The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-12
A LITTLE MISTAKE L MADE.

had an awful time the last week of
school. You see the boys called me
molly-coddle and girl-boy and things
that no Teller can stand without being
riled; and | just gave ont that I'd lick
any one of them that wanted to try it,,
and | can tell YOU had to pitch in right
and left pretty lively, for of course they
took that the same as stump, and all
for standing up for my cousin Lefty
Mason, and I'd like to know what kind
of boy I'd be not to stand up for my
own visiting at my house. too.
You see Ned Allen was mad because
| said L >'ty was as smart and pretty as
any six girls in town put together, and
his big brother goes with Young lady
that Ned thinks is Just perfection, be-
cause she treats him us if he was grown
up, and asks him questions about history
and things, and I'd like to know what
business she has to make him think he's
the best scholar in school, when he gets
the worst reports of most anybody; it's
decetful. think.
Then, besides. she hasn' any eyebrows
to speak of, and her teeth stick away
out. Lefty has little curly rings of black
hair all over her head, and her great
black eyes shine like Uncle'S boots after
a polish; and the pinkiest cheeks with
the cunningest little dimples whenever
she smiles. But all that wouldn't 90
for much if she wasn't so smart. She
won all my allies, playing marbles, and
l tell you she skips stones Just bully, if
she is a girl.
But was going to tell you about Neds
brother Phil. He isn't here all the time,
because he's lawyer, and this town
isn't half grand enough for Master
Philips talents. | haven't ANYTHING
against Phil though; he's a nice Teller,
only he does wear such dreadfully clean
shirts, and is forever twirling his mus
tache.
Well, so it was the last week of school,
just after Ned said that Lefty couldn't
hold candle to Pills young lady, and
we just had it hot and heavy, and were
both of us pretty well bunged up, that
Phil came home with broken arm. A
horse had run away with two ladies, and
Phil grabbed the bride and stopped it,
but he was thrown down and trampled
upon and got pretty will bruised up, be-
side his arm. But | guess it paid, for
he was about as much of hero as Cen
eral Grant. The sewing society talked
about him a whole afternoon. Ned felt
as set up as if he had done some great
thing himself, and was always telling
what my brother PHIL said. And
Phil went round as grand as you please,
with his arm in sling, and said any
man with the courage of mouse would
have done the same, but of course that
was all bosh, he knew as well as any
body; and liked it, too.
And all this time Lefty was shut I'D
in the house with sore throat; anc she
pretended to think it wasn't anythino
great and couldn't see what all the fuss
was about. But the qucerest was when
Mrs. Allen gave lawn party in honor
OF Pills being at home, and let Ned in
Yite some on his own account-we'd
made up by that time; he promised to
keep still about Pills young lady, and
promised not to say ANYTHING about
Lefty! only told him should think lust
the same, and her teeth did stick
out anyhow-so he asked me. And Mrs.
Allen came over on purpose to ask Lefty
to come and get acquainted with the
young people in the village; and Let
looked as scared as anything and said
something about her throat. | guess
Mrs. Allen thought it wasn't polite, for
she looked surprised, and said kinder
stiff:
81 hope Miss Mason's throat difficulty
is not serious and will disappear before
then; and at any rate l shall expect joe
that's me-and she smiled and patted
my head. can't bear to have folks pat
me on the head, generally; it makes you
feel so small; but Ned's mother amt
that kind bit It's an awful thing to
have your mother die when you're a
baby. SO after she was gone aunt says:
'Letitia, what possessed you to be so
rude to Mrs. AllenP"
Letty's face was as red as fire, and she
burst out crying, and ran out of the
room. So then she turned to me and
said:
"Josephus" Aunt don't approve of