Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-12-18
YOUTHS COLUMN.

Kathleen. Kathleen was the little
mother in the house among all the chill
dren. No one ever thought of putting
anything away but Kathleen; and, as
her arrangements were not very exact,
the businss Of bringing the possessions
of the schoolroom inmates TO anything
like order grew more difficult every day.
Kathleen read the words of the text
as she put the card in its place, "What-
soever thy hand findeth to do, do il with
thy might"
"My hands find so many things to
do" she said to herself, as she opened
her books in the window. seat; "and
the worst of 1t is, they are generally
the wrong things-things | had better
leave alone, and not try to do, though
they look so very nice and interesting
when they first come into my mind. 1t
really is very puzzling, now that there
is no dear mamma to tell me what to
leave alone and what to do with my
might. Madame Van Largerstrom says
| am just to do as l am bid, and learn
my own lessons and not interfere and
mix up with other people. That's what
Tommy and Magda do; they just go
straight on with their own business or
amusement, and never seem to see what
is going on about them, or to know what
any one else wants. 1t does very well
fer them, l suppose; but, oh, dear! |
don't think it would do for me. Ratcli-
ffe would call me selfish; he calls me
fussy now, but selfish would be worse
than fussy. think l should feel selfish,
too, and | don't see how things could
20 on, for there must be some one just
to do the little odds and ends that want
doing, and to look about aud be ready.
| wonder which is worst, to make as
many mistakes and messes as do, or to
leave things inst to take their chance.
wish knew"
When Kathleen reached this thought.
she laid her heod down on the great
dictionary she had opened on a chair
before her, and the sOrrOwful cry,
which was oftener i'm her heart than
any one who saw her merry face could
have supposed, rose once more: "Mam-
ma, mamma, darling mamma, why did
you die aud leave yOHr poor little chill
dren? How can we know what to do
without you teach us?"
After minute or two, however, she
lifted up her head. wiped the tears
from her eyes, found the place in the
book, and set to work diligently to
make the most of the short hour bed
time, She had remembered some words
their mother had spoken TO them dur
ing the last Sunday afternoon lessons
they had had with her about the Divine
Guide and Helper TO whom the young
est child might at any moment turn
with certainty of being heard and un-
derstoOd, and ray of comfort and
strength had come into her heart. She
resolved that she would not puzzle her
self by thinking about all her difficult
ties at once. Ii was at all events clear
tnat Ratcliffe's Latin lesson had better
be learned properly, and she determin-
ed not to lose the chance of helping him
TO prepare it in the thorough way her
father liked.
She was surprised to find how beauti-
fully the words htted into each other,
ana how clear the words became when
she gave her mind to what she was do
ing, and by the time Ratty returne
iroI. his ride she was in hign spirits at
the success of her study. She rushed
down stairs TO meet him in the hall,
calling out: sits all right, Ratty-l'ye
made II all right. Papa won't like to see
the books brought down tonight, but
I'll call you early in the morning and
show you what lovely sense I'ye made
of it,"
Poor Kathleen went to bed full of her
self lf-irnposed duties and reused the
whole household by tumbling down
stairs with pile Of grammsrs and die
tiOnaries in her arms, at half past three
O'Clock the next morning, and fright
ening every one in the house by the
noise of her fall. Her father picked her
up at the bottom of the third flight OF
stairs very much bruised, but FORUM
ately with no bones broken.
She was extremely penitent when
she heard what O'Clock it was. she
had been so afraid of Oversleeping her
self. she explained, that she had jump
ed out of bed and dressed without OBJ
serving how little light there was; she
had promised to call the boys in time
for them to study an hour before break
fast, and she would not have been late
for the whole world.
And she had taken all their books for
them in the goodness of her heart.