Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-05-18
Milly's Resolu tions S
BY SOPHIE z. EASTMAN.

"SHAPPY NEW YEAR! 'Shappy New
Year, rang through the house. Evil
IDENTIFY the twins were astir. When L
speak of them as the twins, l do not
wish to imply that they were just OF an
age; the term had been applied to them
by 'Bijah Pendleton, the man of all
work. He found, to his delight, that, by
shortening Millicent to Mlly and chang
ing William to Willy, their names could
be made to rhyme; "and," said he, 81 do
like to hear 'folkses names gibe. My
children's do. There's Nancy and Chan
cey, and Polly and Dolly, and Matty and
and Hatty and Patty"
do they look alike?' asked Wlll,who
was his most sympathizing listener.
"Wall. no." he answered, Tehectlvely
'there's none of 'em looks alike except
Nancy. She looks alike"
But 'Bijah had not come yet TINS
morning; so, when Milly and Willy had,
with the kindest intentions and most
earnest good wishes, made sleep an ina
possibility to every one in the hoase,
they fingered over the register in the dl-
ning-room, warming their cold feet and
hands.
81 wish we had New Years present
for Mother" said Milly, regrettfully. 81
suppose you have no money, WIllr
Not even a penny" was his reply.
"Where is the half dollar Grandpa gave
you at Christmas ?"
"Gone for peanuts and candy,of which
YOU had half. What has become OF the
fifty cents he gave you?'
well" said Milly, hesitatingly, Il saw
such lovely ribbon-I-"
"Yes," interrupted Will, 81 under
stand"
He was quite accustomed to his Sis
ter's leaving the hiatus to be hlled In
by himself. Vanity and love OF dress
were her greatest temptations. Even Id
the days of their childhood, when they
spent whole afternoons playing in the
attic. it was always Milly who was first
to open the red chest, full of old bonnets
and gowns, and say: Lets fudge up.
And it was invariably Will who, arter
little while, would call out: Lets un'
fudge" Then, too, couple of lndul'
gent grandparents in the house, who pet
ted the children, because their father
was lost in the war, am afraid did moi
help her much in overcoming her foible
"Next year we will remember, and
save some of our money for New Year,
said Milly.
"I'll bet we willr' cried her brother
heartily.
"I'll betl OH WILL" she said re.
proachfully, "when you know mothel
dislikes slang so much"
81 didn't think" was his reply. -
say, Milly, if we could break OFF all oul
bad habits, it would be the very besl
present we could make mother"
$50 it wouldT' she cried, with enthusi
asm. ave will draw up set of resolu
tions this minute and both sign them
Then we will hand them to mother thi;
morning, for her New Years gift. First
we will try to avoid slang and coarse
language. Secondly, we will buy less
peanuts and candy. Get a pencil and
paper, my dear, and l will write then
down at once.
"Wait a minutep exclaimed Will
whose face had famed up scarlet
"Seems to me the resolutions bear lit
tie harder on me than on you. How
would it do to add: Thirdly, we VIII
spend less time at the glass and les'
money on ribbons Hey!
Eyes, that ought to be the next thing,
answered Milly, with astonishing meek
ness. al know my own besetting sin
and will write it down, twinie."
"Never mind" said her brother, will
returning good nature; "here is one tina
will fit us both alike: Resolved, that WI
will rise promptly and not have to b
called but once in the morning"
So the four resolutions were writer
out in Wills larges. round hand ant
headed with the words: "a New Year
Present for Mother" Then the tw'
wrote their names beneath, in boil
| characters, without the slightest mari
of hesitation or trembling-like tn
signers of the Declaration of Independ
ence, Will said.
GALL but one, you remember. He ha'
the palsy" corrected Ailly, who liked
be accurate.
| After breakfast came the presenta
ton. Mrs. Pearson seemed much graft
fed at the gift and read it aloud to tn
household. Grandma was pleased. 81
will save me 80 many steps, getting yo
up to breakfast" she said.
Grandpa was delighted that they wer
going to save their money. "As ofte
|, as YOU get i've dollars, yeu can put 1t /
the savings bank" he remarked; "and !
! the end it may lead to fortune" II
was so happy at the thought that he In
mediatuly gave them each twenty-hV
: cents. to set the ball in motion, he SAT-
AS to 'Bijah Pendleton, when he hear
of it, he expressed great satisfaction ths
they were going to be careful in the rs
of language.
! 81 hope you will be as pertlckiler
: the pronunciation of your words
r my Nancy is" was his comment. "Ev'
since she's ben to Teachers Institu