The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-06-28

TOmmy's Cousins.
Tommy had been cross all day. He
had pulled Robbie's hair, and taken his
peanuts frsm him. He sat dewn on
Susie's lovely doll ard f1attened her
nose, and he had put the kitten on top
of the bookcase. He had even been
saucy and hateful to his mamma, when
she asked if her little boy felt quite well,
or if his long visit to the aquarium yes
terdav had tired him. Instead of an
swering pleasantly, L Ommy had hunched
up his shoulders, showed out his elbows
and snapped out fercely.
g No; I amt tired, and I amt cross
either"
/ Every one was glad when bedtime
came, and Master Tommy was taken up
stairs.
" do declare, Master Tommy, you'll
turn into a nasty, sndppF turtle, or. q
crab, some of these nights, when you're
so cross, said the nurse.
" Pooh :" said Tommy, q" l 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" said
nurse, as she tucked him into bed
Nurse thought he had become quiet
all at once, and, as she bade kim good
night" she wondered if he was up to
more mischief But he was already
snoring as she reached the door.
As soon az 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 shell that evening" good
big quarter of a pie. 1t was rather dusty,
but tasted good, and Tommy sat up in
bed, and ate it all in ten bites. Then he
curled down among the blankets, and
wished lie was . crab.
"Pd crawl right down and bite nurse,
now" " he thought. / wonder how ii
would feel to be turtle, or n crab or a
A very fine specimen indeed, said
grUf, strange voice.
Tommy looked around. Where was
he? Where was his bed, and his room
with blue paper on the walls?
" Oh, my ! what is the matter?" cried
Tommy. He was sitting upon a bit of
sea-weed, in 4 great glass case full of
water, and a red-nOsed man in speCtacles
was looking at him.
A fine specimen of Il fresh-watcr Ur-
chin, said the red-nOsed man.
" amt a urchin, cried Tommy, in
dignantly.
See him open his mouth How ugly
he isl" exclaimed a small boy behind
the red-nosed man.
Tommy locked around for something
to throw at him, but right at his elbow
sat a huge hermit crab, who stretched
out four claws and said:
"Shake hands, cousin. Glad to see
vou!"
"Tm not your cousin" said Tommy,
drawing himself up.
" Ohio He says he is not my cOusin!"
| suueaked the hermit crab so loudly that
all the skates came % see what was the
matter.
YOU'RE a horrid ugly thing :"
! screamed Tommy. q saw you y6ster-
| ing your old claws into his shell. Pm
not y0ur cousin"
d" Now. just hear that" said the her
nit crab with a wickod smile. Here
| is an urchin who piHches his little
brother, pulls his hair, and takes his
peanuts away, and yet he declares he is
! not my cousin Nonsense! OF course
YOU are Come along"
He was Just stretching out his claws
to drag Tommy off the bit of sea-weed,
when two little sea-urchins came rolling
along and said:
< Why, here comes Tommy
eco way ~ exclaimed Tommy.
never was such an ugly, prickly thing
| like Il chestnut bur. Ugly, prickly
thing. indeed" cried the sea urchins.
| 'sDidn't you pain your poor mamma
with your naughty, prickly temper
YOU ugly little fresh-water Urchin ? .
! And both the sea-Urchins gave him great
pokes with their sharp, sPiny sides, and
! then rolled away, laughing at his pain.
L bnr I'm no
q whole family of them little alligators,
and with them a whole family OF fat lit
tie seals, giggling, bouncing up and down
and eating minCe-pie.
Tommy, how dye dO2 How dye do,
| Tommy" said they all.
They looked 30 mischievOus, and 50 big
that Tommy began to cry.
"Crv. baby, cry. Haven't any pie !''
| sang ali the fat little seals and thin little
aIIigators, jumping at him and trying tC
bite his toes, till Tommy was frightened
| half to death.
Just as he made sure they were going
to eat him, something wonderful happen
ed. 4 beautiful sea horse, with a silvel
bride, came floating down, led by the
IOveIiest lit tie mermaid that ever wa
seen. And as she came close to Tommy
poor little Tommy, Come will
me. Mount my little friend here, auC
we will take you away from these tor
So Tommy got upon the sca-horse'
back. and he iUst fitted there nicely
which surprised him, till be remem
bered that since he had become :
fresh-water urchin he had grown yer!
small.
Tbev pranced away from the seals an,
alligatOrs, and all the skates smiled pleas
!. antlv as they assed. SoCn they cam
to the mermaid's hOuse-a large pin
conch-shell, with sea-weed climbing owe
, If. and long avenue, marked by rows c
pink sea-anemones bowed, and wave
their fringes TO the mermaid, and we
coined her home.
/ "I have poor little urchin who b.
, been naughty, and cas- been punishCz
> but now he will be good and happy
{ said the mermaid.
Then they went into the Conoh-she
q and around and arc und, and up Il
spiral stairs, that were pinked at eve
step, till at last the me rInaid put Tomn
=. into a little bed like a rose-pink sunse
h and kissed him gOOd-ni ght.
q You won't want I get up and lO'
n for pie again, will you ?" said she.
p Il Just guess not! answered TOmm
d and then he fell asleep, while she sang
# him songs of the sea.
p When he woke up the sunshine W
r streaming over him
,, "I did think of Civ ing him some mo
: paragoric ma'am," nurse was sayin
d" But after little W hile he stopped CT
ing, 50 I did not get up"