1<br > The Gypsy Boy<br >Old Berthie was the one that told Jip. % lunatic， boy，"<br >she said leaning so close Jip could count the hairs in her<br >nostrils. "A raving lunatic." She sniffed. "~Ve re all of us<br >poor and there be some，" she rolled her eyes toward Old<br >George and Sheldon Morse， "who is simple. But we re<br >harndess， ain t we， boy? ~.%at do they mean bringing a<br >lunatic amongst poor God-fearing h)lk who done no<br >harm nor had no luck in this cnml world?"<br > .lip nodded solemnly， tte never arg~aed with Berthie.<br >Once he dared question her when she said Ethan Mien<br >had been a fool. After all， Ethan Allen :rod his Green<br >Mountain Boys were the only genuine Vermont heroes<br >Jip had ever heard tell of.<br > "Ethan Allen was a hero，" he d said.<br > She slapped him across the cheek so hard it stung. He<br >wouldn t have credited that old wrinkled hand with such<br >strength. "I said， fbol， boy. Don t go contradicting your<br >elders!"<br > tie didn t again. Besides， why zvere they bringing a<br >hmatic to the poor farm?<br > "Money，" Berthie said. "It d cost the town too dear to<br >send him to the asylum."<br > The ()verseer of the Poor had appeared several clays<br >"