The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-10-18
Child Marian i,s Mischief

These happy little heads will grow p"
Mrs. Clara Doty Bates, an October W5de-Aacake.
Child Marian Ia. Mischief.
What golden days they were-those
early summer days in the Austrian cap
ital, and what sights we saw, and what
adventures we had, and how lovely
Marian grew in the bracing air, and how
we loved her more and more as the
weeks went on ! Weu-no-we didn't
mind her mischief very much, because,
you see, she never meant to be mischiev-
Gus, and that makes all the difference in
the world. She generally thought she
was doing right-and her little pranks
We're almost always mere errors Of judg-
ment
She would never have cut off Harry's
long hair but that she thought it would
be more becoming and comfortable short.
She would never have pinned red stripes
to the shoulders of my dress coat-which
wore to court reception, and wasn't
aware they were there until fellow
countryman asked me if they were pair
of young shoulder-straps. And Tn sure
she didn't mean any harm when she put
box of toilet-powder into the hat of
distinguished United States officer who
came to call on us, and lie, poor man,
who was nothing if not dignifed, and
not much if he was, felt very angry when
his red face and bald head and black
coat received white shower. We were
very much mortified at this, and Aunt
Elnor looked very severe and said:
''Marian Marian, why did you do it
it was very naughty and thoughtless ?'
and the little lady replied that she had
only hidden it there for moment from
Harry, and forgotten to take it out-and
she continued:
cit didn't hurt him bit, and it
wasn't half as bad as Harry did-for he
stirred up our mucilage pot with the
old gentleman's umbrella-handle. and
dldn't wipe it off again. Harry was just
going to wipe it off, when he came out of
of the parlor SO mad about the powder
box, and seized the umbrella right out
Harry's hands, before he could tell him
-and-O, my didn't it stick to his
gloves! 20
Aunt Elinor groaned, and no wonder.
And II looked very stern, end said:
Children, I'm surprised, when you
know I charged you to be especially
good while that gentleman was here"
Well" said Marian, beginning to
cry, "we tried to be good, and we went
down into the courtyard to keep out of
mischief, and his carriage was there. and
we climbed in, and we would have staid
there till he came down, only the pins
gave OUT
:" Pins-what do you mean?'' asked
Aunt Elinor.
y, we had a paper of pins, and we
stuck them all in the carriage cushions.
and spelt words with heads: we wrote
Old boy with pin-heads way across the
front seat, and it looked SO well we left
1t for him to see"
Aunt Elinor groaned again.
And we made cat on the back seat
and then Harry made fence all round
her to keep her ina lovely fence We
lifted up the linen cover of the seat
and stuck the pins point upward-and
L do hope he noticed it before he sat
down"
| didn't wait to hear more. but T
seized my hat and hurried off to the
gentleman's house-and found him look
ing very flushed and angry, and as if he
might be just on the point of striking
our names off his visiting-list. did the
best L could with an apology, but the
Old gentleman worked himself into a
towering passion, and said
Its outrageous, si1, outrageous. /
shall not be able to sit down with COM
fort for a week"
| told Marian and Harry what he
sad, and both children looked very
sorry-but surely did the best they
knew how to mend the injury, for when.
few days after, went to search for NV
court plaster case,
Marian looked guilty, and said, very
beseechingly
80, don't be angry with me, dear
Uncle Will sent it to Gen. - with
such nice note"
col OF! O!!r' groaned, and felt
like tearing my hair.
Don't feel 50 badly, dear Uncle Will,
twas very nice note-I have a copy OF
it here and she produced letter that
read as follows
DEAR GENERAL; We are very sorry that you
hurt you when you sat down. We send vor
some ourt-plaster, and hope ii will do Won
good We didn't mean to be outrajus. and We
don't think it was much trouble for you tc ge
the powder out of your hair, because you hay,
so little hair on top of yorr head. and it vii
brush out of that little fringe round the edge
easy enough. Harry say he thinks your heat
very pretty behind it looks just like ostrichef
egg he saw III museum.
Did you see what wrote on your carridg.
cushfng-whle your cotchman was drinkins
beer with or porter? Please send the PIN
back again when you get time.
Don't you think that is q pretty goot
note ?"
Yes, Marian, it is well enough of it
self, but you ought not to have doneit-
you are very naughty to do such things
without asking leave.
"What do you suppose the MAJ
thinks % said Aunt Elinor, hardly know
ing whether to cry or laugh.
s'Oh," said, trying to comfort her