The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-17
This Little Pig Went to Market. "
BY ALBRo ooLLINGwooD.

Of all the odd little girls in the world, l
think Lille White must have been the oldest;
why really she was 80 fond Of spiders and
beetles that her mother could hardly get her
to leave them long enough to run on an er-
rand for her. Indeed, it makes strange
chill run through me to have to tell of her
fondneSs for such. ugly creatures but
stranger than all, she thought they were
beautiful, and in quiet nook in the garden,
hid under currant bush, Lille kept fam
lily of curious bugs in box, which she play
ed with instead of dolls. Then, too, she had
names for each one; one beautifully colored
bug, with bright spots on bis wings, was
named " Lady Bird" another that was not
blest with such delicate fuery, Lille called
"Scratcher. And this is the way she talked
to them: snow, Scratcher, you ugly thing,
want you to stay in the corner OF your
house, or you might scratch the lovely blue
off of Lady Birds wings; and you, Lady
Bird, my beauty, don't you hurt Scratcher,
for if he is ugly love him very much,
Indeed, Lille was so fond of her pets that
one day she quite forgot to carry old Mrs.
Dean basket of fresh eggs her mother had
saved for her, and it was not until she had
grown tired of playing, that she remembered
what she had been told to do. So she very
quickly slipped on her hatand walked away
to the market to leave her basket with the
woman who was going to sell them. She
had not gone very far when she began to
walk through the long grass, kicking it as
she sauutered along, swinging her basket il
one hand and her hat in the other, and look
ing this way and all around to find something
to add to her happy family, and finally she
bounced right on an ugly toad. Down went
the basket into the grass, and down Lille sat
beside the toad. "Oh,! you ugly green
eyed monster" she exclaimed, "what fun it
will be to put you into my box where keep
nv family l guess you little thought five
minutes ago what great big giant was COM
ing to carry you off! Now, sir, come right
here in my hat that will make fine cradle
to carry you home in, and can easily walk
such little way without hat"
1 wish you could just have seen her as she
walked along with the toad in her hat; many
little girls would have been afraid of such an
ugly creature, but Lille never thought Of
such a thing No, indeed not she. She
only hurried home as fast as she could 60,
and over to her box, which she divided into
two parts, fearing such a huge neighbor
would greatly terrify her small sized pets.
"Ah, my beauties" she exclaimed, "see
what charming fellow have brought to
keep you company Now we Willprsy he is
an ogre, like read of in the story book, and
will be the fairy who saved the lovely lady,
and oh such a splendid time we will have.
So they played and played till the shadows
began to fall, and Lilies maid came out to
tell her tea was waiting.
eyes, in a minute" said Lille, and with
couple Of bounds she burst open the dining
room door and told her papa and mamma
the splendid time she had been having.
And what did Mrs. Dean say, daughter3'
asked her mamma.
"Oh, mamma" cried Lille, perfectly
aghast at what she had done, "indeed in
deed I really forgot the eggs and left them
lying in the road, because froggy was such a
fine fellow. On, mamma! do please forgive
me. I am very, very sorry"
"My dear little daughter" cried her
father drawing her to him, what must be
done with little girls who will forget 7"
ooh, papa," Lille sobbed, "yOu will for
give me, know. l never will forget again,
no. not for all the toads in the world -
But where were the eggs? Well, sus-
pect somebody found them and carried them
home, and as for Lille, she did not forget
very soon again, though whenever she re-
membered her forgetfulness she always add
ed, "but froggy was such splendid fellow,
how could I ever have left him lying there?"