Gypsy Breynton

l one; though it might have been, for there have been actual

r this reason, partly for its singular appropriateness, that

th becomes Tuty, Dess, Pet, or Honey, the rest of his mortal life. All the particularly cross and disagreeable girls are Birdies and Sunbeams. All the brunettes with loud voices and red hands, who are growing up into the "strong-minded women,"

entered into Gypsy's creed; drenchings and freezings were so many soap-bubbles,-great fun while they lasted, and blown right away by dry stockings and mother's warm fire; so where was the harm? A good brisk thunderstorm out in the woods, with the lightning quivering all about her and the thunder crashing over her, was simple delight. A day of snow and sleet, with dri

d like a very pretty, piquant mistake; as if a mischievous boy had somehow stolen the plaid dresses, red cheeks, quick wit, and little indescribable graces of a girl, and was playing off a continual joke on the world. Old Mrs. Surly, who lived opposite, and wore green spectacles, used to roll up her eyes, and say What would become of that child? A whit cared Gypsy f

hool-time came and passed, and Gypsy did not make her appearance, t

reynton. "Tell her it is very late, and

tiny blossoms of a grape-vine trailing over it. The lane opened into a wide field which had an apple-orchard at one end of it, and sloped down over quite a little hill into a piece of marshy ground, where ferns and white violets, anemones, and sweet-flag grew in abundance. In the summer, the water was apt to dry up.

t, when Winnie suddenly turned th

shed herself a third of the way across the swamp. Her dress was tucked up over her bright balmoral, and the ribbons of her hat were stream

e, walking out on t

!" said

at's a bu

sure

ven or six years ago when I was a little boy. I sho

t hint. Why don't you say ri

said Winnie, with

on the larboard side," replied Gypsy, in the

the oak-tree, and W

ow across and back before sch

ained a disc

e it's very lat

with a green head, down in

on a little w

r cheeks so red

fever, or maybe it's

O

nnie gave a

ock down. I don't want to go very m

, as true as you live! It isn't strong enough to be

up about her ankles, and Winnie's end of the raft went unde

. After a little splashing and gasping, she regained her feet, and stood up to her elbows in the water. But what she could do, Winnie could not. He had sunk in the soft mud, and even if he had had the coura

set him down on the grass, and then, by way of doing something, she took he

ver did-you'd ought to know-yo

ned than I am. To be sure you are rather wet," s

e shower of water-drops that rained down from his forehead, "you know you hadn't

little shake, very much as a pretty brown

Who teased to go on the

mother, she said you was to come right up when she sent me down, only I-well I gue

d Winnie looked at Gypsy.

Gypsy, solemnly, "if you

lk," interrupted Winnie, with

ply is not

ation that the fishman was somewhere around, only he had sent his fishes on ahead of him. They appeared to have been

n nine, when Gypsy was fairly metamorphosed i

lose conference. Exactly what happened on the occasion of tha

fourth was, that she was sorry to be so late at school-it always made Miss Melville look so; and then a bad mark was not, on the whole, a desirable thing. Still a fifth was, that she would never do such a thing again as long as she lived-never. The sixth lay in a valiant determination to behave herself the rest of this particular day. She would study hard. She would get to the

ld just sit still and look sober and sorry, and not troub

ferred the select school system, composed Miss Melville's charge. They were most of them pleasant girls, and Miss Melville was an unusually successful teacher, and as dearly loved as a judicious teacher can be. The sch

. It was nearly recess time; she knew, because she could hear, through the windows, the third geography class reciting. It was really

arks from a great fire of hickory, and, in an instant, every one of those six sober thoughts was gone aw

irls' "things," hanging up on the nails-hats and bonnets, tippets, sacks, rubbers, and baskets; apparently as demure and respectable as hats, bonnets, tippets, sa

nocked at the school-room door. Mis

iped little Cely Hunt, holding up her hand. Miss Melvil

she wore a curious drab-silk sack, somewhat faded and patched, with all the edges of the seams outside. Over that, was a plaid red-and-green shawl, tied about her waist. There was a little black shawl over that, and a green tippet wound

the door. Miss Melville stepped down from

id the old woman, in

," said Miss Me

creaturs a sayin'clock of their lessons as I come by, an'clock thinks says I to myself, says I, bless their dear h

uctantly, handed her visitor a chair by the door, but did no

discontentedly; "an'clock I'm terribly afflicted with rheum

ss Melville, looking at her keenly. "You may rest yourself, and the

clock I'm a lone, lorn widdy. I say-little gal!" and the stranger pointed her finger (it trembled a little) at Sarah Rowe, who had grown quite red in the face with her polite

the little

prepared. Miss Melville looked through the green veil straight into the old woman's eyes,

yp

sh. Sarah Rowe was t

y sack turned

my mitts!" said

y black shawl,-I know it by the border,

of, and Lucy's plaid shawl," gig

l," put in somebo

ischief bright all over her face. Her eyes fell, however, and her chee

still without a smile. Gypsy obeyed in silence. The girls stopp

d Miss Melville. "Cely, what is the

her. Gypsy, silent and ashamed, took out her spelling-book, and began to study. The girls looked at her out of the corners of thei

further than to tell the group of girls, who had instantly clustered buzzing and laughing about her, that they were all to go out doors and play. They went, and Gypsy sat still with her head behin

did not call for her; the history class, but no one spoke to Gypsy. The disgrace of this punishment was what Gypsy minded the most, though

. The children, controlled by that something in Miss Melville's manner, and by Gypsy's av

said Miss

was no

yp

. Miss Melville laid down her pencil, closed her own

e as sorry as I am,

on Gypsy's lashes, and two gre

" she said, vehemently. "Why do

to make me trouble," continued Miss Mel

e swallowed them with a gulp, and brushed her hand, angrily, across her eyes.

was comical, in spite of itself; "I wish you'd ple

lville, with a sad smile; "you must cure your ow

nd in a little pa

about it all the way to school-the whole way, Miss Melville? And didn't I make up my mind I'd be as good as a kitten all day, and sit still like Agnes Gaylord, and not tickle the girls, nor make you any trouble, nor anything? Then what should I do but come into the entry an

ainly had the power, when you stood out there in the e

shaking her head, thoughtful

ouldn't do

't!" said Gypsy,

time, you can another

was

her, "besides the impropriety of playing such a trick

" exclai

s Melville, qui

dn't be unkind to you for a

chool into a frolic. Anything done to break the order of study-hours, or to withstand any rule of the school, is alway

ow," said Gyps

to you, when you are quiet and well-behaved. An orderly scholar has a great deal

's eyes were wandering away under the appl

ly, and threw her arms a

kiss, I'll never be an old woman aga

loving words of encouragement, such as nobody but Miss Mel

mewhere," she said, as they left the school

iron bolt, 'stop

is," said Gypsy, an