Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-12-09
SELECT MISCELLANY.
THE MOTHER AND BOY.
By t. $. ARTHUR.

y
who was playing with a tassel that hung
from one of the window-blinds, to the inn
minent danger of its destruction.
The boy did not seem to hear, but Kept on
lingering the tassel.
g Let that be, tell you! Must speak a
hundred times? Why don't you mind at
lonce?"
The child slowly relinquished his hold of
the tassel, aud commenced running his hand
up and down the Nenitian blind.
"There! There. Do for gracious sake,
let them blinds alone. Go way from the
window this moment, and try and keep your
hands off Of things. | declare! You are
the most trying child ever saw"
Tom left the window, and threw himself
at full length into the cradle, where he com
menced rocking himself with force and
rapidly that made every thing creak again.
sect out of that cradle! What do you
mean' The child really seems possessedp
And the mother caught him by the arm
and jerked him from the cradle.
Tom said nothing, but with the most imper-
turable air in the world walked twice around
the room, and then pushing chair up be-
fore the dressing-hureau, took therefrom
bottle of hair lustral, and pouring the palm
of his little hand full of the liquid, common
ced rubbing it upon his head. Twice had
this operation been performed, and Tom
was pulling open a drawer to get the hair
BRUSH when the odor of the oily compound
reached the nostrlls of the lads mother, who
was sitting with her back towards him.
Turning quickly, she saw what was going
on.
"You!' fell angrly from her lips, as she
dropped the baby in the cradle. "lsn't it
too much?' she continued, as she swept
across the room to where Tom was standing
before the bureau dressing-glass.
"There, sir" and the chld's ears rang
with the box he received. "There, sir!"
and the box was repeated. " Havn't | told
you hundred times not to touch that hair
oil? Just see what spot of grease you've
made on the carpet. Look at your hands!"
Tom looked at his hands, and seeing them
full of oil, cIapped them quickly down upon
his Jacket, and tried to rnb them clean.
There! Stop! Mercy Now see your
new Jacket that you put on this morning.
Grease from top to bottomi lent it too bad!
| am in despairl"
Aud the mother let her hands fall by her
side, and her body drop into chair.
SO It's no use to try" she continued, "Fll
give up. Just see that jacket! It's totally
ruined. And that carpet, too. Was there
ever such a trying boy! Go down strirs
this instant, and tell Jane to come up here"
Tom had reason to know that his mother
was not III mood to be trlled WITH so he
went off brskly aud called Jane, who was
directed TO get some fuller's earth and put
upon the carpet where the oil had been spill
led.
Not at all liking the atmosphere of his
mothers room, Tom, being once III the
kitchen, felt no inclination to return. His
first work there, after delivering this mes
sage to Jane, was to commence turning the
coffee-ml.
"Tommy," said the cook, mildly, yet
| firmly, ''you know Eve told you that it was
wrong to touch the cofce-milI. See here,
on the floor, where You have scattered the
coffee about, and now must get broom
and sweep it up. II you do so, | can't let
you come down here.'
/ The hoy stood and looked at the cook, Sc
rously, while she got the broom and swept
up the dirt he had made.
g It's all clean again, now" said the cook,
pleasantly. I" And you won't do so any
more, will your"
No, | won't touch the cofiee-mill." And
as Tom said this, he sidled up to the knife
box that stood upon the dresser, aud made
dlVc INTO III Win MS mana.
"0h, no, no, no, Tommy That won't
do, either" said the ccok. I" The knives
have all been cleaned, and they are TO go on
to the table to eat WITH
Then what can play with, Margaret"
asked the child, as he left the dresser. 81
want something to play WITH
The cook thought a moment, and then
went to a closet and brought out a little bas-
L. flIaI NTH aInfbae e.aF A. hfa HpIH
them in her hand, she said
Tommy, if you will be careful not TO
break any OF these, nor scatter them about,
! you may have them to play with. But, re-
Imember, now, that as soon as you begin to
throw them around the room, | will put
them up again.
g Oh, no, won't throw them about, said
| the little fellow, with Frightening eyes, as he
reached out for the basket of pins.
/ In little while he had a circle formed on
the table, which he called his fort and IN
side of this he had men, ciiBnOn, sentry box
/ e., and other things that were suggested to
his fancy.
"Where's Thomas;" asked his mother,
about the time he had become fairly iDteres-
ted IN his fort.
- left him down in the kitchens" replied
Jane.
SO down and tell him to come up here,
Instantly
( Down went Jane.
"Come along up stairs to your mother"
said she.
No, won'i,'' replied the hoy.
Very well, Misteri You can do a. you
I ike bst your mother sent for you"
FELL mother | ans playing here 50 good.
7 Pm not in any mischief, am !, Margaret!'
No, Tommy but your mother has sent
for you, and you had better 90"
- don't want to-"
Just a you Ike said Jane, Indifferent
lly, as she left the kitchen and went up stairs.
! g Mhere's Thomas.1' WINS the question