River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-06-06


plump white one, evidently quite hurt
both in flesh and feelings.
"Wouldnt kiss your hands," exclaimed
her listeners wonderingly. "What do you
mean, ANY, What a queer idea
/ was as much interested as either OF
the children. and, peeping through the
vines clustering about the window, quite
safe from childish observation, listened
| for Amys explanation.
aMamma always kisses my hands
when they haven't been naughty, and i
is naughty to strike. That little girl
mamma won't kiss her hands tonight,
will she2n Amy's blue eyes looked up IN
to the faces around her, and, full OF won
| derment at her words, the sympathetic
children kissed and pitied her to her
hearts content.
Then went out and talked to the ut
one, with new respect for the pure mo-
| Their whom more than ever desired &c
know. s'Will you take me to your house
dearg' | asked, offering nay hand with
smile, and STOPPING to kiss the small
grieved face. !.
chorus, "what do you think That Sal
lie Jones struck Amy real hard on her
arm and hand Just because Amy didn't
want to walk with her! Wasn't 1t the
zedaest thingf'
| agreed rather Indignantly that it acas
the meanest thing, and then we walked
along the road TO where Amy's mother
lived At my suggestion the children
remained outside while / made my long
intended call upon Mrs. Horton. After
awhile l repeated Amys remark, and
asking pardon for curiosity, begged to
know more about the sweet idea Mrs.
Horton laughed, but saw the glisten OF
tears in her eyes as she replied:
May be | am foolish, Mrs. -
but ever since my little one was given me
| have loved to kiss the little baby hands
as well as the baby lips. l used
to lay the soft little pink palms uEon my
mouth and kiss them till my baby
laughed.
Gas she grew older | still kept up the
custom, and when night came and un-
dressing her l failed to kiss the little
hands, Amy knew that 1t was because they
were not quite clean from naughtiness.
IF they had been lifted in anger during
the day, if they had struck at nursie or a
little playmate, mamma could not kiss
them because they were not clean. And to
miss the kiss was very hard for my baby,
| assure you. 1t was tbs same with the
little lips. II a naughty word had escaped
them | mean soi{fullp naughty words
or if my little girl had not spoken quite
the truth during the day, would not
kiss the lips; although / Glaodys kissed
bo,. ~ ,haoIyc ard foraboaJ snova, allow
ing her to go u1lkissed to bed. But she
cared more for kisses on hands and lips
than for anything else IN the world, |
believe; my loving little Amy! And
gradually the naughty ways were done
away with, and each night my baby
would say, TEAM hannies tonight,
mamma! Team hannies for 90 to tissi"
"And even now-though she is five
years old keep up custom which she
has known from her birth, because |
think it helps her try to be good, You
will laugh, maybe, Mrs. -, but l do
want my little girl to grow up pure and
sweet; and if the love of mammals kisses
can keep, by Gods help, the little hands,
lips and heart, clean, think shall con-
tinue the custom until Army is old
enough to understand fully things too
hard for her has yet"
My own eyes were fearful when Mrs.
Horizons sweet voice ceased, and | envied
little Amy her beautiful young mothers
companionship. Did think it foolish
idea? All, no indeed! But the truest,
swee' est custom in the world keeping
her small hands clean for mammals good
night kiss; and that is why Sallie Jones
was not "paid in her own CON-" as the
saying is. That is why the sweet lips
made no angry reply Mammals kiss
was to precious thing to be given up for
the qualification of one moment OF evil
speaking. Dear little Amy i--Ndry D.
Brine, in Wjde-Atcdbe.