Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-08-19

"UVuiVh' "hd u uVeS sccHi euhnsc thN
she should have made straight for III,
mantelPiece; yet that was precisely wha
she did. She climbed up on her stool
and IRON that to the great easy chair, ,anC
by standing on tho arm OF it. her curly
head just reached the mautel.
She gave little squeal of delight
and seizing upon the important letter
pumped herself into the easy chair tC
read it. People read letters; she hat
seen them often; why shouldn't she
The envelope was not sealed. aud hel
small fingers easily ieIked Out the sheet
Then YOU would have been cdilicd, il yot
could have seen her. Such curious jar
gon aS she ratified off, stopping nov an,
then to throw back her head and laugh
rs if the contents of the letter were very
funny, indeed. As she TUNED the lea
the stiff paper tore little; il made {
curious noise; quite 4 scholar, indeed. il
The art of studying out new ones She
paused III her reading. and gave The pa
per quick little jerks. "CriS. cris," il
went; Il most delightful crispy sound.
Baby Nell giggled triumphantly; Sc
much more improving this was than read
ing. She was studying tho acoustics
Sine was a very Industrious little body
and it took but a short time for her def
little fingers to tear all Papa Porter'S iu-
portant addresses into such narrow rib.
bons that il would have been very hard.
indeed. 10 have made them out. There
they were, in a nice little heap in her lap.
She gave sigh of satisfaction, and won.
dered ~ha, to DO next. She decided to
20 back 10 the manlcl, and >eizing the
envelope that she had not chosen TO tear.
She climbed up again
There was glass OF water on the
mau,el, and she chose to consider herself
thirsty. She promptly dropped the en-
veIope. in almost the same position that
she found it. and seizing the tumbler,
clambered down. without spilliug more
than hall the contents.
Arrived on the floor. she forgot her
thirst and began eagerly to gather up the
whole army of strips, tear them into
smaller bits. and send them swimming.
At this point. Mr.. Porter rushed out,
seized up Baby Nell, kissed her hurried
~. sat her down again. snatched the
empty envelope from the mantcl, and
flew out of the house, meeting both his
messengers in the yard, and receiving
information and bundle.
ado you know where to find Mr..
Adams when you get there ?" Mr.. Wheel
er asked. as the two gentlemen stood say
| ing few last words. as The train pulled
and snorted, and took in fresh breath
Yes. have his addless on paper.
Just give Charlie Wilson's number again
and I'll put ii on the same list" aud Mr..
Porter tumbled in his pocket for the en-
velope. "What under the sun, moon and
stars is TO pay now." he muttered, rs, TO
his utter amazoment, he found it empty.
Here. I've brought the wrong envelope,
can't 90 without those addresses. My
memoranda is on The same list Then
wasn't there q time, Didn't Mr.. Porter
/ tear up the street like \ mad man, and
dash into the house, look on the mantel-
piece, and hunt in his pockets. and scold
Dick and Fred and Elsie. and rave around
generally, in the midst of which there
came distinct and emphatic voice from
the depot, "Wh 90 600 o." said the
departing train.
There, now," said Mr.. Porter. stop
ping his search and folding his aims in a
sort of comical despair. Now you see
what You have done! There goes that
train, and | wouldn't have missed il Tor
| fifty dollars and all the result OF careless
ness Fred ventured to make remark
"Who has done it. iather?"
That's Just what | should like to
know, and it's what | mean to find out
Now which of you children meddled with
that envelope?" ?"
IL wasn't here" said each of the three
children in a breath.
"Oh. no. there were none OF you
here, OF course; you never are, when
mischief is done. No doubt the letter
Jumped out of the envelope and walked
off itself Fred, where were you. sir!'
81 was down at the foot of the hill with
Charles Wheeler, looking at his new Kite {;
| just This minute got in"
"And, papa" said Elsie, Il went to
Mr.. Wheeler'S TO see about that package,
you know. Don't you know you met me
at the gate and told me good.bye?"
Just then dsmayed exclamation from
Mrs. Porter arrested attention. In her
haste to get damp clothes off from her
Baby Nell, she had set the tumbler back
on the mantel, and now rs she stood me
chanically fishing after the floating paper.
her eye caught one word, and the truth
flashed upon her.
The culprit stood revealed. 1t was
rather damper on Mr. Porter's cnthusi-
asm; he couldn't scold Baby Nell, for she
would have laughed and crowed, and
thought herself having grand frolic.
He couldn't shut her up in her room, and
tell her to stay there all the forenoon, for
he well knew she could do more mischief
shnt mn in a room for five minutes than