The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-07
kitty.s Rebellion.
EY JENNY BRADFORD,

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Ey JENNY BRADFORD.
| Que sultry summers afternoon, some
seventeen years ago, little Kitty ran into
the house from her play for drink Of cool
lemonade which stood on the table.
"Please, mamma said her neither as
she turned the glass.
tie maid.
No Kitty had said 'pease" a hundred
times. and usually delighted in saying ev-
cry thing she wis told. She quite reveled
i'll conversational powers for year ard
half old. For the nrst time in her short
| life size had taken notion that she would
not dc as she was bid. 50 her naother sat
down the glass untasted. and the child ran
back 10 the doorstep as before. But il was
very warm. ard presently The little feet
came pattering back. and the thirsty red
lips were again: for a drink.
Kitty say please
''Ian't say pease.' So the baby went
away thirsty again.
This experiment! was repeated perhaps
dozen times N the course Of the afternoon,
at first playfully- as il seemed, but as the
wee rebel began actually to suffer from the
hea: and thirst rather than say please il
became rather 4 serious question how long
she would hold out.
Supper time came, and Pet ran TO her
high chair.
I"Mamma lift KITTY up.'
Please. mamma, Hit Kitty SAID the
mother gently.
Instantly the eager little face fell. Baby
shook her head mu;,ered 'tant say
pease,' and turned away.
Her father and mother and The rest OF tie
children sat GOWN to the table, but who
could eat supper while that poor little out
law stood back ny the wall moaning with
hunger and thirst! The mother yearned
4 a
ard drink ; but how could she? The little
one knew that one duti!ul word would
bring her all she wanted, yet she refused
| to speak II. The question was fairly AT is
sue-shOuld the child obey the parents, or
| the parents submit to the child? !. is an
old and common dilemma, and in tlous-
ands OF households the child carries the
day; but Mrs. Hart did not believe God
meant tina. to ue the order OF the word. So
she took her baby TO her own room, and set
before her very ienderiv and seriously her
naughty behavior. She knel. down and
prayed the Saviour TO make her good and
obed.eni: bL. after all, Kitty could no, say
"pease' any better than before. A. last,
distressed and tired cut, and fairly alarm
ed about the little creature, who had moi;
| tasted drink since noon, she carried her to
her father and begged him 20 take the case
| in hand. NJ. Hart began 10 talk 70 the
young culpris, playfully, nothing dou biting
he should soon bring her round. He gave
her great many words 70 speak, which
she did very readily till the fatal please
came along; that she couldn't do. Year
and half understood that to say that was
to submit. So he grew serious, and told
her that he should have TO whip her If she
did not mind. Now Kitty and whipping
were two things never thought OF in the
same breath before. She had always been
an uncommonly sweet and gentle child
and nobody had ever guessed how much
grit was latent in that sol. little BOSOM
! Nothing else wolld avail, however, aud the
whipping had 10 come. Still the baby re-
ma ned stout-hea.tec, and far from right
eOusness.
Feverish and exhausted, with parched
| lips, crying tor drink, ye: ;nf'exibly refus-
| ing to speak the little word which would
bring it, she was put TO bed in her crib
| All the warm night she tossed and mOaned
in her unquiet sleep, or woke crying from
| thirst but even then, sleepy and lnisera-
BILE as she was, she would say, ''Tan't say
pease,n when the water came near: For
the father and mother that was q nigh; of
sleepless w.etchedness, relieved only by
prayer. They really began to fear that the
child would sooner die than give up.
"Oh pshaw never mind the please-have
her drink made many father would
have said. Poor little thing! must let
the minding go until another time,n most
/
Mrs. Hart did not see ]. so. III il was like
death for viii to yield after eighteen
months growth, what would it be after
months and years OF indulgence? God had
committed 10 them this soul Of his creating
70 be trained for himself; ii she could not
| be made 10 obey her father whom she had
seen, how should she become ohedient to
her Father in Heaven whom she had not
seen? The very fact that her will was Sc
strong. made :. the more IN per2tjve TO their
minds tina; j: shoc!a ne brought under the
control Of her conscience they saw what y
cruel tyrant il would prove If left to hold
sway. The longer the struggle was pro-
tracted, the more likely il seemed that the
result would 10 q final one, and the more
important tina. The result shoald be right.
Then the other children, who had been
watching this new phase Of family history
with kind OF solemn dread-ehonld they
learn that the authority they had been
taught 10 revere could after All be trodden
under the feet OF q baby! It would not do.
1t had been clearly explained 70 The little
one that it was her Heavenly Fathers
command that she should obey her parents
aud that she was resisting His will; that
father and mother thought they had no
right 10 annul His law. SO the night wore
away, and the morning broke, but brought
na peace to the household, weighed down
by the perverseness ofi.s young rebel. She
awoke WORN and a.Eos: sick, hat stubborn
as ever.
| Free will indeed! Wha: grand, awful
mystery it is! How shrlned, in = dainty
delicate morsel Of flesh, il can look out and
defy the world! Terrible agent Of evil
| glorious worker of goods Kipgliest in Gre
asion-a sovereign human will! What
wonder heaven and hell contended for lit
tie kitties viii! So they do for every one.
Happy child whose parents steadtastly
keep the right side in the conflict.
Kitty found an ally in the morning. a
woman who occupied the adjoining tene-
nent having learned the state Of things,
from the children came in tc plead for her.
She assured Mrs. Hart tina: she was killing
the child; that it was downrigh. cruelty
to treat her 80; that IL she had little girl
she would never SEQ her suffer when she
could help it. All this fell on o sore and
aching heart. The mother had already
teen tormented with fears that the heat,
and thirst and excitement: would really be
the death Of her naughty little darl,pg.-
She tried to think OF some compromise by
which Kitty could be relieved without y
sacrifice of parental government. Al last
/ aho yuiutlv pluco6 sunu az milk in "A low