Year: 1869

you ought not TO be served SO.


Little Barefoot succeeded in comforting
her brother, ard persuaded him TO &c
home with her; but they had scarcely
gone hst,ired steps when something
came trotting behind them. The horse
had torn itself loose and was following
Dami, aud be was obliged to drive back
the animal he loved so much by throwing
stones at him.


Dami was ashamed OF his bad luck, and
did not wish 10 be seen by any one. AS
he could not conceal his misfortune, and
feared that he would be jeered at about II,
he hid himself.


He stopped at the edge OF the village
Black Marann gave him n coat which
had belonged to her husband. Dami bad
an unconquerable aversion to putting il on,
but Little Barefoot, who before had re-
garded her fathers coat as a sacred thing
found now just as many reasons to prove
that coat is nothing in itself, and that il
did not matter v-lro had worn it before.


The charcoal>burner, who lived neal
Black Maisnn. took Dami to assist him in
Eis wood cutting and coald burning. This
retired life was very cOngenial to Dami;
He intended only to remain at it until he
should become a soeier, and then he
would enter the service as substitute,
and for life, in a soldiers life there is JUS
!ice and ORDER, and there no one has broth
er or sister or his own house, and is sup
piled with clothes and food and drink, and
if war comes, soldiers glorious death is
better than any other.


That was what Dami said che day in
the moss spring forest, when Little Bare
foot came down TO the charcoal kiln,
bringing him tobacco and meal. She of
ten tried 10 teach him, besides the usual
diet of the charceal>burner, which cons
sisted of bread flied in greese, to make
the food, which he prepared himself,more
palatable; but Dani would not do it, lie
was satisfied with it just as It was; he con-
tinued TO eat his bad TODD, although he
might have had better, aud he INDUCED
himself generally In very careless habits
until he should be dressed up as a soldier.
Little Barefoot opposed this constantly
looking forward into the future while the
present moment was being lost. She
wished to impart energy to Dami, who
enjoyed being idle and at the same time
pilticd himself, he seemed to be perfectly
satisfied with the decline of his prospects.
1t was with difficulty that Litil Barefoot
succeeded in making him buy, from Lis
earnings, on AK for himself, and it was in
deed the axe of his father which the char
coal burner had bought at the auction.


She often returned with deep anxiety
from the forest, but it was never contin-
ued long; her hopeful and lively temper
burst involuntarily from her lips in gay
songs, and one who did not know her,
would have tLought that sire had not a
trouble on her mind. The joy which
sprang from an unconscious feeling that
she was fully and unt:ringly dong her du>
ty, and acts of kindness besides to Black
Marann and Dami, gave her an expression
of constant chcerfullncss. In the whole
house 10 one conld laugh as heartily as
Little Barefoot, and the old farmer said
that her laugh sounded like plovcr's
note. And as she was always ubliging
and respectful TO him, he gave her to un-
derstand that he would remember her in
dependence On this; she expected no re-
ward which she had not right to ask for,
and every good act of hers was done out
of kindness of heart and without hope OF
remuneration.