Euly's been rigging up In the loft.
I'd better go up and see II she amt
buried under It. She don't always go
to bed when she's sent
With an air OF resignation, turning |
to one OF Indignation when well out of |
sight Mrs. Rawlins sailed off disclaim. /
ing any help from the men who Of
fered to accompany her.
Mr. Rawlins half took his niece's |
part She's smart, that girl, in spite
Of her nonsense" he said to Mr.. Dun.
can. And she'd have the gumption,
every time, to pour sand down rat
hole" Now that his wife was out OF
hearing as well, Josiah Rawlins felt
he could speak naturally again
The next time Robert Duncan saw
Eulalia was one afternoon when, re
turning from visit to Deacon Spear
he caught a glimpse OF a 1.-THE little
figure dancing down the road Had Il
not been for the right-angled pigtails
and stiff bingham apron. he would
have thought her veritable wood
nymph, such was her grace The girl
stopped In pleased surprise. but
swinging her books around from her
shoulder she found two or three had
slipped the strap
81 suppose I'll have TO find them"
she said, ruefully.
Then a sudden impulse seized her
Come" she said. "I'll show YOU
how to dance!" She took the preach
er's hand He was very nimbe-stlll
very young--and before he knew II he
had fallen in with Eulalia's steps and
The two were skipping along the road
70 distinctly frivolous and very live.
y tune.
Duncan was enjoying himself i'm.
but he was glad few yards
brought the books 10 view Had any.
me happened along the position would
rave been a difficult one to explain
lway. They came to a sudden halt,
10Th laughing heartily, the man more
70 than he had done since he left col
ege. Then. with remembrances TO I,
he Rawlins, he parted with Eulalia
On the way 10 the house where he ,
gas staying Robert Duncan thought
bout the little girl lie was wasting /,
10 sympathy now on Eulalia--at pres
Mt she did not need It She was like
rubber ball, the more force with
fhich Il was thrown the greater the 4,
ebound II she was not allowed 10 =
ing and dance and laugh In The /,
ouse she could 20 out into the sun !,
hine. But when Eulalia grew a little
der where would be found The affec :,
onate wisdom needed to guide this !
videnuy Wliful soul? Not IN the IN
le, who was chiefly Interested In bis a.
leces precocious cleycrnesg. nor IN 2
"a aunt with her ridiculously affected ;,
"a ,re and FlarroEv relfvforge ysast.e