Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-22
Ghildrem's department.
MOTHERS MISTAKE.

and myself Our father had purchased q
farm in Northern New York, where himself
and two rousing boys of nine and eleven might
find employment, and the latter be removed
from the temptations Of village life. Our
mother, for many years an invalid, was the
light of home; and as the country was rough,
and the few neighbors as rough and unculti-
vated as the land they titled, it required no
little ingenuity to furnish society and amuse-
ment for the uneasy troop that gathered
around the maternal chair. Now it was
story of her home in dear old Catskill-of
DIR. Porter, her pastor thereof hunts after
chestnuts and blackberries up the mountain
side-of the copperhead snake that bit her
elder brother-and of the young boy who was
drowned while skating on the Hudson. Again
she taught US games, invented puzzles and
riddles, and when her health would permit,
she hunted with US for berries and wild flow
ers. Then, we had a dog, a cat, few geese,
hens and turkeys, the cows, and such other
pets and companions as four lively children
could coax from the fields and woods about us.
One day. about the last Of July, our elder
brother astonished all hands by the capture
of beautiful red squirrel, with the brightest
of eyes and the bushiest of tails, and although
the gentle boy received more than one sabre
cut from the cunning little rodent, he held
him tight until the prisoner was safely de-
posted in his own chamber with strict in
functions that no person should enter that
room without permission, that the window
should never be raised above mathematical
inch, and that all cats should be forever ex-
cluded until suitable abode could be provl-
ded for the little captive. How cautiously
we crept through the door with handful of
nuts or corn for our active piece of property |!
But, as the promised cage was not immedi-
ately forthcoming, some one grew careless, by
inattention or otherwise, and one day the
squirrel was missing, much to the disgust Of
his lawful proprietor. and the disappointment
of one, at least, of his numerous admirers.
The whole affair would doubtless have been
forgotten, had not chain of circumstances
exhumed the little fellow from oblivion. But
will not anticipate.
For our mothers capricious appetite, the
old-fashioned "loaf sugar" was always on the
table, while palmer quality rendered our tea
or coffee sufficiently palatable, though gen.
erous lump of the former occasionally found
its way to our fingers Then the "china ST.
gar bowp was carried to the "china closet"
at the end of the chamber hall, where it re-
mained in state until wanted again. But
alas for human calculation! One day it
was found empty; and again, and again, the
mysterious theft was committed, and our dear
mother receiving no light as to the real offend
err, faithfully set before us the sins Of false
hood and theft addinp.
"You know, children, how trihing to me is
the loss of little sugar but 1t never srent aoitt
out hands, and one Of you must be the guilty
party; one of you knows which, and | will
for the present leave the subject"
But though the subject was left, the sugar
was not and the empty dish, from time to
time, attested to new burglary upon the
"china closet" Tears and remonstrances
from our mother were of no avail, and the
criminal was not detected, while the sad ver-
dict of "thef" was felt, if not rendered, after
final investigation.
II will not again permit you to deny the
crime" our mother said. "Be sure your sins
will find you out"
do not now recollect where the "china
sugar bowl" was afterward removed, but, the
matter was for the time passed over, and
things assumed their usual routine in doors
and out. August, September and October
went by, and chill November winds were
piercing our lighter clothing. Wrappers,
socks, mittens and Hannels we're all folded
away in the "big cherry chest" in passage
way to the back chambers. Dear mother
was overhauling the store-the dinner was
smoking upon the table-and we only awaited
her coming, when little shrek from over
head brought all parties to their feet.
"Mother has found mouse, guess" re-
marked father; and five valiant persons
started to the rescue.
ga mouse or something jumped out of the
chest" quavered mother, "and shall expect
to find things terribly gnawed up; they are
so mischievous."
Search now commenced in good earnest.
Things we're slowly unpacked when shout
from the rear drew attention in that direction.
-it's-why it's the squirrel" chimed
in chorus of voices. And sure enough, there
sat that veritable squirrel chattering and
watching, with marked interest, the motions
of the assembled group, as we invaded the Sc
crets of his late residence.
'DlanKetS all TlSul. wrappers uiLlo.
"But what is this?" "Corn! Beechnuts Su-
gar All my missing sugar"
"There mother" shouted four voices in one
breath. "You said 'That sugar never vent
vithout hands, What say you now?"
But we were all too busy hunting the squir-
rel to hear or remember the answer. Certain
it was, our mother was more pleased to find
that the real offender was no relation Of hers,
than we were to get sight Of the little rascal ,
who had been the innocent cause Of so much
domestic inquetude. Although his descend
ants still hang around the old homestead, we
have never since been able to identify the hero
of the "chna sugar BOWL
Years have gone by. Sister Sarah went
early to her rest; the original proprietor of
the squirrel has long adorned the medical
profession, and the doctors head is consider
ably sprinkIed with gray Eben has a nice
family of his own father bends under the
weight of four.score years; and dear mother
has exchanged her sunny-brown hair for a less
corruptible crown while I-well-I am pleas
antly settled with a sober-visaged gentleman,
who quietly smiles as rehearse to three tall
children the story Of Mothers Mistakenly
Y Observer.
Bly," Learn to talk like a gentleman, my boy !!
Papa is sorry to hear you talk street talk /!