The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-06-15
The Little Folks Column.
Mittens.

wear mltteDS, ana not gloves ike
grown persons? Listen, and l will
tell you.
Once upon time mother went
out aud said to the five little fin
gers "Children, when l am not
at home, behave well and do what
| tell you. III YOU are kind and
obedient, l will bring each of you
a little honse, where you can live
when it is cold winter
"Oh, mother!" exclaimed the
fingers, "we will certainly mind !;
only tell us what we must do.
Then the mother answered:
THE fore-finger must point abroad,
The middle finger can only noo.
Third finger strict guard must keep
Lest the little one into mischief creep;
The baby thumb must watch and see
That all the rest obedient be-
"Now, go, mother, DEAR" said
the forefnger, 81 will certainly be
attentive and point prettily, if you
will only bring me something"
Then the middle finger cried out,
81 promise to be polite and bow
nicely If you will bring me little
house, too, for / am the biggest
one!
81 will certainly keep watch that
my little brother does not get into
mischief" cried the ring finger;
but my house must be the prettiest
OF all +"
No, minel" exclaimed the little
finger; "mine must be prettier than
all the rest-then l won't make a
bit of noise"
But the baby thumb only said,
Mother, dear, l will do just what
you say!"
But their mother had only been
gone a few minutes, when the fore
finger exclaimed:
sit is very stupid and tedious to
be so good, and to point all the
time. l want to rest minute" SO
he lay down.
"Ah, you lazy thingl" said the
middle finger; sit is much more
fatiguing to be so Industrious, and
bow all the time, and he was go
ing to lie down, too; but the fore
finger jumped up, and gave him a
blow, crying, chow dare you ind
fault with mel You are lazy your
sell. you wicked boy?'
Then the middle-huger struck
him again, the fore finger returned
it; and who knows how long they
might have fought, if the iing-
finger had not called out:
Amt you ashamed of YOUR
selves! One of you is as bud as the
other. See how | torture myself
and stand here, keeping watch
all the time. | mean to stop and
rest, and let you great fellows keep
guard over your little brother =
What" exclaimed the fore
finger and middle-hnger, ''you lit
tie rouge, do you pretend to die
tate and find fault with your broth
ersr There stop noww
Then they both began to beat
the ring finger. He turned with
all his strength, and struck the hit
tie finger. which he had the care
of. The little one gave a dreadful
scream, and began to scratch, as
well as he could. But just as they
were III the hottest of tue fight the
door opened and the mother came
in.
Oh, how frightened the naughty
fingers were! They hung their
heads, and were so ashamed they
could not speak.
Finally, the middle-fnger said
that the ore-finger was lazy, and
he would not allow it. But the
fore-fingerSslaid the blame ON the |
middle-fnger, and said he began
the quarrel. The ring-flnger then |
blamed them both, and the little |
finger complained of all.
Then their mother spoke, and |
said:
"You are four naughty, disobe-
dent children, who deserve TO be |
punished. See here, what ] have
brought for your And she drew
a beautiful glove ont of her pocket. |
On it was found five houses, just
as large as the FIVE fingers. One
for the thumb, one for the fore
finger, one for the middle finger,
one for the ring finger, and one
for the little finger.
but you cannot have these
pretty houses now" said the moth
er. Then she went out, and soon
with another lind Of /