Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-25
Chr family Circle.
Pets Forget Book

One New Years Day, while Pet was
holding a reception for her dolly in the
window seat, she heard her papa telling her
big brother something about a forget
book Now Pet was a great reader, but
she had never heard of such a book as
that, in all her life before and so she
made a pause right in the middle Of the
ceremonies, and went to find out what it
meant.
Pet was quiet little mousie and no
one noticed her standing behind her papas
chair, though her great brown eyes were
wide open with wonder.
1t seems, her father was saying, that
the Dutch legislators didn't care to adopt
this well-meant advice, neither did they
like 10 refuse it, out and out. So they
Just thanked the ambassador very politely,
and noted it down in the forget-book.'
phrase which means much the same, doubt
+ less, as ours Of laying a resolution on the
table
Pet didn't know what that meant but
almost everything, she thought though he
had only come home from his first term at
college.
That was the end of it, then, l sup
pose, said Robert
Yes, replied papa, the forget-book
was the place for those things which they
didn't choose to remember
I've just bought me a new memoran-
dun book, said Robert, drawing it out of
his breast-pocket, and showing Pet the
pretty binding and gilt edges Wonder
if d better buy a forget-book, too he
added, laughing, as he turned over the
leaves.
1t Is Just as important that certain
things should be forgotten, a that certain
other things should be remembered re-
marked papa, turning to his paper.
Robert presently went to the post-offce
aS it was time for the eastern mail and
Pet went back to Dollys reception, under
the muslin window curtains. But as soon
a. a proper regard for etiquette would per
NIT she bowed cut the last Of her imagi-
nary visitors and curling herself up in a
corner, with Dolly in her lap, she began to
puzzle her simple little head about what
she had just heard.
There was no doubt in Pets mind that
the mysterious volume they had been talk
ing about was real book, with neatly
ruled pages and nice morocco cover, very
much like Roberts new diary. And her
fathers last remark made it perfectly clear
that everybody ought to have one without
delay Perhaps most folks kept forget
books already, though she had never heard
of them before which to be sure was not
very surprising, considering what little
mite of girl she was, and how very little
she knew about anything whatever.
Pet was a very practical little body, and
now that she had discovered the impor-
lance of a forget-book, she resolved to be-
gin one Immediately. She could write a
big round hand, which, if not 50 elegant
as it might be, was at least easy to read
And as to the art of composition, she had
made up wonderful little stories, all alone,
a long time ago ; and nobody knows what
besides. So she felt herself perfectly COM
petent to undertake a forget-book, or al
most anything else in that line which might
be necessary.
In the kitchen chamber there was a
large closet with dormer window in it.
which was Pets own particular den. And
when she went up there next morning, she
proceeded to fold and stitch together u
number Of leaves about four inches long
and three wide. Then she added a pink
cover, upon which she printed in large let
tiers My Forget Book
School began the following day and
when Pet came home, she took the little
pink book from its hiding place, in order
to put down the things that were to be
forgotten.
missed two words in my spelling,
said Pet to herself, talking very softly, lest
Bridget should hear the humiliating fact.
/ wish | might put that down! but if
Should, maybe I'd 90 and miss two more
next week; and that would never do Car
lie Cross looked real glad to see somebod Y
90 above me, and she told the big girls at
noon. : couldn't keep from crying but
I'm going to put that down in the forget
: book right Otf-her telling, | mean-and
never think of it again So down it went
and Pet felt very much relieved, as she
looked at it. She wrote simply, How
= Garlic told That was enough. Then
she bethought her of how the girl in the
next seat had borrowed her nice long slate
pencil, and broken it in three pieces.
guess she didn't mean too said Pet,
though L do think she might have been
careful, seeing the pencil wasn't hers. But
; anyhow, here 1t goes I'll try to forget
that didn't break it myself
In the course of a few days, Pets little
page was full, and she turned over to the
next. But she found that the book was
very apt to be open of itself at the first
leaf; and however hard she winked while
she was finding the place, she couldn't
help seeing the items she had noted down
before. How could she ever forget them
at this rate -? Pet reflected profoundly on
this question; but bright thought struck