The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-11-02
Marglc,s lesson.

Little Margie, with her mother, was
on a visit to her grandmother who
lived in a fine roomy old house in the
town of Fernley.
There was beautiful porch i'm front
of the house, with great big white pill
lars reaching up TO the roof OF the
house; and the floor was made of
square stones, part white and part blue,
while broad stone steps led down 10 tho
walk. But il was n rather dangerous
porch for little folks, because, Although
it was almost full story from the
ground, il had no RI ling around H.
This d d not matter much, most OF tho
time, as there were no Little children
living in the house, but every body. was
uneasy about it when little Margie was
there; and this was the reason why.
That little girl had very bad habit Of
never obeying rght at once when sho
was spoken to. If her mother would
call = Stop, Margio,p she would always
go few steps farther before she
obeyed If she said: "Do't do that,
daughter" when she was i'm any mis-
CHIEF, the little g,rl would alm0st al
ways 90 on FOR a while instead of stops
p'ng as soon rs her mother spoke.
Many bump and tumble she had g0t-
ten in consequence Of H. bat az yet
nothing had cured her OF tn evil hab e.
Her little cousin Lucy was there ON n
visit at the same time; but she, although
younger, obeyed her mother per.octly,
and gave no uneasiness 10 anybody
When the two little girls were run
ming on the porch together, as they
were very fond OF doing, just before
they got the end, Lucy mother would
say quietly: "Stop now, Lucy" and
Lucy would stop right still that very
minute, while Margie's mother would
r cry stop, Margiel stop! stOpp' and
then run after her and grasp her dress,
perhaps Just in time 10 save hor from
RUM ng on at the end.
One evening. however, they started
for a race, when Margie mother was
talking to some one at the farthest part
OF the porch and with her back to them,
She turned in time to see them almost
at the edge, but being too far off TO hope
4 To reach them, she screamed franticullys
"Stop, Margie, you'll fall! you'll fall"
but, as usual, Margie would go few
4 steps farther So or she went, Just
where the por h was highest, and fell
in little heap on the ground
The mother did not wait for her bitter
cry of pain, but, fastening round by the
steps, lifted and carried her carefully
into the house; one little arm hanging
help lplesslyFptifully, with spiinters OF tho
bone sticking through the tender Acsh,
for it was broken.
Oh! how dreadfullyit hurt. even when
nobody touched il; but when tho doe
tor came and pulled it ever SO hard,
as he was Obliged 20 do to get the poor
little bones straight, it took mother and
Aunt Mag both TO hold her.
All this time, and for several days,
the suffering was too great TO let her re-
member how it all happened; but the
thinking time came at last. when She
had to sit in the big chair all day long
with her arm in sling and nothing "a
do but remember how many times she
had delayed and hesitated instead Of
obeying her mother promptly, and how
that very thing had been the cause of all
this trouble.
One day she called her mother. and
putting her unbrOken arm around her
! neck, She whispered, while her little lips
| quivered: mother, know why broke
my arm, and / am 50 sorry 1 was such
/ q naughty girl; / am going TO try, when
/ get well, to mind you the very minutu
YOU speak to me; and mother, won {
YOU punish me whenever / don tg-if
don't mind the gerry first ntinut,, moth
erP'' And she held her tightly with
that one good arm until she got the
promise.
The next time they all visited grand
mothers. nobody could say that Marg.o
| did not obey her mother as beautifully
/ ms Lucy IS. S. Times.