The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-08-20
READING FOR LITTLE FOLKS.
The Little Black Demon.
lLesIie Thorne.1

II meant. II meant tnat Sne was out OF
temper
"Violet is angry again." thought Aunt
Peggy, with sigh But she looked up from
her work, and asked, pleasantly:
"Well, what is the matter now?"
sIt's those hateful Maynard children" said
Violet with face as red as fire. Il never
never will play with them againi"
"Well,' said Aunt Peggy, thoughtfully,
tsthis is very strange, Very strange indeed"
what is stranger asked Violet.
"Nelly Brewster was playing with you
yesterday, and she didn't suit you. The two
little Towards went home the day before, be-
cause you did not choose to play with
them. All the children are always in the
wrong, and you are always in the right
How wicked and unreasonable they must be
and how very perfect little child you arel"
Violet hung down her head, and looked
ashamed.
81 can't help it, Aunt Peggy said She
'.Are you quite sure of that?" said Aunt
Peggy.
co. said Aunt Peggy. eIts your temper
again, is it?'
Violet nodded her head, with one plump
little finger in her mouth.
sViolet, said her aunt, "yeu remind me of
a story / once read, when i was child
"What sort of story?" said Violet, who
always pricked UP her ears at anything of
this sort.
'Of little girl who always went through
the world With hideous little black demon
perched upon her shoulders-and of how this
demon tormented her until she determined to
battle with it and conquer itr'
'sAnd did she?" said Violet, with her mouth
and eyes wide open.
saOh yes she cOnnuprad II hut She had a
hard fight of it at first. Now. you see, you
have a little black demon perched on your
shoulderl''
my temper?" said Violet.
ssYes, your temper said Aunt Peggy at
follows you around, everywhere. 1t makes
you miserable and it makes all around you
miserable. Now, Violet, don't you think you
can conquer it?'
II don't know" said Violet, slowly "But
I've great mind to tryl
She went up stairs to her room where she
had built little doll house of blocks. Bird
get, the maid had come there to feed the
canaries, and had accidentally upset part
of this fanciful little edifce.
bridget, you hateful thingl' cried Violet,
stamping her foot on the floor. How dare
you knock over my doll huse?"
'Violetl Violet!'' called out her aunt.
Violet threw herself down in a heap of blue
.delaine founces ON the floor, and burst into
tears.
at isn't me, Aunt Peggy" sobbed she;
ats the little black demonF'
She shut her teeth very tight, and clenched
her hands, as she spoke.
'But I'll conquer him." she added and
she did. For, five minutes after, she went
smiling down into the kitchen.
Bridget" said she, Pm sorry l spoke so
Grossly to YOU about the doll house.
don't believe you meant TO knock it down.
ssBless your dear little heart, miss" said
Bridget, ''and sure Eli build it up again the
first leisure minute l getP
Just before tea, Violet was playing with
the Kitten when it scratched her handl In
stantly she caught it up, and flew out of the
room.
"Where are you going, Violet?" said Aunt
Peggy.
"Im going to drown this horrid kitten in
the pond" said Violet, with very red face
and eyes that glittered like Goals of fire. ''Ii
has dared to scratch me, and hate it'
Aunt Peggy looked mournfully at the
little girl.
"Oh, Vio1etl' said she, 81 can see the lit
tie black demon very plainly nowr'
Violet looked ashamed, and dropped the
kitten on the floor.
4'Aunt Peggy" said she. 'there's no use
Hclp my temper!
And she rushed up stairs into the garnet
where there was solitary corner, which wa
always called "Violet's place
''Oh, you hateful creatureI' she cried ou
aloud, looking at herself in little looking
glass, which had once belonged to the lid O.
q broken work box. .sOh, you red-nssed
swelled-eyed, snake-faced thing I hat,
you'll despise you'll You can't keep you
temper a single hourl L will conquer you
or I'll know the reason why"
And Violet danced about on the garre
floor, pulling at her poor little curls, until tn
tears came into her eyes, and pinching he
fat cheeks numerically. Aunt Peggy, stand
ing at the foot of the staircase, heard tn
scommotion, and smiled quietly to herself.
When Violet came down again she was yer,
quiet and subdued and sat down quite meek
iy to her patchwork. Presently little john,
came in
ssOh, Violet. said he, ssI'm awfuIly sorry
but and Bill Betson were chasing each othe
in the garden, just now, and fell over you
rose-tree, and broke the top off.
Violet sprang up in great rage.
'You hateful, clumsy blockhead, sal,
she.
"You needn't call names" said Johnny.
s"But will call Names sputtered Violet
~sclumsy, laundering, awkward"
But just here, in the mid-torrent of he
wrath, she CHANGED to catch Aunt Peggy
eye fixed upon her in mild reproach.
1.-THE little black demon again." cried sh
and away she darted once more to tn
secluded nook in the garnet, where sh
bumped her head against the beams ofthe room
until she seemed to see whole circle of star
dancing around her.
I'll kill you, you horrid thingl' she criet
out 81 won't let you rule over Iae sol'
And Johnny was very much astonishet