Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-06-06
TOmmy's Cousins.

on Susle,s lovely doll and fattened hel
nose, and he had put the kitten on toI
of the bookcase. He had even beer
saucy and hateful to his dear mamma
when she asked if her little boy felt quite
well, or if his long visit to Aquarium
yesterday had tired him. Instead O
answering pleasantly, Tommy hac
hunched up his shoulders, showed out hi.
elbows, and snapped out fercely:
ono; [ amt tired, and [ amt cross
either"
Every one was glad when bed time
came, and Master Tommy was taken up
stairs.
81 do declare, Master Tommy, you'll
turn into a nasty, snappy turtle or
crab, some of these nights when you're
so cross" said nurse.
"Pooh!" said Tommy, (" I won't"
Well, something will happen; you'll
see if it doesn't. I've read of Just such
things coming to boys in books" sale
nurse, as she tucked him into his bed.
Nurse thought he had become very
quiet all at once and as she babe him
Goodnight" she wondered if he wa;
up to more mischief. But he was already
snoring as she reached the door.
AS soon as she had gone down stairs
Tommy got out of bed, and felt under
the bureau for the piece of mince-pie he
had hidden there. He had taken it from
the pantry shelf, that evening, a gooG
big quarter of pie. 1t was rather
dusty, but tasted good, and Tommy sal
up in bed, and ate it all in ten bites
Then he curled down among the blankets
and wished he was crab.
now,' he thought. 81 wonder how il
would feel to be turtle, or Il crab, or 6
a"
" A very fine specimen indeed" said {
grutf, strange voice.
Tommy looked around. Where wa:
he? Where was his bed, and his room
with blue paper on the walls?
ooh, my! what IS the matter?" cried
Tommy. He was sitting upon bit Of
sea-weed, liz a great glass case full of wa
ter, and a red-nosed man in spectacle;
was looking at him.
A fine specimen Of fresh-watel
urchin,' said the red-nosed man.
amt a urchin," cried Tommy, in
dignantly.
"See him open his mouth! How ugly
he isl" exclaimed small boy beside
the red-nosed man.
Tommy looked around for something
to throw at him, but right at his elbow
sat huge hermit crab, who stretched
out four claws, and said:
Shake hands, cousin! Glad to see
you'll"
"Pm not your cousin" said Tommy
drawing himself up.
Ohio! He says he is not my cousin!
squeaked the hermit crab, so loudly thai
all the skates came to see what was the
matter
"You're a horrid ugly thing!" scream
ed Tommy. II saw you yesterday pinch
ing poor little crab, and poking you
old claws into his shell. Pm not you
cousin"
CHOW, just hear thatp said the her
nit crab, with wicked smile. "Here i
an urchin who pinches his little brother
pulls his hair, and takes his peanuts
away, and yet he declares that he is MOI
my cousin! Nonsense! Of course yor
are. Come along
He was just stretching out his claws tt
drag Tommy off the bit Of sea-weed, whe1
two little sea-urchins came rolling along
and said:
why here's cousin Tommy
eco 'wayv' exclaimed Tommy. 81
never was such an ugly, prickly thing
like chestnut bur-"
Ugly, prickly thing, indeedp' cried
the sea-urchins. Didn't you pain youl
poor mamma with your naughty, prickly
temper,-You ugly little fresh-watel
urchinW And both the sea-urchins
gave him great pokes with their sharp
spiny sides, and then rolled away laugh
ing at his pain.
They had no sooner gone, than VI
came whole family Of thin little alliga
tors, and with them whole family Of fa1
little seals, giggling, bouncing up anc
down, and eating mince-pie.
"Tommy, how dye do? How dye do
Tommy said they all.
They looked so mischievous, and so big
that Tommy began to cry.
Cry, baby,-cry! Haven't any pie!'
sang all the fat little seals and thin little
alligators, jumping at him and trying tt
bite his toes, till Tommy was frightened
half to death.
Just as he made sure they were going
to eat him, something wonderful hap
pened. A beautiful sea-horse, with {
silver bride, came floating down, led by
the loveliest little mermaid that ever
was seen. And as she came close tt
Tommy, she said:
| Poor Tommy! Come with me
Mount my little friend here, and we vii
take you away from these tormentors.'
80 Tommy got upon the sea-horse''
back, ard he just fitted there nicely
which surprised him. till he remembered
that since he had become fresh-wate-
urchln, he had grown very small.
They pranced away from the seals anc
alligators, and all the skates smiled
pleasantly as they passed. Soon the.
came to the mermaid's house-a larg,
pink conch-shell, with sea-weed climbing
over it, and long avenue, marked b.