Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-15
Not the "Old, Old Story"

In 0eSpairiug tones. II she could never learn TO
behave herself properly. wouldn't she sometime u,
she expect to run races and elmo trees all her
life. To her sister carrie she was source OF
MoIis's escapades 10 be 80 perfectly horrld and
saying that she should die OF shame, she knew
she should; she could never survive the dis
grace into which Moiiie would some day bring
the entire family. Being herself OF a quieter
temperament and more Subtued spirits, she
could not understand the DuOyant health and
overfow1ng animal spirits that made this vio-
lent exercise a necessity TO the Younger sister.
So she scolded and pleaded tried alternately
the sarcastic and the despairing. reSorted to
Tidlcule and tears. But all TO no purpose. Mol
lie would reply:
Carrie, your tongue can go faster than
mlne-Pu admit that; but I'll wager you five
poands OF candy against pair OF new skates
mat can run half mile In just fifteen
you'd take as much outdoor exercise as / do,
you'd have better temper. Let me, as your
confidential physician, advise you TO Try tree
climbing for month. | am sure you would
ind IL very beneficial"
1.-THE best medicine l could take for my
temper would be for you TO deSst from tina.
form OF exercise; but I've given up ali hope"
"Then, II you've given up nope, pray give up
scoldiBg. too" would be Moliie's response, as
she would saunter Off to find her brother ALT
and tell him Of her latest encounter with their
sister. Now, ALT was the aDetLer and coadjutor
OF everything Mollie did. He praised, to her
utmost desire, all her deeds OF daring, and In
cited her 10 whatever she did not think OF her
self. He thought her wonderful girl, and as
far superior 10 her companions who were afraid
OF tearing their dresses or spelling their CON-
plexiOns, as boys were to girls. In fact, b
placed her on level With Inc average boy
and, when moved to unusual admiration by
some extraordinary feat. he would say:
a. tell you what, MOlie, that's as good as
any boy | know could do, You're f1rSt-cid S.
MOllte. and no mistake
ALI was her only comfort in time OF trouble
the only one TO whom she could go for cJnSOia-
ton when her mother became unusually severe
and her sister unusually de5pairlng Her
father was neutral On the subject. He LEFT ali
matters OF discipline TO his wife having much
confidence In her good judgment and strength
OF Will. Nevertheless he considered &c his duty
TO attempt occasionally what he thought to be
very severe frOSning-doxn upon MUilie'S ex-
uoerant spirits. Upon SIch Oc.;aSl0nS he would
place hand upon each OF her shoulders, and
bringing his mild eyebrows close together, he
would say:
my dear daughter, you should remember
that you are growing up, and that IN few
years you will be young lady: unless you
leave off these boyish habits now, you VIII ind
that their influence VIII remain upon you. and
be source OF great annoyance 10 YOU mere
AFTER"
Molie, with a light laugh, would reply:
My dearest father. let me put off the man
neIs Of the young lady together With her attire.
until the evil day comes. As long as | am
Child let me be child"
But, remember, MOilie, that you have en-
tered your teens and are scarcely CHILD now"
Then MOllie would promise that she would
begin 10 try TO behave a little better, and for
two entire days would prepare her lessons on
the lowest limb OF the apple tree which stood in
The back yard. Instead OF the highest, which she
usually selected, and also steadtaStiy refused to
participate In any whisJling matches with ALI,
unless they were conducted at safe distance
from the ears OF her mother and sister But
usually Mr.. WelmUth said TO his vile 10 private:
- Never mind-let the girl so. Size Will out
grow all these things by and by And In the
she tS HpSpl0piup SElpn6i
And this was the policy Mrs. Welmuth usually
unless moved TO greater severity by
Carries perSua3ions, or some horrifying prank
peIpetTated by MOllie aud ALI. But for some
time MOllie had begun TO be little more sober
In her demeanor TO the great JOY OF all the fam
ly except ALI. He grieyed much that Moll1e
W was about TO become young lady, and remon.
strated With her, accused her Of coTardlce and
upon one occasion even went to the length or
telling her She had no more spunk than other
girls. One morning. going Into the dining
room, Mollie said TO Mrs. Welmuth:
Mother mine, rejoice? Your erring daugh-
ter Is about TO be reclaimed. She proposes from
this time henceforth TO do nothing that isn't
proper to turn her back resoIutely upon
everything that my beloved sister would pro-
nounce shocking or 'hOrrld;' In short, from
this time On she intends to be very proper
and demure young lady"
Carrie had entered the room Just In time to
hear the last sentence, and she said, in a sar-
castle tone:
.'You have said that so many times, Mollie,
that you certainly should not expect US to be.
Ieve II now. Really, have no hope OF your
ever reforming. aud expect TO see you and
headed"
.'My dear, am glad to hear you say this, and
| hope you will prove that You are in earnest.
But what wonderful influence has finally per-
Suads you to reform"
Mother, II is only a surrendertng OF my few
remaining liberties. They have dropped Off
one by one. as my dresses have been heightened
Only think or 1t. 1t Is three years and more
since came down stairs In any other than the
proper manner-1f any one was looking; IL Is
almost two since surveyed The world from the
top OF the barn, and fully six months since /
nave been to the top Of the apple tree"
How long since you were at the bottom of
the wei? quietly inquired Carrie.
Mollie colOred and dropped her eyes. for this
was an escapade which she had hoped her
mother would not find out.
"NOile,-W hat is this You have been do,npP
Have you really been down In the well?"
"Yes, mamma. It was yesterday l was
leaLiEg on the weli-curb, and l dropped a
newspaper into the well that ! knew papa
wanted to keep. ALI was going down after it,
but thought it would be such fun that per-
su adtd him TO let ne co.
My child that was really dangerous How
did you go DOWN"
why ALI tied the clothes basket to the end
OF the well-rope, and let me down. But, mann
ma, am really going TO reform, and you know
| had to do some farewell prank that WAS worse
than usual
"When Is this wonderful reformation, which
Will be second only to Luther's, to take placer"
asked Mr.. Welmuth.
"Well, papa, / thought tomorrow would be
good time. Pm sixteen tomorrow and
mamma has just added another inch to the
length OF my dresses; and taking these two
things into consideration, | concluded that /
couldn't put off the evil day sny longer, and
young lady must be-
And suppose the house will resoand with
whiStling Jo-uayi
lon the contrary, my dear sister, Mamie
Harding and are going down 70 TIE river after
some ferns; and, as 1t Is my last day of free
dom, we concluded to take lunch with US, and
celebrate the day with appropriate ceremonies
In the woods
Soon ar er. the two girls, laughing and talk
ing gayly started for the woods. In buoyanu
health and exuoerant animal spirits they were
well mated, although Mollie was the more
daring OF the two. They were both fond OF
nature, and had often gone together ON such
expeditions as this, rambling all day through
the woods. They had long ago gained all that
stock OF wood-lore supposed 10 be the peculiar
right OF boys, and were well versed In the habits
OF all the pants and animals to be found near
their home. To-day, after roaming about the
woods for several hours, they seated themselves
upon the bank OF the river and began TO inveS-
ugate the contents OF their lunch baskets
amusing themselves in the meantime with
extrayagant stories OF imaginary adventures
with which to horrify their friends when they
some object on the opposite side of a bend In
the stream, and just beneath the bank, to
which she called Mamie's attention. Mamie
threw up her hands In mock horror, and with
a blank look on her face exclaimed:
''It'S-it'S-a man. Good gracious Mollie