Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-07-12

st. Nicholas.
TOMMY's COUSINS.
Tommy had boen cross all day. Hel
had pulled Robbie's hair, and taken
bis peanuts from him. He had sat down
on Susie's lovely doll and fattened her
nose, and he had put the kitten on
top OF the bookcase. He had even
been saucy and hateful to his dear
mamma, when she asked him II her
little boy felt quite well, or II his long
visit to the Aquarium yesterday had
tired him. Instead of answering
Tommy had hunched up
his shoulders, showed out his elbows,
and snapped out, fiercely:
NO; I amt tired, and ! amt cross,
either .sr
Every one was glad when bed time
came, and Master Tommy was taken
up stairs.
Il do declare, Master Tommy, you'll
turn into O nasty, snappy turtle, or q
crab, some of these nights, when you're
90 crosse said nurse.
sPoohp said Tommy, L won'tv
well something viii happen; you'll
see IL 1t doesn't. i've read Of just
such things coming to boys, In books
said nurse, as she tucked him into his
bed.
Nurse thought he had become very
auiet all at once, and as she bade him
Good Night she wondered If he Was
rp to more mischief. But he was al
ready snoring AS she reached the door.
= LAs 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
q good big quarter of pie. 1t was
rather dusty, but tasted good, and
Tommy sat up in bed, and ate 1t all In
ten bites. Then he eurled down among
the blankets, and wished he was q
crab. 80 Ei-5
'I'd crawl right down and bite nurse,
now he thought. i wonder how 1t
would feel 10 be O turtle, or a-a-
Avery fine specimen, indeed said
Q gruff, strange voice.
Tommy. looked around. Where was
he? Where was his bed, and bis room
with blue paper on the walls? ~
oh, my! what is the mstter?' cried
Tommy. He wss sitting upon bit OF
sea weed, in q great glass case full OF
water, and red. nosed man In specta-
cles was looking at him.
"A fine specimen of fresh water ur.
ehiu,' said the red-nosed man.
Il ain't urchin, cried Tommy, in.
dignantly.
See him open his mouth! How ug-
ly he is!' ~ %
Tommy looked around for some
thing 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
your
I'm not your cousin sad Tommy,
drawing himself up.
'Oh! he says he is not my eousin!
squeaked the hermit crab, 30 loudly
that the skates came to see what was
the matter.
You're horrid ugly thing!' scream
ed Tommy. i saw YOU yesterday
pinching poor little crab, and pokine
your old claws into his she'll. pm moi
voalr cousin
Nov, just hear thatp said the her
NIT crab, with q wicked smile. Here!
an urchin who pinches his little broth
er, pulls his hair, and takes his peanuts
away, and yet he declares he is not my
cousin! Nonsense! OF course you are
Come sloDg.'
He was just stretching cut his claws
to drag Tommy of the bit OF seaweed
when two little sea urchins came roll.
iug along, and said:
why, here's cousin Tommy!'
Go way! exclaimed Tommy. .
never was such an ugly, prickly thing
like q chestnut burr
'Ugiy, prickly thing, indeedp criet
the sea urchins. Didn't you pain you
Door mamma with your naughty
prickly telnper-you ugly little fresh
water urchini' and both the sea ur
chins gave him great pokes with tnei
sharp spiny sides, and then rollet
away, laughing at his pain.
They had no sooner gone, than ul
came Q whole family of thin, little al
1ligators, and with them whole famil.
of seals, giggling, bouncing up ant
idowB, and eating mince pie.
Tommy, how d. ye do? How d. y
do, Tommy? said they sll.
They looked 40 mischievous and 81
big, that Tommy began to cry.
| Cry baby-cryl Haven't any pie!
sang all the fat little seals and thil
little alligators, jumping at him ant
trying to bite his toes, till Tommy wa
frightened half to death.
1 Just as he was sure they were gOinI
to eat him, something wonderful hap
ipened. A beautiful sea horse, with
,silver bride, came floating down, le'
by the loveliest little mermaid tina
ever was seen. And as she Came clos
to Tommy, she said:
Poor Tommy Come with me
Mount my little friend here, and W
will take you away frOm these tormen
tors.'
4 So Tommy got upon the sea horse
back ,-and he just fitted there nicely
which surprised him till he remember
ed that since he had become fres
water urchin, he had grown yer.
small.
They pranced away from the seal
and slligators, and all the skates smile,
pleasantly as they passed. 500
they came to the mermaid's house;
large pink eonch shell, with seawee'
climbing over 1t, and long avenue
marked by rows of pink sea anemones
! leading up to it. The sea-anemone
bowed, and waved their fringes to tn
mermaid, and welcomed her home.
II have here poor little urchil
who has been naughty, and has beel
punished; but now he will be good an,
happy, said the mermaid.
Then they went into the cOnch- shell
and around and around, and up tn
spiral stairs, that were pinked at ever,
step, till at last the mermaid put Tom
my into little bed like a rosy pinl
sunset, and kissed him good night.