Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-01-22
DIDN'T MEAN TO.
CHAPTER I

L.
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 precious edifce, which was
almost done, and said:
please don't knock my tall house down,
Hatty"
Hatty was not paying attention. She
was II a great hurry to speak to her
mother
'see mother!" she exclaimed, what a
big, big rose I have found for YOU: and
look how l tore my dress getting it,
She swung around as she spoke, and the
unlucky dress hit the topmost block of
the mimic house, so that it all fell with a
crash.
II didn't mean to-" said Hatty, pleas
| antly enough.
But Grace began to cry, and it was hard
to comfort her. Hatty lost patience.
Il don't think she ought to make such
fuss about it, as long as didn't mean
to, do you, mother!" she demanded.
You must try to be careful, dear" said
her mother.
Hatty pouted and left the room; but in
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 mother opened
the window and looked out
Il would rather not have you play ball
on this side Of the house, Hatty," she
said. "There are too many windows.
You had better go round on the north
side"
go, won't break anything. mamma"
said Hatty, confidently. 81 never do; be-
sides want you to see how long can go
without missing"
Hatty kept on tossing the ball, count
ing every catch; but just as, flushed and
triumphant, she had almost reached a
hundred, the ball somehow slanted off,
and striking full against the window,
shattered a pane and fell into the sitting
room.
80 mother, I didn't mean to-" cried
Hatty, looking scared and sorry.
"Iou are a naughty girl" said her
mother, with a grave face, stopping to
pick up the bits of glass.
81 didn't mean to break it." muttered
Hatty, as she walked away. "And mother
knows l didn't"
A little sulky, she strolled down the
garden path, and presently came to the
border where her father was at work
transplanting. A tube rose stood in a pot
on bench near him. It's slender stem
had grown very tall, and it bore crown
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, the mischief was
done, and all the promise of tuberoses
was destroyed.
Il didn't mean to-" lamented Hatty, "I
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 THINK"
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 to
be blamed, since she had not meant to do
wrong. 1t seemed to her that she was
very unfortunate.
"What shall we do with Hatty ?" asked
the father and mother, as they talked it
all over in family council that evening,
after the children were in bed. chow
shall we ever make her realize that the
mere fact of not meaning to do a thing
does not take the wrong out OF the care
lessness or the Obstinacy that brings 1t
about?"
"Treat her homeopathically," suggested
Aunt Ann, smilingly.
'What do you mean?'' asked Hattie's
mother.
"Well, suppose you ask your cousin
Dick to come and spend the day to begin
WITH
''Her cousin Dick! Why, he is just
such another, only great deal worse"
"Never mind. Ask himm
And this was finally agreed upon