American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-06-12
Mrs. Headache.

WAS taking walk lately in town
which I sometimes visit, when / came
suddenly upon a strengthening little
house, with narrow windows, in front of
which were standing crowd of queer
looking creatures, with very snail bod
les, big heads and mouths, and long, ugly
arms.
Perhaps elves or fairies"
had read about elves and fairies, and
knew that fairies are always very pretty,
and very nicely dressed in what we
would call evening dresses, but that elves
are awkward and ugly, as well as poorly
clothed. But these little fellows had
very nice clothes on, all made of scarlet
cloth. What and who could they Der
So stood looking at them until the tall
est among them, by mounting on the
shoulders of another, rang the bell.
Very soon a little fellow, just like them,
opened the door, and in they rushed. 1t
was evidently their home. Before the
little porter could shut the door / pushed
in after them. l think now it was rather
rude thing to do under the circum-
stances; besides, if they had been elves,
they might have changed me instantly
into a white mouse, or a rose-bush, or q
brass door-knocker, and I might never
have recovered my own shape to this
day. But, without stopping to think of
this, went in. The little porter ushered
me into little parlor, where everything
was very small. Here, at a little table
covered with books and papers. sat q lit
tie old woman, dressed in bright green
and wearing spectacles.
She bowed her head. bowed mine.
Then l began to make an awkward sort
of apology for the strange way in which
I was behaving; but the lady of the
house stopped me by saving:
Make no apologies. am Mrs. Head
ACHE"
aMrs. HeaiacheI" repeated.
+" Yes; Mrs. Headache"
"Poor creature!" thought to myself
ST wonder if she has headache every
day."
thoughts, for she answered very quickly.
"No, l have no headaches myself in
your sense of the word, butt have the
control of all the headaches among chill
dren in this part of the world. Those
are my sons. Lookl I" And looked and
saw innumerable little fellows, all busy
some hurrying out, some hurrying
home, some waiting for orders. Mrs.
Here" said she, a. have in writing
all that they are to do to-day. Number
496r'
Number 496 came in at once
IT want you,' said his active little
mother, Ito take thirty-five of your ,.
brothers and go to the party in Grand
street this evening. There Is to be fine
supper set out, and a great deal of gas
lighted, and great deal of heat The
children are to stay very late, and one OF
you will be needed to 60 home with
every child and remain with it all day
"Wil they show themselves to COM
pany?" asked.
"No; my children will be invisible;
but they will use their fists well to pound
and hammer the heads of those young
guests tomorrow"
"How dreadfulp
"Not dreadful at all. Those children
are all disobeying the rules of Health,
which are very simple. / send my little
ones to them, not as punishment, but
as warning. / heard of chiidren's
party yesterday in the open air. They
all went. home and to bed early. sent
no headaches there"
More little fellows came in for orders.
She sent them away in crowds. Some
went to children who would play in the
hot sun; some to some little boys who
made themselves very dizzy sliding down
the banisters; some to children who
spent a great deal of their pocket-money
in colored sweet things which looked
like pink and yellow eggs.
DO you think, then, that children
should never eat good things, Mrs. Head
ache, nor play much, nor runs"
by no means. want them to play
and run. l want them to eat good things,
but not such good things, or rather bad
things, as pink and yellow and purple
1 must send them my
if they will not obey the rules
o. Health. Some of them sit up great
deal too late; some walk great deal too
much; others not half enough. Some
study too hard-pore over their lessons
when they ought to be playing OH
have great deal to do, can tell you,
but l can always wait upon you, ma am,
( you want me- just let me know"
"By mail ?" / inquired.
"No; by my telegraph. Sit in very
not room, or eat anything you know to
be bad for you, or sleep with your win
lows shut down-there are many waysto
summon me-and / will attend to the call
It once, and let you have any number of
ny me st active children to try their fists
IN the tenderest part of your head"
thanked Mrs. Headache, and went
lone just as fast as could.-St. Nicholas
or June.