Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-01-03
The New Leaves, and How They Were
Turned over for the New Year.

ne NeN NsehNfhi anu HOW ney W gEf
Turned over for the New Year.
Come girls, said Priscilla, "and you too
Willie and Harvey and George let us 90 into
the parlor and settle everything for this New
Year. We will sit in ring, and little En-
mie shall sit in the middle, and then each one
must say just what new leaf she is going to
turn over (uud you. too Willie aud Harvey
and Gcorgc) and viii write them down. 50
that we shan't forget
Priscilla was very mothudiral girl, ard as
She was older than Tia, other children She Of
ten cudcn, orcd to got them to adopt her ways
and habits. Sometimes she succeeded, and
sometimes she failed very badly indeed. But
this was New Years day and as all the chill
drtn tclt very much Ike turning over new
leaves they very readily followed Miss Priscilla
into the parior, and there they sat down in II
ring and littl, Emmic snt ia the middle. En-
mic was 50 much younger than any of the
rest that they gave her pencil and a sheet
Of paper that she might Hmuse herself, and,
while the others held solemn council she
drew bewildcring "pusses' aud impossible
mice, with tails like great streaks Of light
ming
Now, said Priscilla, ''you begin, Kitty.
You must tell what your worst fault is and
promise yuu wont do it, whatever it is, for a
whole year. Now, tell it, and | will put it
down.
II don't know what it is, said Kitty, with
the most innocent air in the world
"Oh but you must know, said Priscilla.
"If you can't think Of your own worst fault,
tell Us your next worst
II cant think of any" said Kitty.
Nov, Kitty you don't mean to say you
haven't any faults at all; For one thing you
know you're an awful tease. Shall put that
down =
"Yes, said Kitty.
Aud 80 Priscilla wrote down in her little
book, under the head Of New Leaves" that
Kitty would not tease any one for the space
of one year.
Jane Conway was the next girl, and she
had had lecture the day before from her
mother. SO she promptly admitted tlat her
greatest fault was soltshnoss and that she
was going TO turn over a new leaf for the
coming year.
This was scarcely entered 10y precise Pris-
ella, before little Emnie got up from her
stool, and approaching Kitty, presented her
with her pencil and paper, and desired her
to make mamma"
Now, that won't do, Emne," said Pris-
cilla ''you must sit down and make your
own pictures, or We shall have to send you
upstairs And herewith she conducted
Emmie back to her stool
Now one Of the boys ought to say" re-
marked Priscilla. Harvey, what is your
greatest fault =
II haven't any" said Harvey, as bold as
lion
"Oh oh oh :" cried all the children.
"Wcll, what is il, now?" said Harvey,
looking dofautly around the circle.
playing truant 80 shouted the company.
Harvey looked down abash,d for a mo-
mont, and then he said wei, you may
turn that over
After much discussion two of the girls
promised TO turn over new leaves, one in re-
gard to vanity Oterned by her companions
putting on airs, ~ and the other in respect to
sundry Yantry deprt dations, for which she
was somewhat famous.
And then little Emmie came straight up to
Priscilla herself, and asked her to make
Pauline" Pauline was Emmie's baby sister,
and her portrait, no matter how vague, was
always acceptable.
Now you must 30 upstairs" said Pris-
ella.
"Oh, no! :" cried some of the other chill
dren; 'let her stay. She'll be quiet"
but she's big enough to know she oughtn't
to bother people so, said Priscilla. IF |
let you stay here, Emmie, will you promise
to stop asking people all the time to make
things for you -
YES, maam," said Emmic, and she nod
d,d vigorously her little head. And so that
new leaf was entered for Emmie.
Now, then, George said the young lady
who was president and 5, ,cr,tary of the soci-
ETY., and would have been treasurer, too had
there been any money, What il your fault
George ?"
"Prcposterousuess, answered George.
What do you mean by that = asked Pris-
ella, aud all the children laughed.
Il mean what say said George. "Fa-
ther told me yesterday that | was the most
preposterous boy in the world
Several other new leaves were registered,
and then Priscilla entered her determination
to reform i'll the matter of sometimes getting
late to school; thinking of her clothes il
church spending money foolishly when she
ought to give it to the missionaries, and de
clarcd besides her intention Of putting down
some other things as soon as she could ar
range them in her mind.
Now, then" said she, shutting up her
book, all this is to hold good for whole
year Will you all remember that =
''Oh ! yes said the children, and the
thing was settled.
And then came little EmInie to Priscilla,
with her paper Make Pauline said she,
and buttons on"
The children all burst out laughing and |
Priscilla, with Il dnrkcncd brow, opened her |
book to cross out Emmics entry but just
then her grandfather, who had been standing |
at the door, unnoticod 10y the children, step !
ped up to her and put his hand upon her
shoulder
Stop, Priscilla, said he. you are six
times older than Emmie, and | am six times |
older than you. Put me down for a new leaf
want to be more tolerant of the faults of |
others. Please enter that in your book and |
do not cross out my resolve or Emmie's, uu-
til you are sure we are not willing TO renew |
them. The right way to turn over a new |
leaf is to keep turning il over as often as it is
turned back. Win you RENE mber that"
And it is to be hoped Priscilla did remem-
Der it.