Daily American telegraph., 1852-07-12
From the Friendof Youth.
Little Martha, the Awkward Girl.
BY MARY IRVING

BY MARY IRVING.
II never saw anybody so awkward in my
life"
| looked up from my writing, to see what
new mischance had drawn down this bolt of
displeasure on the head of my little friend
Martha. She was standing before the fret
was cool spring morning-with q pair of
giant tongs in her hands, and a most distress
full expression on her face She had been try
ing to arrange the fre-logs, to make them burn
better; and, in doing so, had sent the back
log tumbling over the I" fore-stick" breaking
the latter into two great brands, which threw
their sparks and Goals out over the hearth and
carpet.
"There, Martial" continued her mother,
q why couldn't you have let the fire alone, until
you were told to attend to it Z! Sweep those
Goals up quick and-take care child You've.
left the mark of those tongs on your apron, of
courseio
Sure enough, she had two long black streaks
upon her clean white apron but, worse than
that, she caught coal upon it, in STOPPING to
sweep, and burned two holes in the corner, be-
fore she shook it off.
1T is always the way sighed her mother,
in a despairing tone, Miss l., what do you
think Shall | ever make anything out Of
this girl Did you ever see anything like
her!n
did not like to say much before Martha
herself who had turned very red at her moth
er's question, and sidled towards the door.
looked up at her; and She catching my eye,
dropped her own and ran out rs though she
were going to cry
1t was true enough that little Martha rcaS
most awkward, unIucky child OF this was
made aware, within 6ve minutes after entering
her fathers house, to which had gone for Il
visit of seyera, weeks. Martha met me at the
gate. threw both her arms around my neck,
telling me how glad she was to sec me- and
held nv hand in both hers all the way up the
gravel walk to the house. AS soon as | had
taken off my bonnet, she insisted on carrying
that and my carpet.bag up stair. | had left
the carpet-bag unlocked She managed-l
don't know how--to drop it just at the top OF
tho stairs; and down it came, rolling to the
bottom, leaving q comb on one step, tooth
brush on anothor-pins, towels soap, &c, &C.
between But what was OF more consequence,
she jostled out little porcelain vase that
had brought for her mother and broke II to
atoms!
The next morning after that catastrophe
Martha came tripping into my room very early
She gave me gcod-morning kiss, and then
began trying to be helpful by pouring water
from the jar into my basin. She was talking
to me, and did not notice where she set down
the water jar So finding itself uncomtortably
near the edge of the wash7tand, it turned
somerset and topplcd over into the midst OF
my open trunk, which stood at one SIDE Sad
work, that
Martha was SO distressed about 1t. that
could not speak a word Of rcprOot to her; the
moro as saw she had really and sincerely
been meaning to help me. But began. to
have sort Of dread, when | saw her coming
towards me, as though she were going to bring
some new kind of misfortune upon me,
If she helped nc to cream in coffee, or poured
sparkling cold water into my tumblor, she was
almost certain to give measure running over"
and deluge her mammals damask tablecloth.
She was always ready to put something on my
plate but it generally, unless | took special
care, landed on the handle Of my knife and
fork, or fell over the side of my plate, upon my
lap.
These were only few Of her misadventures.
If all had happened from carelossness, she
might have been cured by wholesome punish
mcnt, perhaps But no; punishment only
made her ten times more blundcring. 1t
seemed as though things lost all sense Of pro.