Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-01-15
YOUTHS COLUMN.

Poor Little Beth.-"Come, Sissie, be &
good girl and
But Sissie put her fingers in her earl
and bent still lower over her book.
"It's no use, Beth" she interrupted
81 can't mend your dolls dress, mol
play cats cradle, nor anything; I've
got to learn this lesson. Perhaps some
time before Pm fifty years old, I'll be
through; L don't know" and, with s
sigh, she began studying again.
Wee Bethie frowned; Indignantly
she drummed on the window-pane
kicked at her building-blocks. and triec
her best to drown Sissie's hum. De-
lighted at what she thought her success
she turned suddenly TO see the book on
the floor, and Sissie fast asleep.
Very pitifully Beth's eyes rested on
the sleeper; very wrathfully on the
open book.
"Ugly black things!" said she. "And
Sissie says l will have to learn 'em, toe
oh, dear; and Beth picked up the
speller and soberly turned its leaves
But presently her face brigtened; with
a chuckle she danced over to the CRATE
and laid it on the burning Goals.
Such jolly blaze! Bethie clapped
her hands; she skipped excitedly round
the room.
"Sissie-Sissie,' she cried, ''there
amt no more ugly bookl It's burned
up. Oh, Sissie amt you glad?"
1t took sleepy Sissie some time to see
but when she realized that the hard les
son was saved her that day at least, she
could not help burst OF joy, she, too.
tripped her feet high iii the dance
which would have lasted till-dear
knows when, had not Aunt Doty' S as
tonished countenance suddenly appear
ed i'm the door.
This brought Sissie to a stand-stili.
"Beth will be punished" she thought.
"Oh, Anutie," she began. But Beth
interrupted.
"Ain't no more ugly book, she cried.
"lt's burned up, and oh, amt Sissle
glad !" and careless of consequences she
continued the wild dance round the
| room.
beth is naughty girl, and must be
punished spoke Aunt Doty sternly'
''There'll be plum jam for tea, but not
bit for her,"
Poor little Beth! No plum jam for
her! All the punishment in the world
could not equal these few words.
.'Oh, Sissie 7" was all she could say,
and then she ran off, refusing 10 be
comforted even by that maids promise,
not TO eat single plum.
The supper was a dreary affair. Aunt
Doty kept her word; but so did Sissie,
and this last was the sole crumb of CON-
fort that little Beth had.
s'It was dreadful" she said to Sissie,
as later they sat by the CRATE, "but
amt sorry L burnded the book. The
ugly thing-oh, Sissie, amt you awful
glad ?" and Beth blinked triumphantly
at the ashes of the speller that lay on
the pan beneath.
Next morning Sissie carried TO school
a written excuse for her lesson, very
happy little girl for the respite it gave.
"Poor Bethie," she thought, ''she
thinks it'll be for good!"
Poor Bethie, indeed! She came, al
noon time, to meet Sissie, with q very
doleful face.
"Oh, Sissie," she said, sit don't dc
no good, at all! Oh, my Sissie, there's
another learnin' book growed." and
Beth took from under her apron the
crisp new speller she had found on the
mantla-sheif.
Sissie regarded 1t with aught but low
ing eyes.
ats no use, Bethie," she replied,
''they'l keep growing all the time,
every year bigger and bigger; and, she
added after a sigh, 81 don't see but
we'll have to learn 'em, Bethie, dear. y
Poor little Beth!