Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1855-07-11
For the Grand River Times.
4 STORY FOR THE CHILDREN.

DEAR CHILDREN Grandma is going to
tell YOU short story. She wants you to read
it, and then if YOU don't like it, just say so.
/ shall not be offended at you---not |. be-
lieve everybody has right to express their
opinion ii. e., when they have one). al
ways do; so say just what you have a mind
to about my story. But perhaps you would
like to- hear it: ,t,53r. gro +.
Not long since, neighbor Gills and his wife
thought they would like to go "down East"
to see their folks; but they could not take all
the children very WELL They wanted me to
come over and stay with Jane, and help her
look after them little So L told them |
would come.
They went, taking with them Susan and
4" dear little Fred" and leaving at home
Tommy, and Caleb, and Fanny, and Hatty,
and Peter, and Sis.
Now if your father and mother ever went
away, and left you at home with your grand
ma or aunty, or older sister, you know pretty
well "what times" we had. So shall not
tell you how we spent each day of those four
long weeks. But l will tell you how Tommy
got his fingers burned. "a.
Tommy is the oldest Of the a1nily-about
fourteen years old-and | must say he made
me more trouble than all the rest. He is a
good hearted boy, but he has such habit of
peeping into everything. He would 60 round
the house with his hands in his pockets, whis-
Ting some old tune, and poking his nose into
this, and to that; and he never could keep
his paws off any thing put out Of his reach.
| don't mean to find too much fault with
Tom. believe am the best friend he has,
Poor fellow! "He never was favorite" His
mother used to say "he teased her to death,
every day, with his thousand and one ques-
tions.' His father said "Tom was nui-
sance." The children did not like to have
him play with them, for he spoiled all their
sport; and the neighbors, generally, consid-
cred him an ignoramus.
But | knew better; knew Tom was a
genius. encouraged him all could by an
swering all his questions-as far as | was
able-though was sometimes considerably
annoyed with his "poking and peeping," and
tried to devise some means to cure him of
his fault.
1t was Of no use; every means failed, and
had just made up my mind to patiently
"endure what could not be cured" when he
met with an accident which pretty effectually
broke him of his habit.
He wanted to 90 a fishing, one afternoon,
and thought | would let him 90. l was
glad to get rid Of him little while. He
went, and the afternoon passed very pleas
antly. When it was time to get tea, Jane
went and got some gooseberries to stew. She
put them on the stove in new tin basin.
told Jane would make the biscuits, and she
might set the table. ........-. l..r... 4.
When the gooseberries were cooked enough,
| set them on {" the top SHELF" near the win
dow, to cool, and went about making the bis
cults. | was just thinking it was about time
for Tom to come home, when heard a noise
behind me, and looking around, saw him on
tiptoe, reaching up--his fingers just over the
edge of the basin Tom Tom come out
of that! cried. But was too late down
came the basin with its smoking contents!
Poor Tom! he was brave boy; he thought
]. there was :" no use of crying for split milk :
but guess you would have laughed to sec
the hideous faces he made up, as he stood
there with the hot juice dripping off his fin
! gers. 1 ssiaao- .re el ffa .i
| did not like the idea Of doing without