The Van Buren press., 1872-06-11
MISCELLANY.
Big Brothers and Little Sisters.

There's always two SIDES 10 every
thing" said positive, hoyish voice out
side my window this morning.
"There amt two sides to a string, y
answered a smaller voice, equally posi-
tive and equally regardless Of grammar
| But while | smiled at the speakers the
words of the frst fitted into my thoughts
aptly. for l had just been reading a
pleasant little volume called Talks With
Girls" in which the duty Of sisters to
| their young brothers particularly set
forth; and | was thinking how, as read
that chapter, a pair ofbright eyes looked
over my shoulder, and their owner said :;
That's so ; the girls do plague us aw-
fully / just wish you'd write another
book, and give it TO 'em harder"
But "there are always two sides to
everything, and tits the other side about
which want to talk to you, boys, few
moments.
There was once tiny girl toilfully 60
ing through her Sanda}eschool lesson,
and it was observed that, as she studied,
the small face grew more and more cloud
ed, until at last she lifted up her voice
and wept loud and long, whercat there
was great Consideration, until it occurred
to somebody TO ask what was the matter
"Because-bocause "-sobhed poor
little Polly, " the verse says, Add to
your godlness, drotheyly blindness, and
that's kindness like Toms | don't like
il at all ~
What did she mean? Well, ! suspect
she meant that Tom was just such a
brother to her as great many Of you
are TO your little Pollics at home. |
suspect she knew what it was to have
her dolls hung up in the apple trees, and
her kittens tails tied together aud to be
eapcd at from behind doors and growled
a, in dark corners. | imagine she had
been ticked and pinched and locked in
to the closet; she was used to being call
ed a pickle and cry-baby, and little
pug and to trotting with patient feet up
stairs, downstairs, out to the orchard, in
to the tool.room, hither and yon, on err
rands, for the doing of which she receiv
ed only twcak Of the ear or n careless
jest in place Of thanks.
Yet, | also suspect that Tom was
generous lad, who despsed "sneak,
and who, he had seen another boy abuse
or torment Polly, would have promptly
offered to bestow on that individual
black eye. | have no doubt that in the
play. ground or at school he was good.
natured and honorable. disdainng Il
"mcan" action and emulous to be man
". lie would open wide eyes of aston
ishment at any suggestion of cruelty in
his conduct toward his sister, and reply
with honest candor:
"Why, it's only Polly; she don't
mind
All, bows only Polly" has a tender
little heart, and it aches many time,
when you don't know it, with the sting
of your careless teasing. The words
you utter so lightly, and forget in ten
minutes, are arrows to her sensitive little
soul, and the tricks which seem to you
so trihing are weighty trials to her.
"Wcll, but, f." says Tom, It's 80 silly
other to mind; because she known we
don't mean any thing.
That is one view Of it. ! suppose if
she was boy or grown up, or wise, she
would not mind; but being just Polly,
little and weak and silly--f that is what
you call it--she cant help it. You know
if YOU squeeze rubber ball tightly in
your hand 1T will expand again into as
round a ball as ever, and you c2lnot even
see the place where it was compressed
But ifyou try the same experiment on a
handful of rose-lcaves the result will be
very different. And rose leaves are not
much more easily crushed fat than Pol
ly's feelings. 1t seems absurd to Tom
but then it is a fact, and facts, yon know,
even if thev are ever so much in the way,
cannot be disregardcd. Wouldn't Tom
be truer gentleman if he accepted facts
and spared Polly's feelings even at the
loss OF a little fun ? After all, Is the fun
so amusing it can't be replaced with
something betterI Then, too, Polly
loves Tom SO dearly; she is so ready to
believe in the extent of his strength and
wisdom and ability, If he will but leave
her faith undisturbed by teasing pranks
Tom has Il warm heart under his jacket,
and think he privately enjoys Poilys
love and admiration; but | also think it
is pity he covers up his feelings so care
fully, aud rather suubs PolIy's kissos.
For The dsv will come when the little SIS