The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-16
T0MMY'S COUSINS.

peanuts from him lie had sat down on
Susie's lovely doll and tlattencd her nose,
and he had put the kitten on top of the
book case. He had even been saucy and
hateful to his dear mamma, when she
asked if her little boy felt quite well, or
if his long visit to the aquarium yester-
day had tired him Instead of answer
ing pleasantly Tommy had hunched up
his shoulders, showed out his. elbows,
and snapped out, fiercely;
ono; l amt tired, and I ain't cross,
either" , ..a.,. ~
Everyone was glad when bedtime
came, and Master Tommy was taken up.
stairs.
81 do declare, Master Tommy, you'll
turn into a nasty, snappy turtle, or a
crab, Some of these nights when you're so
cross" said nurse. .... .
Poohw said Tommy, 81 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 his bed.
Nurse thought he had become very
quiet all at once, and as she babe him
Goodnight" she wondered if he was up
to more mischief But he was already
snoring as she reached the door.
AS soon as she had gone downstairs
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 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 blank
cts and wished he was crab.
I'D crawl right down and bite nurse
now" he thought. wonder how it
would feel to be turtle, or a crab, or
a-a-"
"A very fine specimen indeed" said a
gruff, strange voice.
Tommy looked around. Where was
he? Where was his bed, and his room
with blue paper on the walls?
80 my! what IS the matter?" cried
Tommy. He was sitting upon bit of
sea-weed, in a great glass case full of
water, and a rednosed man in spectacles
was looking at him ... ....
A fine specimen of fresh-water
urchin," said the red-nosed man.
" l amt urchin," cried Tommy, in
dignantly, .I, .r,.ls-.'...
See him open his mouth! How ugly
he is!' exclaimed a 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
your
I'm not your cousin, said Tommy,
drawing himself up.
"Oho! He says he is not my cousinr
squeaked the hermit crab, so loudly that
all the skates came to see what was the
matter
You're ahorrid ugly thing" screamed
Tommy. " | saw you yesterday pinch
ing poor little crab, and pOking your
old claws into his shell. I'm not y0u7
cousin"
Now, just hear thatw said the her.
NIT crab, with a wicked smile. " Here
is an urchin who pinches 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" ..... ...r
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's Cousin Tommy"
Go 'wayp exclaimed Tommy. "l
never was such an ugly, prickly thing
like a chestnut bur"
. ugly prickly thing, indeed" cried
the seaurchins. Didn't you pain YOU
poor mamma with your naughty, prickly
temper you ugly little fresh water
urchin" And both the seaurchins gave
him great pokes with their sharp, spipy
sides, and then rolled away, laughing al
his pain n.gg 'H tr ''..
They had no soonergo than upcamC
whole family of thin little alligators
and with them whole family of fa
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 bis
that Tommy began to cry.
"Cry, baby--cryl Havn't any pier
sang all the fat little seals and thin little
alligators, 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 cat him, something wonderful hap
pened. A beautiful sea-horse, with &
silver bride, came floating down, led by
the .loyeliest little mermaid that ever was
seen. And as she came close to Tommy
she said:
"Poor Tommy! Come with me
Mount my little friend here and we will
take you away from these tormentors,"
So Tommy got upon the sea-horse's
back, and he just fitted there nicely,
which surprised him, till he remembered
that since he had become fresh-wa
urchin he had grown very small.
They pranced away from the seals and
alligators, and all the skates smiled
pleasantly as they passed. Soon they
came to the mermaid's house-a large
pink conch shell with sea-weed climbing
over it, and long avenue, marked by
rows of pink sea-anemones, leading up
to it. The sea-anemones bowed and