The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-01-20
Duty to little Brothers and
Sisters,

his brothers and sisters. do not believe g was
ever known to do anything for the sake Of teas
ing one of them, or Of giving them pain in any
way, in his life. 1t would scarcely seem ever TO
have en- tered his head to try any of the mischie.
vous tricks upont which some boys, are so
ready at co ntrvng His sisters were never a.
rraid Of his putting his cold hand upon their
necks, when he came in from his play in the
snow, or receiving sly prick or pinch when he
happenedIto.b be standing near them. Their play
things were never concealed for fear of any 70.
query on the part of Henry, He would take
great deal more pleasure in Sitting down with
Jack kkniie to make them some new piece of fur.
niure for their baby.house, than Ned wilkins
could possibly have felt, while backing the dolls
face, and turning topsy y.turvy the tables and chairs
in his sisters ployroom Henry was as ingeni.
Gus and witty boy as Ned But he chose to
exercise hlsiingenulty and his wit in very diff.
erent way Ned was continually -contrving
some way or other OF vexing and tormentng his
younger brothers and sisters. Al one lime while
they were quietly amusing themselves together,
Ned would contrive to startle them by coming
and scratching'upon the.door, or making some
strange irightful noise. At another time he
would 90 into their play and perpetrate
some such piece: :Of mischief with the dolls and
furniture, as has already been described. He
would seem really to enjoy it, when he could
manage to morlify or tease and veX them in any
way. Henry. ,.on the other hand, never knew
what it was to derive enjoyment from any contri.
vances for tOrmenting anybody else-last OF all
his brothers or sisters. He was very ready, how.
ever at divising plans for giving them pleasure,
or promoting enjoyment. He helped his broth
ers make their kites, and balls, and sail boats
and fought them the games he learned as he was
som etimes be pleasantly surprised, as she opened
herworkbox, to find it supplied with some addition.
al article of convenience for which she knew she
was indebted to her brothers ingenuity and kind.
ness and the little girls never had reason to be
sorry that Henry had took occasion to slip into
thersplay for he generally found some
better business when there, than destroying or
turning things topsy-turvy.
Henry was always ready give them any assiS
tances about their school exercises. He never
laughed at them for not being able readily to learn
such simple lessons for he remembered thatthey
were younger than himself, and what was easy to
him was much more difficult to them He did
not once get out of patience with George, all the
while that he was learning to do simple addition
though he had to tell him more than twenty times
which was the right hand,fgure to ctdown, and
the left hand figures to carry.
Henry's youngest sister was little one, Just
learning to totter about and to talk. He was yer.
ry fond of her, and devoted great deal Of alen.
tion to her Little Alice learned to walked and to
talk a great deal faster for the pains he took to
teach her. He used to carry her out every pleas
ant morning to take a little walk in front Of the
house, and whenever he went of an erranl, he
was always ready to take her with him, if she
wished to 20. One morning, as he was sitting
out with his tin pail to go after the milk for
breakfast, Alice came running to know if she
might 20 get milk too. Her mother made no OBJ
jecions, and Henry tied on her cape bonnet, and
took her By the hand. Just as he reached the
gate he encountered Ned wilkins, who happened
TO be going upon the same errand with himself,
and so they walked along together.
"Perhaps you will be rather late with your
milk if you keep pace with ma" remarked Hen.
~, after they had proceeded little way,-"for
must lead Alice, and she is not able to walk
very fast"
81 shall be early enough with the milk Tgucss,
replied Ned !" "but what makes you carry your
sister with you every where you 70 For my part
! | hate to have mine tosee after Mother will make
me carry her to school sometimes but never
do when | can help it, Don't the fellows laugh
when yon have Alice with you !"
"Laugh - repeated Henry d" what is there to
laugh al should think it very strange to he
laughed at for taking care of little sister who is
not old enough to take care Of herself Somebo-
dy must take care of her, certainly"
True enough; what had Henry to be ashamed
Of Ned wilkins was the one who had reason To
he ashamed. boy who can take pleasure in
teasing and vexing his brothers and sisters or who
is 50 unkind as to he unwilling to take little sis
te7 under his protection, when it is necessary,
and especially when his mother wishes it, has in.
deed something to be ashamed Of we hope he will
come TO be ashamed Of before long. But as for it
Henry, we are quite sure that the time will nev.
er come, when he will have occasion TO regret
that he has been kind and aGectionate brother
Boys are apt to entertain some very foolish ide-
as Of what is noble and manly in a boy. They
have a feeling that il makes Them appear femiu-
inc, that is, ike the girls, to be playing with
their sisters or taking care Of those Younger than
themselves Put, it is very far from being either