Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-09
The Purple Jar.
BY NARY J.. 3, BRANCH. A8&

nod The Purple Jar.
BY NARY Z. B. SBRANoH. Aa&6
It was JUST one week. after Mrs.
Baxter bought that pretty new light
carpet for her sitting-room, a. white
ground with crimson rose-buds on it,
and just five days after she sewed the,
breadths together and tackled it all
down, that the affair of the purple jar
took place. IA III %
It was Robbie Of course, nobody but
Robbie did the mischief and had the
fun in that house. ~asArd it happened on
Saturday morning., of all mornings in
the week, when Mrs Baxter was rolling
out cookies and pie crust, and lowering
over the. oven. of course, she could
70 not stop top Is tell Robbie a. Story fist
then, nor to play "cat's cradle" with
him, nor to sharpen his slate pencil.
And she was really glad when he trotted
off into the sitting room, and found
amusement for himself. " How could
she know he would NEEDLE with her
! Jars I! ,hi02TGNal 51 I0EL LII
Bright eyed, busy little boy He felt
lonesome and puzzled when he first went
into the sitting room, and didn't know
what to do.
)" GuessvPH open mammals, closet,
and see If q mouse would rum" he said
to himself.
No mouse ran and nothing happened
when he opened the door only a. row
of canned fruit in. glass Jars stood on
the shelf that was just the height Of
Robbie's eyes. nor
Guess i'll play poth'cary's lshopp'
he thought Frightening up at once.
SO ne lifted out the heavy jars one
by one, and set them in chairs for a
'poth' cary'ss shop, and there he stood for
a little while talking and trading with
imaginary customers. But by and by
he concluded to enlarge his store and
take in one ofsthe windows. ii
nl" Cause jars look prettier in the
light" was IhissreasOn. \. s -
He took up one of the jars to set it
on the sill, but the sill wasn't wide
enough, and when he let go there was
a, fall and crash, and then oh, such a
great purple sea on the. beautiful new
light carpet, not to mention the bits of
glass, and the big heap of huckleberries
in the midst of it all a5T-.aa q
+ Mrs. Baxter did not hear the crash,
for she had just gone down cellar after
some more lard, and Robbie had some
misgivings about calling her. He
| Thought he would see to it all himself.
He picked up the pieces of glass and
threw them into the fireplace, and then
he scooped acknowledgements up ihs his
hand and threw them there too. Mean
while the plenteouspur juice WAS
settling down and soaking through the
carpet 5aa sa9ai ga ga y. $ Z s
SIT looks just like that ink mamma
writes with" thought Robbie, and he
concluded that must be the. way she
made ink, out Of huckleberry juice.
t".That was ink enough to last her a
million years p he said to himself with
great concern, and then be tried to
wipe it up with his apron. And such a
sight! carpet and Robbie, both of them,
all stained and dripping with purple!
"Pve wiped up all [ CAM he said at
last; "I'll go and change my apron
now" go vgl -
He knew where his clean aprons were
kept, and in mammals bedroom he
washed his hands as well as he could,
pulled off the soiled apron, and put on
fresh one, managing with great trou-
BILE to fasten the button at the back of
the neck. elfas 5s ~ .'t15 - -
Mrs. Baxter had just baked the last
pan of cookies, when very demure
little boy came into the kitchen and sat
down on a stool by the stove. She
thought to herself what good boy he
was,
""Been having nice time, RobbH ~ she
asked pleasantly.
s"Yes, maaan-I don't know" said
Robbie, soberly. $50. -..s, > ,ibe
"What have you been doing ~ ~ :. s. s
+ o"PIaying 'poth' cary's shop" -
Ii s1asNTell, that was aimee play, wasn't
! aGetse my hasdaltoo dirty, answered
Robbie,a feeling that'the end was near
His mother glanced instantly at the lit
tie dimpled hands, stained deep with
purple, and began to, feel alarmed. ~
s''Why, what's on your hands Rob
,bie?" she demanded, sa .s~ga !.
I'D Ink" be replied, forlornly. ~ es
sl"Have you split it,. Q, Robbie, .Where
have youspit it?g} Nh
On thaacarpet, aawas the whispered
answer.
90 Mrs. Baxter rushed into the sitting
room, saw the ruin that was wrought,
and stood the picture of despair. &C
81" It's that mauve ink,' she Thought
to herself e and LscAn never get the
stain out in the world !"
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