Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-08-13

Rosie, by way of raising herself to the
level of the grown-up people, had placed
one footstool ON top of another, and upon
these she knelt in what she considered a
most graceful attitude, and remained mo-
tionless during the whole prayer. So far
so good; but when the prayer came to an
end, and everyone else rose from their
knees, Rosie did not move. The lecture
began, and still she remained in her de-
votional attitude. The truth must be
told; Rosie was fast asleep. One or two
people glanced at the little girl and
smiled, and Mary said to Emma in a hor-
rifed whisper: "Mercy on us, if Miss
Rosie hasn't gone to sleep forninst the
whole congregation! What shall we
do?"
The lecture, however, was an interest
ing one, and soon everybody forgot about
her, that is to say, everybody except
Emma, who, with clasped hands and
beating heart, Sat and watched in a per-
feet agony how the green rosette on top
of the new bonnet kept tipping more and
more on one side. Now, the church in
which. this happened was a very old
fashioned one, and had high pew doors,
which. were fastened shut by a little wooden
button. Rosie had not unfortunately for
her) turned the button entirely around,
and as she leaned more and more heavily
against the door, it suddenly gave way,
and out rolled Rosie and the new bonnet
and the two footstools and three or four
hymn-books in confused heap in the
middle of the aisle. Emma gave a sup
pressed shrek; and, think, poor bash
full Tom would have died or the spot had
he been there, for Rosie was in the mid
of 6roa Axr1, oh fol -
out in perfectly distinct tone of voice,
''Tom, stop pushing mep' Then she sud
denly awoke to the horrors Of the situa-
ton, and, I think, in her dismay she
would never have dared to move from the
spot; but old Deacon White came
out of his pew, and after gravelY
looking at her for moment
through his spectacles, as though he
thought her a curiosity of some sort, took
her hand, and with a slow and measured
tread led her out into the vestibule, where
Mary and Emma were already waiting for
her. OH how little Rosie thought about
her bonnet then! She and Emma sobbed
in unison all the way home, their feelings
not being at all soothed by remark
which Mary made at regular intervals, to
the effect that she never would show her
her face to a human being again to the
last day Of her life.
You can imagine the surprise of their
mother when the two little girls made
their appearance, and Rosie flew to hide
her tear stained face in the folds of her
mothers dress, while Emma, between her
sobs, related the events of the evening.
Tom, who had come to the door to hear
what was going on, listened with half
smile on his face, which seemed to say,
81 always thought something like this
would happen; but when Emma recount
ed Rosie's remark as she rolled out on
the floor, Tom exchanged his smile for a
look Of utter misery. He blushed up to
the roots of his hair, and in the most pa
thetic tone Of voice remarked: "Well, I
give up now.'' Rosie laughed little
nervous laugh at this, even in the midst
of her trouble; but in an instant the tears
came again, and her mother, taking her
hand, went quietly upstairs with her, mo-
tioning to the other children not to fol
low. [ think that Mrs. Sewell said very
little to poor Rosie; she saw that the i'm
preston made had been deep one, and
certainly no little girl was ever more
thoroughly cured of fault, and do not
believe, if she lives to be the very oldest
of old women, she will ever forget her ad-
ventures that evening in the new bonnet.
Hearth and Home. t