Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-12-26
THE MOTHER AND BOY,
BY T. 8. ARTHUR.


"Tom let that alonel' exclaimed a
mother, petulently, to boy of seven
years of age. who was playing with
tasssl that hung from one OF the win
dow blinds to the imminent danger Of
its destruction.
The boy did not seem to hear, but
kept on lingering the tassel.
''Let that be, I tell you'll Must
speak hundred times? Why don't
you mind at once?"
The child slowly relinquished his
hold on the tassel, and commenced
running his hand up and down the
Venetian blind.
There! therel Do for gracious
sake let them blinds alone. Go way
from the window this moment and try
and keep your hands off of things. 1
declare you are the most trying child
I ever saw" Tom left the window
and threw himself at full length into
the cradle. where he commenced rock
ing himself with the force and rapidity
that made everything crack again.
"Get out Of the cradlel What do
you mean? The child seems really
possessed"
And the mother caught him by the
arm and jerked him from the cradle.
Tom said nothing. but with the
most imperturable air in the world,
walked twice around the room, and
then pushing a chair up before the
dressing bureau, took therefrom bot
tie Of hair lustral, and pouring the
palm Of his little hand full of the H.
qnid. commenced rubbing II upon his
head. Twice had this operation been
performed, and Tom was pulling open
q drawer.to get the hair brush, when
the odor OF the oily compound reach.
cd the nostrils Of the lads mother.
who was sitting with her back toward
him. Turning quickly, she saw what
was gong on.
"Youl" fell angrily from her lips,
rs she dropped the baby In the era
die. "Tsn't II too much?" she con-
tinusd as che swept across the room
to where Tom was standing before the
bureau dressing-glass.
"Therc, sir," and the child's cars
rang with the box he received
"There. sir" and the box was repeat.
cd. "HAyn'tl told you hundred
times not TO touch that hair ollY Just
see what spot ofgrease you've made
on the carpet. Look at your handsF'
Tom looked at his hands, and seeing
them full OF oil. clapped them quickly
down upon bis jacket and tried TO rub
them clean.
"fhere' stop Mercy NOW you
see your now jacket that you put on
this morning. Grease nom top 10
bottoml Isn't II TOO badl | am In
despair"
And the mother let her hands fall
by her side. and her body drop Into q
chair.
"irn no US TO try" she continued,
"l'll give up. Just see That Jacket
It's totally ruined. And that carpet,
too Was there ever such a trying
boy. Go down stairs this instant, and
tell Jane TO come up here"
Tom had reason to know that his
mother was not 10 mood TO be trlilcd
with, so he went off briskly and called
Jane, who was directed to get some
fuller's earth and put upon the carpet
where the oil had been split.
Not at all liking the atmosphere OF
his mothers room. Tom, being once
in the kitchen, felt no inclination to
return. His first work there, after dc.
livering his message to Jane, was to
commence turning the coffee mill.
"Tommy," said the cook, mildly,
"you know I've told you that il was
wrong TO touch the coffee mill. See
here. on the floor. where you scatter
ed the coffee about, and now / mus,
get broom aud sweep ii up. II you
do SO, / can't let you come down
here.'
The boy stood up and looked al
the cook. seriously, while she got tho
broom and swept up the dirt he
made.
ats all clean again now," said the
cook, pleasantly. "And you won't dc
SO any more. will your"
"No, | won't touch the coffee mill
And ~ Tom said this. he sidled NJ
the knife box that stood upon thu
dresser, and made dive into It will
his hand.
"Oh, no, no, no, Tommy Tha
won't do, either" said the cook
ssThe knives have all been cleaned
and they are to 20 on the table to ea
with"
"Then what can / play with, Mar
garet!'' asked the child, as he left thu
dresser. "I want something to pla]
with
The cook thought moment, an,
then went to closet and brought ou
q basket filed with clothes pins. A,
she held them in her hand. she said
"Tommy. IL you will be careful no