The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-12-25
LITTLE DICKY MISCHIEF,
BY A. ID. WALKER.

mischief Is In mere! 1hlS frightened
Dicky, for he really thought it meant
that there was some monster in the
closet that might devour him bodily.
From that day we have called him
Dicky Mischief and you will see he
deserves the appellation.
1 MIR. N, his father, keeps fowls,
and Dicky seems to think he must help
care for them. One day he heard his
father say: " can't keep that brown
hen on the nest, and am really afraid
her eggs will spoil" eff you can't
keep her on the nest, some one else
can" said Dicky to himself, as he
started for the barn. Here he watched
his opportunity, and when the unsus-
pecting hen came and set upon her
eggs he seized a stone which he had
ready and placed it on her back, saying,
as he did so: "Now I guess you'll sit !"
and so she did sit till papa found her
dead on the following morning. This
was quite a surprise to our little boy,
who had not thought of hurting the
poor creature. Shortly after this his
mamma found him driving all of the
fowls through the alley into the street.
"Why, Dicky, what are you doing?"
she asked in surprise. 81 am going to
sell all of the chickens There's boy
out here going to give me four cents
apiece for them" This answer was
given with tone and manner which
showed that the child thought it would
be splendid bargain to make, and he
was much astonished when mamma
forbade the sale
One bright winters day, when the
snow lay thick upon the ground, Dicky
was in the garden amusing himself with
his sled, when his sister, two years
younger, came running out and begged
for ride. The little girl had not
stopped for hat or bonnet, and her
brother, seeing her bare head, and
wishing to show his wisdom, said:
"You'll get sun-struck, Bessie; you'd
better go in the house; Pm sure you'll
get sun-struck."
As procession of men in uniform
once went by the house Dicky slipped
slyly out of the gate and joined the
crowd of boys who were following the
train. This Dicky knew was wrong,
and he did not find the path of DISC
bedience quite as pleasant as he expect
ed Mamma had forbidden him to go
in the street without permission, for
she knew that boys grow in wickedness
fast when they roam the streets at will.
They walked long way, and Dicky
grew very tired and warm, for it was a
summer day. He was just thinking of
retracing his steps when he discovered
that he was in front of his aunts house.
"TH go in and make visit now"
said he. So he stepped up the stoop
and rang the door-bell vigorously. Out
came Bridget in surprise, as such a ring
seemed to demand speedy answer.
When, however, she saw the little, red
faced boy she slammed the door, which
shut with loud bang, and threatened to
exterminate the whole race of boys if
they did not stop making her answer
the bell for nothing. Bridget knows l
ran away, thought the little culprit,
surprised in turn. He was quite a
favorite with the usually good-natured
Irish girl, and he expected her to
greet him with kiss and warm words
of welcome. But the truth was Bird
get had only given a hurried glance,
and never thought of taking him for
the neat, pretty-looklng boy who some
times came with his mother to visit his
aunt and eat their good gingerbread.
Guilt made Dicky coward, and he
went with hesitating steps around to
tie kitchen-door.
He turned away, feeling SO guilty
that he wanted to hide. But before he
reached the gate he caught sight of his
dear aunt, who was wedding in the gar
den. go auntie!" he cried, 81 came
to see you and Bridget wouldn't let me
in" "Why, Dicky, did mamma let
you come alone?" asked auntie in sur
prise, for her nephew was only five
years old and his mamma was very
careful of him. Yes, of course she
did; and 1 can stay all night if you
have room to keep me-" Chow did
you get so dusty, child?" asked aunty.
"Oh, l followed the soldiers that's the
reason 1 guess" Aunty took the boy
into the house, where he was washed
and fed and made to look like our little
"Dicky Mischief" once more. Bird
get was loud in her lamentations when
she found it was her little favorite
whom she had SO rudely treated.
Dicky was quite ready to forgive her
but was fearful that she knew he ran
away. 1t soon came nj ht, for it was
five o'clock when he reached his aunts;
and when the latter was preparing him
for bed he said: "Mamma wanted
you to be sue to put me in your room
to sleep, for l might want drink of
something; and Iguess she thought you
had better leave the light burning so l
could see to go to sleep" 1t was guilt
that made Dicky afraid; and con-
science was so busy that he could not
rest after he was in bed. He at first
declared that the pillow was hard and
when auntie shook that up he said he
was hungry. Aunty, still ready to
humor him, brought him a nice slice of
cake. OF this he took a few mouth
fuls, and then burst into tears. "Oh,
auntie," he sobbdd, 81 ruined away.
Take me home | want to see mamma
and Bessie, and sleep in my crib.
very soon the naughty cllllus clotHes
were put on again, and he and auntie
started for his home. There was joy
in his parents hearts, for they looked
in vain for their little lost one, and
were ready to give up in despair when
he arrived. Penitent Dicky made all
sorts of promises of amendment tina
night but mamma whisperingly said:
Little one, God alone can help you
to be obedient and good, and He will
help you if you ask Him."-Good
|Tords.
TREATMENT OF SORE THRoAT.----In
cases of ordinary sore throat the sim
plest and best treatment is the wet
pack, using linen cloth wrung from
cold water, and over this a knit or
crotcheted warn band four feet LONG and