Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-01-31
Tlte famiGy CireIe.
A DOughnut Story.

1t was such dull January afternoon,
and every one WAS So busy that the chill
dren scarcely knew what 10 do with them
selves. They were Dr. Knowtons little
boy and girl. Harry and Sadie, pretty nice
children in the main. and very fond OF
each other; hut this afternoon they Were
tired of playing indoors, and almost ready
10 cry because they could not 90 out.
Flatening their wee noses against the
window pane in the play-rOom, they look
ed up and down the village street, and
saw nothing hut dripping trees and wei
sidewalks. and Harry exclaimed, sorrow,
fully, I'VE haven't got IN earthly thing
to dUI'
But suddenly there was joyous shout
80, Sadie, smell something! Come
quick! Mothers frying loughnutSn' And
the two were soon flying down The stairs
ard following their noses into the kitchen
Mrs. Kn0wlton was not exactly delight
ed to see her troublesome little visitors
when she was so busy, and she had in
tended to surprise them with some dough,
nut babies. which Harry and Sadie both
thought the very loviest cakes that ever
were made; but she smiled at them, and
let them stay.
A large dish full of brown doughnuts
was on one side of the stove. and plenty
more were cooking in the boiling lard
while four beautiful fat babies, with the
most sprawing of limbs and the roundest
of heads. and Two curranls apiece for eyes,
were lying by themselves on a separate
plate
Besides all these delights, the children
had each piece of dough TO make into
what shape they pleased, and mamma
promised TO fry them when the other cakes
should be done.
Il think must tell you II story" said
Mrs Knowlton, us She glanced ut the two
happy faces, "about papa when he was Il
little hoy"
"Oh, do, do!r exclaimed the children.
" 1t will be SO nice to hear about papa
when lie was little!'
ut happened in this way" began Mrs,
KnowltOn. 1T seems that papa was a
very noisy little boy, and very mischiev-
Gus and troublesome; and no one ever
thought then of his becoming II grave
looking doctor. One day his poor mamma
had been very much worried with him, for
she was not feeling well and Charlie had
tired Of all his toys-he WAS such Il little
fellow then; only four years old-and he
came up to her crying, What shall | play
now, manmaV
So mamma took china egg from her
work basket, which she used for darning
stockings, and told Charlie TO get into the
cradle and shut his eyes and lie very sill.
and hold the egg close 10 his bosom, ana
see if hp corld not match II chicken. Char
lie enjoyed this idea very much, and he
screwed his eyes up tight To keep them
shut; and after II little while he went fast
asleep.
This was Just what his mamma expect,
ed linn to do and then she went up to
him very softly, and took the china egg
from his little chubby hand, and put ii
away. Then she went into the kitchen,
where Mary, the cook, WAS making dough
nuts, and told her to make little chicken
that was shaped almost exactly like real
chicken; it had IL long bill, and two cur
rants for eyes; and when it was fried n
beautiful light brown, mamma placed ii
beside Charlie instead of the egg
When the little boy opened his eyes,
there was chicken, sure enough, which
he declared he had Matched all his own
self; and he almost looked down on the
hens for II while, and thought that his
chicken only needed feathers to be quite as
good as theirs"
While Mrs. Knowton was talking, she
hal been twisting up some small pieces OF
dough into curious shapes; and when the
doughnul babies were done, there appear
ed ON the same plate with them, two
chickens, that delighted the children quite
us much rs the story did.-EIlG r. Church,
in Youths Companion.