Year: 1875

LII LIZ ICEIsSnUNs


BY MATTHEW BROWNE.


There was peep-show in the street


with the large round goggles to lool


through, the usual pullers and man O


the usual sort pattering away by the side


about what is to be seen within. 1t wa.


very simple.hearted and simple-headet


people who lived in this little town, and


men and women, old and yonng, as wei


as children, came to have look into the


peep-show. Nay, as it was holiday time


even the great folk came and mingled


with the rest. 1t is true they came


sauntering up, looking the other way


and pretending to be surprised when they


got close to the show itself-but for all


that they came, and each of them paid


his penny with an air of good humored


toleration, bordering on contempt, as il


1t were beneath him to take a peep into


such a concern. Now there were the


"seven wonders of the world" in this show,


and great deal more that l have not


time to mention.


The doctor took his peep, and said.


hourishing his cane, that there was moth


ing in it. The lawyer, smiling sarcasti-


cally,. took his peep, and then said he


would have the law of the Snowman for


an impostor. Even the clergyman took


his peep, amid the tittering Of the bump
kins, and, though he slightly rebuked the
lawyer for his severity, said he feared it
was very hollow exhibition.


In short, there was general discomfort


with the peep-show, though all the spec


tators were not as critical as the doctor,
the lawyer and the parson. So they ali
went home to their suppers, and very
hearty suppers those of them made who
could afford it, some of them expressing
very poor opinion of the "seven
wonders of the world" though without
giving any particular reasons. only,
somehow, the wonders were not good
enough.


The parson, the attorney and the
apothecary forget all about it, and things
went on just as usual in the little town
next day. The man with the peep-show
had travelled onward to somewhere else,
to make other people discontented with
the "seven wonders of the world"


Among the spectators who had turned
from the peep-show dissatisfied with
what they had seen, was a little child,
who had q long, quiet and intense look
at the wonders. AS he turned away
from the show he said nothing, but there
was light in his eyes which contrasted
strangely with the other expression that
was visible in his countenance. 1t
seemed to say, Something better" and
yet, suppose, that must be all nonsense,
for it has been laid down that if YOU
cover up the face, and look at the ewes
through two holes of their exact size |
and shape, you will see that they have |
no expression whatever.


Nevertheless, as the child walked
dreamily away, his little eyes struck fire,
as you might say, into other eyes.
Goody Gracious, who was the kind old
soul of the place, and seemed really to
live for others, and not all for herself,
caught the eye of the child, and smiled
meaningly but sweetly. A pair oflovers,
who had also looked into the peep-show,
and had been disappointed like the rest
said to themselves, "That is the child we
saw looking in when we were there. He
must have seen something more then we
did," Then they thought again, you
know, and said to themselves, "The ex-
preston in his face is only his simplicity,
bless him w


And the child passed on, and the light
Of the morning star was in his eyes,
though 1T was now dusk, so that nobody
'aw it, not even his mother who put him
10 bed. Indeed, she said,-


"Drat it. you've torn your pinafore
looking into the peep-show, I'll be
pound ~


Then the dusk passed into darkness.
md the noises of the little town into
'ilence, and the night was over all things,
ust as it had been over all things thou
,ands OF thousands of times since the
ornament was set The stars awoke and
people slumbered. Who knows their
ireams? That poor man dreamed he had
fortune, the longing student that the
ibrarits of the world were at his hand
he schemer that he had won, the giddy :
lamsel that she had new bonnet. By
he side of the sick bed the loving
watcher prayed that the sick child might
20 better tomorrow. The little child
hat had left the peep-show disappointed
ireamed not at all, but when he awoke
he light of the morning star was still in
lis eyes, and many one who looked in
o them came, from that hour, to hear
whisper in his heart, which sounded like
Something better"


BY and by 1t got noised abroad in the
title town that the child had said he
would some day make better peep-show
han the one which had Just disappointed
very body 50 much. OF course he was
cry much laughed at, and the townfolk
ook to calling him Little Peep-shew.
those who had been loudest in expressing
heir discomfort with the travelling show
t which we have spoken, now ridiculed
he idea of the child ever making A
etter. The lawyer argued the case very
trongly, and proved that the "seven
vonders of the world" constituted a |
how which never could be surpassed.
he apothecary was very angry with
those vagaries," as he called them, and 1
ssuTed the child's parents that nothing /
you'd injure his health more than TO let :
Is mind run on the making of better
eep-show. Lastly, the clergyman looked ,
cry sharply after the little child's at !
enhance at church, and pointed out to
i'm that IL was flying in the face of !
eaven itself to attempt something bet ,
pr, when the "seven wonders OF the :
'orld" had been established in their |;
lace for centuries by the best and most /
sligious historians.


For all that, the expression which re. [
linded you Of the morning star did not !
0 out of this child's eyes, and the peo.
lie still continued to call him Little Z
eep-show. Indeed they persisted in a
'lling him "little," grow fast as he