Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-12-24
TWO SIDES TO II ST0RT.


IBb'O SIDES TO ~ SIUHf.
I.-oUR SIDE.
"Why you naughty, ugly, vicious thing!'
screamed nurse, "you've pulled the dishes
all Off the table. What will your hummer
say2 There-take that la shake1; and
that Ia slapl. Now go away! You are al
ways up to some mischief, and not as high
as the table yet. I'll teach you how to
med1le. But come-come. Don't cry so
Hush up or I'll tell your mummcr. Here
she comes. Sh-"
Susan! what's the matter? Charlie,
dear what have you done? Come to me.
There, don't cry it's all overnow. Susan,
how did he do it?"
"Yes mum, he did 1t he's alwaysup to
some mischief; and it isn't my fault that
the best china is broke and the silver cof-
fee pot banged in just like bandbox that
has been set on; and the coffee all over the
floor, with the salt and sugar too. See,
mum, what he's done, and 1 a watchin' of
him all the time and never took my eyes
of him, and then the minute my back was
cloth, and off it comes, and all your nice
set with it, and six pieces broke, and
all done a purpose; and he's always max
ing Of trouble when we don't know what
he's about, nor cant guess, for he's as sly as
a fox, and l knew he would, for I Just took
him away from there, and back he scrab-
bles again as fast as he could go, forhe don't
L a L.,
ped and give him something to cry for, for
I've told him not to touch the table a hun
dred times, and I'm glad of it, and don't
care if he is hurt, and
"Why, Susan Susanr'
And DON'T mum and he might have
been burned to death a minute ago, for
inst took the chatting dish off, and then
what what would have become of your new
carpet? lie will have his hand in every
thing that's a going, and if there's nothing
a going he'll set it going, and he can't let
Il aslne for tho, life Of him, aud he'd just
like his father, always trying experiments,
and wondering how things would be if
they was Il little different from what they is,
and trying of it on, and making muss
like his father has in the laboratory, what
I don't like to see nor smell of nor any
body else, and nothing but mischief comes
of it, and I a picking up after him all day
long like a chip Of the old block as he is;
and it's great pity, too, for them's as buys
the furniture and clothes and things, only
it's none of my business, and l don't care,
only my new dress is all creased with the
cream; but never mind me while he's cry
ing, for he did it right afore my face and
eyes, quick as a flash the minute l told him
to come away.
"There, my dear-Charlie, my dear
hush; don't cry my boy, any more. Wipe
your tears. Let me wipe them, and let me
look into your eyes and see how it was"
"Lool into his eyes, mum-fddle sticks !!
look into your coiiee-pot and your china
and my dress and your carpet. Look into
his eyes He did it purpose, know he
did. Look the other way, and give him a
spanking, say Iv'
"Susan be quiet. You are angry. Go
down stairs"
Exit Susan, purple with rage.
uI.-THEIR SIDE.
"Now Charlie look up. You have done
some mischief"
So Charities eyes looked up, half fearful,
half funny-inquisitive but shy and sor-
rowful-and that is what his mother read
in them,
eyes, mamma, did it. But did l do it ?
1 didn't know I could do such things
What terrible crash l stood up by the
chair, and walked as straight as I could
over to that great high table. didn't tum-
BILE down once. The table was covered
with bright things shining in my eyes like
stars. could not see what was on it be
cause it was so high. Once / sat way up OF
top of chair, and saw things, and haC
some of them in my mouth with papa anC
you. And papa took my finger ant
| wet 1t in my mouth, and touched 1t to some
thing, and put it in my mouth again, and
eat my finger and it was sweet and good
So I wanted TO see something, but my eye
only come up the edge of the table. stood
on tip-toe, and l took hold of the dress O
the table, Just as | take hold of your dres.
when want my dear mamma to take mt
up in her arms but the table didn't take
me up. So Ipulled, just as pull on your
when you don't attend and the dress o
the table began to grow longor, and com,
off. | thought that was funny, so pulle,
again, and it came off some more an,
then | saw the things all began to come to
ward me and look at me over the edge o
the table. They did not fly away as tn
pigeons do when we go near them, but the.
camo right toward me. This is such
queer world don't understand it, SO
pulled again and the knives ahd forks cam
tumbling on the floor, just as you showed
me how to make my blocks tumble dowl
with crash. Then Susan said, ether
now-you do that again if you darew s.
/ pulled again, and down came the cup
and saucers, and then Susan gave a grea
scream and frightened me, and the dress o
the table came all of, and l sat down back
ward in the butter dish.
What makes things do so?
Moral.-To hear both sides is essential t.
Justice. But when children are the culprit
we never hear "the other side," unless
Sympathy searches for it and interprcts IL
and even then the half is not told.
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