Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-04-22

The MIsERIEs OF BoYHooD.-Doe
the boy hope, some cold winter morn
ing, to economize time by a hast,
toilet, and turn himself over for a We
bit nap after the rising bell, Their
comes a voice up the stairway: '(
Johnnie Johnnie - with lingering
persuasiveness. ''Get right up. You
father says he wants you to have all tn,
paths sheveled before breakfast.
If little Jennie is up and ready TO
She has nothing more important to d.
than breathing on the frosty panes t.
get view of Johnnie at work. Doe
the boy get up early to get his skate:
sharpened-''Don't make that noise il
here" Does he try on those idols o
his heart to see that every strap snt
buckle is in order-"Have not / telC
you times without number not to put
on your skates in the house? By mex
spring there won't be rag of carpet
left" How does little Jennie manage
to keep her skates in good condition
Why, she appeals to the head of the
household, "Pa, can't Johnnie bore 8
hole in this strap for me?' 'John, fly
your sisters skates :" and they're fixed.
If Johnnie tries to play in the house,
he is told to put away that top or those
marbles, asked if he can't keep quiet a
minute, and advised to take book and
sit down. On the contrary, Just so soon
as he hurries home, and snatches up
Robinson Cruso" or 'Swiss Family
Robinson" and becomes oblivious for a
time of his unhappy lot, he is reused
anew to it by the paternal voice, "Come
Johnnie, put up that book, and go find
the COW. She hasn't come home.
Jennie, who is very busy putting her
refractory doll to bed, wonders how
Johnnie --nows which way to turn to
look for the missing animal. Perhaps
he catches a granddaddy-long-legs, and
repeats that familiar rhyme which COM
pels him to point out the road Johnnie
must take. Johnnie being interrogated
as to that subject on his return, slings
his cap defiantly into the corner, in the
groundswen of his discomfort, snatches
up Robinson Crusoe" again, mutters
something under his breath about girls
and geese" and is again absorbed in
his book. ''Come now, Johnnie" says
the mother, "don't go to reading again.
It's eight o'clock" Five minutes
elapse. Johnnie, did you hear me !?
Jennie's gone up stairs" Five minutes
more on the desert isle, and childish
voice is heard at the stairs landing,
'Ma, can't Johnnie come to bed? I'm
afraid" "Now, Johnnie, shant speak
to you again" A brief, a very brief,
respite. "Oh only to finish this chap
ter" "Ma Ma - louder and angrier,
'I'm coming down if Johnnie don't
come Mayn't he Gomez" Enter the
paternal. John, what are you up for
at this hour? Shut up that book and
go to bed | Why, Pussie, why aren't
you in bed ?" 81 want to kiss you
goodnight, pleads the sweet little
fibber. ''Bah she's afraid of the dark /;
that's the matter" defantiy retorts
Johnnie, going up stairs two steps at
time. 81 amt neither. Can't he stop
plaguing me?" "Come, John, let your
sister alone" That's all the sympathy
a boy gets
DELICATE NELLIE. - Nellie is my
She wears pretty dresses of
soft material, gay ribbons and odd little
aprons, fanciful hats, and great abun-
dance of flowing, curly brown hair.
A pretty little girl to look upon, /
have questioned to myself whether the
prettiness was all outside. A little
chance one day showed me.
Back of the house where l live, Just
round the corner from Nellie's home,
there live two more children. They are
brother and sister also, but not so for
tunate as Nellie and her brother-that
IS, they have not so many pretty things
about them. They wear old and faded
roll old hoops from barrels, or
amuse themselves with bits of sticks
and blocks or anything they can pick
up in their scanty yard.
Neither tree nor shrub grows In the
narrow place round their home; no
flowers or green things whatever. Yet
all day long they play, happy and con-
tented, with what they have.
Nellie went flying past the other day,
and curls streaming, with two
great punches of red berries swinging
in her hand.
How wistfully the poor little French
children looked at those red berries /
could see how much they wished they
had some.
Nellie saw too. i knew the rapid
glance she took time to cast upon the
other children showed her the eager
upon their soiled but bright
faces.
Would she care? watched her now
to see what was the inner
adjoining she wore.
While was still looking and think
ing, back rushed the little girl, her
cheeks almost as red as the pretty things
she held in her hands, her little slippers
hardly touching the walk, and as she
came opposite the small house she
again turned her large gray eyes with
very searching look at the children in
the door.
She did not stop, but saw an earnest,
benevolent look upon her sweet face
that drove away the little bitter thought
1 was entertaining of her. Still she
held close to her pretty berries.
l had dropped the matter from my
mind after a few moments the little
French children we're out of sight, when
softly Nellie came back round the cor
ner, past the high board fence at the
end of which the small house stands !;
and stepping along with a slow, light
step, she dropped both punches of ber-
ries close to the open door, and without
waiting to see them picked up, rushed
away.
1t was very little thing, but it
showed me that Nellie had a pitying
spot in her little heart.
hope to see more of her.-Children's
Hour.
The Legend of the Felt Hat.
mn - Iz-.I o1~ A. Ixk