Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-02-19
DIDN'T MEAN 10.
--Nflft
CHAPTER i.

Hatty came running noisily into the
room where her mother sat sewing,
with little Grace at her feet building
block houses Grace held her hands
protectingly around her presious edi-
ice, which was almost done, and said !:
'Pleasesdon'ts knock my tall house
down, Hatty.'e 90
Hatty was not paying attention. She
was in great hurry to speak to her
mother. So .sHfi z asa Ea
see mother!' she exclaimed, what
a big, big rose 1 have found you; and
look how tore my dress getting it,
She swung around as she spoke, and
the unlucky7 dress hit the topmost
block, of the mimic house, SO that it all
fell with-a crash.
Il didn'tmean to- said Hatty, pleas
anlly enough.
But Grace began to cry, and it was
hard To comfort her. Hatty lost pa
tience.
Il don't think she ought to make
such fuss about it, as long as L didn't
mean 10, do you, mother! she de-
you nfust try to be careful, DEAR
said her mother
Hatty pouted and left the room; but
i'm "a few minutes she appeared out on
the lawn in high spirits-tossing her
ball against the side of the house, and
catching it as it came down. Her rmoth-
er opened the window and looked out.
Il would rather not have you play
bali on this side of the house, Hatty,'
she said. ..There are too many win
dows. You had better go round on the
north side s........-.
80, won't break anything, mama,
said Hattie confidently. Il never do;
besides want you to see how long l
can go without missing
Hatty kept-on tossing the ball,
counting every catch; but just as flush
and triumphant, she ,had almost reach
ed hundred, the ball somewhat slant
ed off, and striking full against the
window, Shattered a pane and fell into
the sitting room. .n-i - {, .-r-ft
% motiler / didn't mean to- cried
Hatty, looking scared and sorry.
You are IA naughty girl said her
mother, With a grave face, STOPPING to
pick up theJbits of glass.
Il didn't mean to break it, muttered
-IIatty, as she walked away. And
mother knows I didn't 3 ~ rF i< 8
y little sulky, she strolied down the
garden path, and presently came to the
border where her father WAS at work
transplantiBg.. A tube rose stood on a
bench near him. Its slender stem had
grown very tall, and it bJre a crowd of
buds at the top Hatty bent the stem
so as to bring the buds down near her
nose, that she might see If they were
sweet before they were blown.
Take careP said her father sharply.
But he spoke too late. The stem had
snapped in her fingers, and the mischief
was done, and all the promise of tube
roses was destroyed.
Il didn't mean to- lamented Hatty,
L only wanted TO see if they were
sweet
What careless needless girl you
are,' said her father, feeling annoyed.
why don't you learn to MiltkV
Hatty dug holes with the toes of her
shoes in the gravel, and made no reply.
She felt in her heart that she ought not
10 do wrong. 1t seemed 70 her that
she was very unfortunate.
What shall we do with Hatty %
asked the father and mother, rs they
talked it all over in family council that
evening; after the children were in
oed. How shall We ever make her
realize that the mere fact Of not mean
ing to doa thing does not take the
wrong OUT of the carelessness or the OBJ
stinacy that brings it aBout?'.
Treat her homeopathicaIly,' suggest
ed Aunt Ann, si.ilingly.
w hat do you mean !? asked Hattie's
Anciher-
Well, suppose you ask your cousin
D'ck 10 come and spend the day to be-
lin With
Her cousin Dick Why he is Just
sucn another, only a great deal worse. ,
Never mind. Ask him y
And this was finally agreed upon.