Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-17
DO LET ME. MAMMA.

Henry Stearns, though neither ill-natured
nor fretful, was accustomed to tease perpetu
ally. He was never satisfied with one answer
to a request, if that answer was refusal
but hoped, by begging, to persuade his nam
ma to yield:
"May I 60 out, mamma, and slide on the
ice?"
mo, my son"
"Why, mamma|
Because it is too cold"
"Why can't go mamma, fit is cold?'
Because, my dear, you were very restless
and unwell all night"
"Do let me, mamma"
81 cannot, certainly"
"Mayn't /, mammal
81 cannot, certainly"
"May't I, mammal"
"No, dear, do not ask me again"
Henry went into the nursery, trundled his
hoop, played with puss, and made fox-and
geese board. By and by he turned to the
parlor:
Mamma, mayn't 60 and see William
Parsons
"No, my dear"
"Why, mammal"
"You have taken cold, my love and fear
any additional exposure will make you sick. .
"Do let me, mamma"
II would, if you were perfectly we'll. But
you must be contented within doors to-day
"Mayn't l, mammal"
"No Henry. Why do you trouble me so
You know I always crafty your reasonable
wishes"
In this way he annoyed his parents exceed
ingly, and would probably have continued tc
do so for long time, had it not been for the
following circumstances:
Mr.. Stearns purchased fine parrot which
had been taught to speak, and chatted mer
rily all day long. She was so fond of talk
ing, that she easily learned to say anything
she heard frequently. She had not been in
the house long before she could repeat mos
of Henry's part of the conversation, which he
regularly carried on with his mamma wher
she denied his requests.
Mamma, mayn't 60 down to the river
to fish ?"
"No, DEAR
"Why, mammal"
"WHY, MAMMAL" cried Polly, "wHY, WHY
MAMMA?"
"Now, do let me, mamma. I won't bs
gone long,"
"Do-let me, mamma" repeated Polly.
~ cannot, my son. I am afraid you vii
fall in. When your father goes, you may &C
too."
"Mayn't I, mammal"
"Mayn't I, mamma? Mayn'tI2 Mayn'
I, mamma ?" said Polly.
Henry was silent, but the parrot went or
practicing.
"Why, why, mamma, mamma? Now
now, do let, do let me, mamma?
She could get no further then, but only 8
few minutes elapsed, before he found some
thing else to tease about, and unintentionally
supplied her with the forgotten sentence
"Mayn't I, mamma"
Polly was so much pleased with what she
had learned that she practiced upon it a great
deal, saying it over and over fifty times q
day, occasionally altering the arrangement o.
the words, and then returning to the old rou
tine. Sometimes she commenced low, ano
kept raising her voice higher and higher, un
til she finished with a scream. She also
identified the words with the speaker; and
however quiet she might have been, if he en-
tered the room, it reminded her Of them, anC
she went through
"Why, mamma? why? why?-Do let me
mamma, mayn't I, mayn't I, mammal"
81 believe" said Henry, as he sat at the tea
table, "tbat Polly will scream me to death.
"Polly heard this voice, and began
"Why why"
Here she stopped, for Henry handed her s
bit of cracker.
II sometimes feel," continued he, "as if
cannot stay in the house."
"You should not be so unwilling to hea>
Polly say what you say so frequently your
self, Henry" answered his mother. "Sh'
learned it Of you, and she would soon forge
it: it: if you were not continually reminding he
81 did not think of that, mamma I did no
know either how troublesome teasing is.
will set about trying to leave off directly"
He was so afraid of making Polly cry out
"Why 2" that he did not once forget himsel
before he went to bed The next day he wa
only twice guilty of the fault, and at the enc
of month his mamma commended hin
highly. His fault was cured, and Polly eve
after got the thanks of both Henry and hi