The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-17
!. Good night, Clarie," went out of the

!" Good night. Clarie," went out of the
room.
Mamma took the lamp from the table
and set it up on the high mantel-shen
and turned the blaze down, just as she
always did when she went to bed. She
walked to where Clarence sat with his
kitten in his arms, and STOPPING down.
kissed the little boy, and, saying
"Good night" left him alone.
Clarence did not return his mammals
kiss-he wanted to, but something was
in his throat, and if he had tried to, he
was sure he could not keep from cry
When his mother had gone, he tried
to think of all the nice things that he
used to imagine he would do If he could
only sit up long enough. Somehow
not one of them seemed pleasant now.
He thought he would whittle, and he
took his knife and little stick out OF
his pocket. But what if he should cut
himself as he sometimes had done, and
nobody there to do up his finger. Per
haps he would bleed to death! He had
heard of peoples bleeding to death.
Pshaw! What queer things he thought
of! He had just learned how to whistle,
and to-day in school-was it to-daye
why it seemed long. long while ago
Jimmy Bristol, who was year older,
told him he could whistle now as well
as he could himself. He tried to begin
but it made such noise he had to
stop. How dreadfully still everything
was!
Kitty had gone to sleep in his lap as
he sat in his little rocker in front Of the
stove. His poor head felt so heavy
he wished he could lie down on the
floor. But then he knew he would 90
to sleep, and what was the use of boys
sitting up if he did not keep awake? He
made desperate effort to 60 to mann
mas work basket and get her ball of
mending-cotton. He dropped kitty
roughly out of his lap. as he got up, for
he felt vexed at her for going to sleep
and not caring for his trouble. He
walked to mammals basket. The floor
creaked as he crossed it, as if some one
were walking behind him. 1t startled
him-he had never heard it do SO be-
fore and when he had got the ball, he
could not tell why, but instead of roll
ing it about the room, for kitty to chase,
he crept as softly as possible back to his
chair. When kitty jumped into his lap,
glad to roll herself up in her warm nest,
little Clarence's head bowed down and
his tears fell fast upon her soft fur.
Oh how lonely and wretched he felt!
How long must he sit up? He had for
gotten to ask mamma. Was it most
morning? He looked toward the win
dow. Just then the clock struck; he
counted, twelve! 1t was so dismal to
have to sit here, with everybody fast
asleep. He thought of his own pretty
room and his little white bed SO soft
and warm, and he could not keep back
the great sobs.
He could bear it no longer! Putting
kitty on the cushion in his rocker, he
crept softly to his mothers door and.
giving a timid little knock, he stood
listening to the ticks of the clock in the
hall, they sounded 80 loud and strange.
In a moment, mamma who had been
waiting all the time for her little boy,
opened the door, and Clarence threw
himself into. her arms, with tears and
sobs and yet with such joy and gladness
as he had never felt before.
"Dear mamma, oh, how glad l am
you woke up. I was afraid you were
so sound asleep that you wouldn't hear
me. Please let me 60 to bed-I will
never, never again"
"Never mind tonight, Clarie," said
kind mamma, as she quickly undressed
him and tucked him in his crib, and
after he had loosened his arms round
her neck and from giving her half
dozen kisses. when she left the room,
for very gladness he Rugged and kissed
his little pillow. Now that he was 50
happy in bed he meant to think about
it all, but somehow he didn't.
The very next thing he knew, man.
mas voice had awakened him, the sun
shine was streaming merrily across the
carpet, and though it was very late in
the morning he had to rub his eyes once
or twice before he could remember Just
how it all was.
"How does my little boy feel this
morning?" asked his mother.
80 mamma, am sure l shall never
again want to sit up all night; why. you
don't know how dreadful it was, when
everybody was gone to bed and l was
left there all alone"
Il know it, my poor child; I felt
very sorry for you, but 1 could not help
you till you were ready to be helped"
"Tell me, mamma, why did 1 not
have good time, as 1 expected l
should? l didn't enjoy myself bit"
because, my child, you insisted on
having your own will gratifed. though
it was in opposition to the judgment
and wishes of your mother, who knew
much better than her little boy what
things were calculated to make him
happy. And if you do not learn to trust
mothers love and wisdom in things
that yeu have not tried, you will, see
many more miserable evenings than the