Connecticut western news., 1872-02-23
The Wasp and the Pudding.

How Harry Marshall had reckoned up on that piece of currant pudding His kind mistress, whose name was Jolly, and very fit name for her it was, had promised him a plateful for dinner be- cause he had taken such good care of hel pet brood of chickens while she had beel away from Elm-tree Farm on visit.
 Harry was farmers lad, ten years old, tall and stout for his age, and able to do great many more things than some town boys of fourteen. He could ride and drive, keep the stable in order, and even handle blow. Nor was he dunce, for, thanks to an evening school which some of his Sunday teach CTS had opened in the village, he had learned to read and write very fairly. He had comfortable place at Farmer JolIy's; but there was plenty of work to do, and the food was plain, though he always had enough so he did not get pudding every day. No wonder, then, that he should go to bed and dream about that particular currant pudding of which I am writing. You must not SUD- pose that this was made with such "cur- rants" as are put into Christmas pud- ding; they are only small grapes. No, it was real currant pudding, full of nice red fruit and juice, enough to make your mouth water. ''r
 The long mornings work was at last over, and Harry, nothing 10th, hastened in and took his place at the side table in the kitchen, where he usually sat. His plate of meat and potatoes was soon cleared, for the boys appetite had been sharpened by several hours in the fields. "And now, Harry" said Martha, the servant, "here's your pudding, and Q nics pie is it but you mustn't be long about it, for John and Peter will want you back in the field they have been gone this half hour" So saying, Mar tha placed the longed-for treat before Harry, and went out to attend to some work in the farm yard.
 Just at that moment 8 wasp, who had grown tired of buzzing about the peach es in the garden, and trying in vain to get at them, flor Peter had covered them with network, peeped in at the window with one of his many eyes, and, spying Master Harry's pudding, thought, sup pose, that he would like a share. So, without waiting to be invited, he fled in with loud hum, and made straight for the table, just as Harry had stuck his fork into the first piece of crust.
 Now our farmers boy, though he liked pudding, did not like wasps, which he fancied were always ready to sting and being himself rather hasty in tenn per, he at once declared war against the little intruder. First he hit it with his knife, but without success md then l. e. that the pudding, instead of going into Harry's mouth, flew under the grate among the ashes, while the wasp scented to be humming song of defiance. '..-
 Harry grew red in the face, and vowed vengeance against "the nasty thing ; but the "nasty thing'' would not come to be killed. Seizing a large wooden pudding spoon, which lay close at hand, Harry jumped on one of the wooden chairs and aimed desperate blow at the poor insect But yellow-band was too sharp for him, and Harry, losing his balance, fell down with thump on the sanded floor, while his weapon, spinning across the kitchen, came in contact with one of Mrs. Jolly's basins, and brought it down with crash. In rushed Martha in fright, and, worse still, Farmer Jolly's round, good-natured face appear ed close behind. "Bless the boy P cried Martha, "what have you been ur to now ?" Why-why," said Harry, rubbing his shoulder and looking ruefully at the broken china, cit was all that horrid wasp" "And why couldn't you leave the wasp alone ?" retorted Martha, angrily, as she picked up some of the pieces. "Ab, boy" said Farmer Jolly, ''why couldn't you leave the wasp alone, eh Why couldn't you leave it alone ? he repeated, catching Harry by the arm with grip that made him vince Please sir-please sir" stammered the boy, 1T thought the nasty-the wasp, mean, was going to sting me. , "Stuff and nonsense,' '' replied the mas ter |" if you don't interfere with the wasps the wasps won't interfere with you How often have I told you that it takei two to make quarrel? Now you have wasted your time, spoiled your dinner, and done mischief, so you had better bt off to your work, and Martha will pn the pudding away till tomorrow.
 Harry hastened out, looking very fool ish and feeling very much disappointed ''I wish I'd left the wasp alone," he sait to himself, "then shouldn't have los the pudding. Master says it takes two to make quarrel and I suppose i does. At that rate we needn't quarre at all unless we like. I'll think abou that, so I will" And so he did, ant when he felt inclined to quarrel, no only with wasps but with boys, he check ed himself by calling to mind Farme Jolly's words. -Good Ne,cs. .. ...
 Farmers Boys.