The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-08-26
The MITTENS.
By S. ". LANDER


Do you want TO know why little children
wear mittens, and not gloves. like 0royUn
persons? Listen, and L will tell Won
Once upon a time, a mother went ont
and said to the i've little fingers. s4Childrep
when am not at home, behave we'll and
do what tell you. If you are kind and
ooedlent, will bring each OF you a little
house, where you can live when it is cold IN
winter"
-, mother y exclaimed the five fingers
I'VE VIII certainly mind; only tell US what
We must do y
Inen the mother answered.
Inc 1ore-hngef must point abroad.
The middle finger can only nod,
Inc third hnger strict guard must keep.
Lest the Attle one INTO mischief creep;
And the baby thumb must watch and see
That al the rest Obedient be-"
''NOW go, mother dear" said the fore
finger. 'IH certainly be attentive. and
point prettily, if you will only bring me
something
Then the middle-fnger cried out. Il will
promise to be polite, and bow nicely If
you Will bring me little house too. for
I'm the biggest one P'
81 will certainly keep watch, that nv
little brother does not get into mischief
cried the rlng-hnger; ''but my house must
be the prettlestP
mo mlne! exclaimed the little finger.
mime must be prettier than all the rest
and then won't make bit of noiser'
But the 6aby-thumb only said, % Mother.
dear, will do just what you sayI'
but their mother had only been gone a
very lew minutes, when the fOre-finger ex-
caImed,-
1T Is very stupid and tedious to be so
good, and to point all the time. 1 want to
rest minute" So he lay down.
''Ah, you lazy thing p replied the mid
dis-nn9er; ut Is so much more fatiouino
TO be so industrious, and bow all the time "
and he was going to lie down too; but the
iore-hnger jumped up, and gave him a
blow crying, ''How dare you find fault with
me You are lazy yourself, you wicked
boy"
then the middle-fnger struck him again.
and the tore-hnger returned it: and who
Knows how long they might have fought, If
the rlng-dnger had not called out
Aren't you ashamed OF yourselves =
One OF you Is as bad as the other. See.
how torture myself, and stand here, keep
ing watch all the time. 1 mean to stop
and rest, and let you great fellows keep
guard over your little brotherP'
uHae eAC4alneO Lhe IOre-nnger and
you little rogue, do you
pretend to dictate and find fault with your
brothers? There, stopnow?'
Ten they both began to beat the ring
1nger. he turned, with all his strength
ana struck the httle-hnger, which he had
he care OF. The little one gave a dread
ul scream, and began to kick and scratch.
IS well as ne could. But Just as thew were
n the hottest OF the fight the door Opened
md their mother came in.
Y, how frightened the four nauehtv fin
GERS were They hung their heads. and
we're so ashamed they could not speak.
Finally, the middle finger said that the
Orc-hnger was lazy, and that he would NOT
ilOW II. But he forehnger laid the blame
III the mlddle-hnger, and said he began
he quarrel The rlng-hnger blamed them
'Oth, and the httle-hnger complained of
IL
linen their mother spoke and said, s'You
re TOUR naughty, dlsobedient children,
'ho deserve to be punished. See here,
THAT have brought tor your And drew
beautiful glove out OF her pocket. On 1t
fere found tye houses, Just as large as the
We fingers. One was IOr the thumb, one
Or the IOre-hnger, one IOr the mIddIe-fin-
er, ana one tor the Iittle-inger.
'But you cannot have these pretty
ouses now," SAID their mother. Then
ne went out and soon returned with
mother kind OF glove.
Look J! she exclaimed, ''this has only
ne separate house, which belongs entire
70 httle thumb, because he is good ana
OedlenL You others must 1--we together,
nd as soon as you become kind and obe-
lent, then you shall have house OF your
W."
And there 1t Was; the tour hngers might
ntreaI as muca as they could, 1t would
OF neip them Ever since this time, SO
lany little children wear mittens; but
hen they grow tall, and become good,
hen they can wear gloves. -Fdgy BeLs.