The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-11-02

ltsnOsuch thing, mother" respond
ell John.
"Johnv' called the mother, sternly.
"Ma'am?"
"Give Amy her dolls bonnet this
instant!"
selfish thing.' And John threw the
bonnet on the floor.
"MOther! he won't give 1t to me =,
called out the now thoroughly exaspe.
rated little girl, as she saw the bonnet
tossed upon the floor.
At this moment she threw from her
hands the work upon which she was en-.
gagged, and starting up in passion, came
with quick step, and resOlute air, into
the room where her children were in
dispute.
her dolls bonnetv' she exclaimed, seiz-
ing the now frightened little boy by the
arm, and holding him with tight grip.
"Say, didn't l tell you to. What do you
mean by such conduct :'
And without waiting for an eXpla-
nation, she struck him one or two blows.
81 did give it to her." said John, as
soon as he could find his voice. "There
it is, lying at her feet now"
You didn't give it to me. You only
threw it at me" twas ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
ed by Amy.
The mother saw that Amy had partly
deceived her, and that she had been too
quick to punish.
You are a naughty, story telling
girl"' she said, turning with new in-
dignation towards Amy, and raising her
hand to punish her also. But something
in theaspect of the child stayed the up
lifted hand, and the smarting strokes
fell not upon the frightened culprit.
j" Naughty children - she said, as she
she regained a little self-possession.-
Naughty children, to be always quar-
relling with one another! Pm surprised
and ashamed of YOU! What will your
father think when he learns of this.
How will he feel when he learns that
with one another! 1t makes me sick
and sadtothinlx that my children should
act so wickedly!
Very little Of a right impression did
the mothers censure make upon the
minds of her unhappy children, the sun
shine of whose pleasant day her own
darkening anger had clouded. They
stood with partly averted faces silent,
moody, and with unkindness in their
hearts. Their apparent want of peni-
tence fretted their weak mothers mind.
She looked for, or at least required, an
obedient yielding on their part. She eX-
pected them to "lxiss and be friends
again. at her word, as if love and kind
Hess We're Nassals that came and went at
anothcr's bidding. But she could not
command the sun Of love to shine, nor
scatter, With a breath OF her lip, the
shadows that were around their young
spirits.
g | must separate your she said at
length, With a sternness Of voice and
manner that showed more of angry in
dignation than love.
Amy, do you go over into my room,
and stay theirs alone, until l call you;
and you, John, so off to the garnet, and
don't let me see your face until your
father comes home. ! shall tell him Of
all this"
As if any place would he more agree.
able than that in which their mothers
presence smote them, the two children,
at this command, went quickly away;
Amy into her mothers room, and John
up into the lonely garnet. Both, the
instant they We're entirely alone, aban-
dOned themselves to tears. Amy sob
bing to herself as if her little heart
the centre of the garnet floor, with sCald-
ing drops upon his burning cheeks. TO
the boy there was a cruel mystery in
the sudden change towards him which
his sister had manifested. He under
stood that her mother had refused to let
her have pair OF scissors to cut out
dresses for her paper dolls, and he could
understand how this would fret her
mind; but he was too young and un-
skilled in the philosophy of mental tran
sitions to comprehend how the disap-
pointment should have wrought in her
so great a change of feeling towards
himself, and caused her to act with selfish
unkindness.
Ii Johns mother han not punished
him, he could have forgiven Amy. But
the blows. though felt only fora moment
by his shrinking body, still smarted on
his spirit as painfully as when they were
given in sudden anger. Ina little while
the boys tears ceased to flow. Sitting
down on anold chest, and in the shadow
OF an unhappy mood, he brooded in
loneliness and sorrow over the early
mystery of life, and learned one of his
hrst lessons OF hate towards those by
whom he felt that he had been wronged.
An evil seed had been sOWn i'm the earth