The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-08-15
Xoutt's department.
Doggy and Boney.


good. Everything seems to &c wrong. The
twnc ties itself up in knots: the doors will
bang; the hot milk and water will burn so
the plate is sure % tumble off the table and
break itself and the chair to fall over back
ward; the baby must needs trip and bump
its nose OH the floor. and Sarah Maria will
not let YOU come near enough to the lamp.
There seem to be !; great many black days
DAYS when the very wrong thing keeps doing
itself.
We all know about these days. think
VIC ought to be ashamed CT having such days
in our lives think we ought to say that
the book and the pencil may lose themselves
if they choose, but we will not lose our
tempcrs the tvinc may tie itself up into a
knot. if it likes it. but We will keep our faces
smooth the door may bang, and the drink
burn, and the plate break, and the baby bump.
but we arc not doors. or drinks, or plates. Or
babies. and we will not take them formodcls.
My old nurse, am sorry to say. used to
get very angry whenever was. When she
was combing my hair, which always wouli
tangc, always squirmcl but when she
polished my face in the morning with coarse
towel, kicked and screamed. The consc
qucncc was. she held me tighter, and polished
more furiously. until was really frightened
es we'll as angry, and stopped crying. and
felt timidly of my face to find if had any
more left for the horrible thought crossed
my mind that she had wiped my face away.
When found it all right, and only red
and singing. began again to below and
kick. until old nurscy los. all patience. and
said. &C., you naughty. wicked little boy !"
and then pointing her lean forctinger ct me
and shaking it slowly, she said, go, dirty
faced boy
But the most terrible moment to me was
when she ran to the window. i'll the midst
Of my tantrums. and opening it, cried out, as
if to some one passing in the street, "Comc,
old I'ogey, take away dirty-faccd boy"
Old Bogcy. what dreadful monster could
that be? The very name stopped me in the
widest passion and one day when the nurse
took me and drew ne toward the window,
saying that she would give dirty faced boy
TO old Bogey. srrang out CT her arms in
terror. and flew to ny good old aunt, who
used to keep ginscrnuts in her pocket, and
asked her if nurse should give me to old
Bogey.
My aunt took me on her lap, and gave me
two gingcrnuts. and while munched them
silently. she SAT-! that old Hoyey WAS only
name to brighten children with and she added
MY dear. it is foolish in nurscy to say
that she will give You to Bogcy, but it is very
wrong i'll YOU to behave so that she gets an
cry. and tries to frightcn YOU"
began on the other gingcrrut. and aunty
went on to tell me that when she was a little y,
girl at school, in England. where she WIS l
born (she is the widow of my uncle Major ,
Nicodcmus Lamb. who married in England). il
the English were at war with the French. :,
and the famous Napoleon Bonapartc was Il
emperor Of France. :;
The English people were really frightened y
by Bonapartc. They thought he was coming
to land upon the coasts of England. and burn :,
the towns, and carry the British nation into h
captivity. SO a hatred Of Bonaparte was a ;
kind Of national religion. 1t was taught to
the children, and the name of the French
emperor was used to brighten little boys and
girls into good behavior. lie was called
Boncy, in dcrision, so that Boncy was the
old Bogey of England, fifty years ago. /
My aunt went in those days to the school I
of Miss Switchwell. Dame Switchwcll, she !
was called, who had sat in high chair and
taught school, the boys used to say. since the
days before the dcluSc. One naughty boy
said she must have tloatcd upon the dclnge
on her bundle of birch rods. and so escaped {
drowning, which remark Dame Switchwcll
happened to hear.
She was dreadful to look at when she heard ;
anything of that kind. She raised her eyes
from the book in her hand, and all the little /!
children looked On shivcring.
"HHp augustus John = said Dame
Switchwcll to;thc unhappy offender who had
joked about her birch rods. The poor little
bOy did not dare TO stir.
"PIlLIP AUGUSTUS JOIN ~ said Dame
Switchwel in louder and more awful
voice.
The poor little boy crawlcd out upon the
floor and stood before her, shaking and
whimpcring.
Naughty boy" said Dame Switchwcll
Poor little Philip Augustus John only
snivcled.
""hat do YOU mean, YOU nouyhty boy"
said the dame, shaking her birch rod.
The children all thought it was coming
down upon the tender back of the little boy
but, instead of that, Dame Switchwcl still
held it up in threatening way, and, with
movement as if there were something or |,
somebody standing just behind her. said :
"Phlip Augustus John, if YOU ever say /
such things again, will surely hand YOU
over to Boney..'
When little Philip came creeping back to