The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-06-18
ss sSss su For the congrcgationslist
The Two MOtlsersf
BY JULIA GILL.

500. flls III III - y ri 81 fsa bt3J Pa :
sges =, sag gggss -T--eR Yare a'ss.r ;9vi
"You must not bring grasshoppcrs into
school, Clesson,"' said Miss Smith to small
boy, aged four and half, who sat on the
"low seat" "Put it out of the window"
"Andrew has one, too" said Clesson, ap-
ologetically. s,., .,,., f..,g,s.f al
"I have n'tr' said the accused--who also
sat on the low seat, and Was aged four, and
fraction-and the look of indignation and
astonishment depicted on his contenance at
the preposterous SANDER, was convincing
proof to me that he was telling the, truth. ;,
So thought not Miss Smith, who went to
him, and opening his hand, found therein
the imprisoned insect. re. sga .i4
"Put it out of tho window, Andrew"
said she. ....-.r a.,
The child rose with readiness, and went
to the window. -. t..5.s
"Andrew didn't put that grasshopper
out" demonstrated his seat-mate who had
thrown his pet away, che put it in his pock
et." @
I looked at Andrew, and il ever I saw
surprised and injured innocence expressed
or a human face, saw it then. as.I
thought, upon the infantile face Of Andrew
Jack son Scorcham. So asErss
'T did put it out" said he; not, appar-
emily, in spirit Of contradiction, but in
mild, though decided, selfvindication But
Miss Smith, searching his pockets, brought
to light again, from among a tangle of
strings. and an assortment OF pebbles and
clam shells. and 5roken-legsed, halfcrushed
little creature. ,.rs...,.s 80
"Why, Andrew !" exclaimed Miss Smith,
reproacEfully. H. +; sap trp.es.fl EaFi
"That is another grasshopper," said the
child, which assertion was falsehood the
third. +, .Fas..,- *, Ina Ga
Twas astonished. "How can an almost
baby have become such an adept in lyirgr'
said I, aside, to Miss Smith. s7s7e, q; J
"Wait till you take tea at Mrs. Scorch-
ANS, replied Miss Smith, coolly.e a
had only to wait until FIVE o'clock. z,ed
"Whose newspapers are these that you
have hung up on this wire, father" asked
Andrew Jackson Scorcham, after tea.
"They are mine," replied his father.
"Now what did you tell him fors" said
Mrs. Scorcham, querulously, II told him
then were Rodman's, so he needn't tease
for them"
Andrew heard his mothers remark, but
he only said to his sister, "Ellep, Bel is
coming after her book you hic in your pock
et. She said she'd come ask and mother for
it." 1t,s-.Ef
"She wont get il" said Ellen. M .g
Mrs. Scorcham pretended to take no no
tice, and Immediately Bel entered.
"Ellen has one of my story-books, and l
want it, said she, addressing herself to Mrs
Scorcham.
"Ellen, have you got one of her story
books ?" asked Mrs. Scorcham, incredulous
ly. ae asd
| "No, ma'am," said Ellen, boldly. toss
"She hasn't any Of your books, BEL" said
Mrs. Scorcham, affecting virtuous indigna
ton. Est
Miss Smith glanced across at me, as
though to say, snow you are no longer as
tonished at the scene at school,"
Mamma, seq this ?" said a bright-cyed
little girl of four, coming IN from school, and
displaying, as she spoke, adelioate handker
chief. rxs7
"Why, where did you find that Sarah ~
asked her mother. ~ ,-
20 mamma, it's Mary Bean's,I took it
when she wasn't looking p said the child,
with glee; "and when Althea Chester saw
it, she asked me, and | told her it was
mapma's, and then she read name on it.
and | said, O well, that woman was the one
that gays it to mamma - and little ,Sarah
laughed aloud at her success. 1eaf
"Why, my little daughter" }" said her nam
ma, much shocked, "don't you know this is
stealing and you told lie, besides."5
Y "Yes, mamma, / felt bad to tell the le,"
said the atom Of humanity, looking shocked
too, .but l thought she'd take the handker-
chief away" s1s-
"But taking the handkerchief was steal
ing, and God says, Thou shalt not steal
He says, too, Lie not one to another, and
you stole, and told a lie = raF s7cJf
"Oh dear me, I'm sorry, mamma."ts
1--WE must 60 right and ask God to for.
give you," said her mother, taking by her
hand, and leading her to her room. There
she knelt with her little girl, and told the
Lord all about it, asking in Jesus name
that she might be forgiven. Then!she die
tated prayer, which the child repeated Al.
ter her. - .az-syseT7oa asii III 80
In the morning Sarah's mother said
"You must carry this handkerchief back, to
Mary Beam" sapi. n ss3 .siiv l,
''Yes, mamma" replied the little one, too
guilenessto feel any reluctance. s.i ~
"Here is your handkerchief, Mary" said
she, giving it to her the first thing she did
after entering the school-house. ,a
q Mary took it without remark. think
she supposed it was dropped in the entry;
but an impression as lasting as life was
made on little Sarah's mind,q ceaa
These stories are entirely true, and |
leave every reader to make his own moral.