Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-29
Mabel's Lesson.

sick" sighed Mabel, as she saw mamma
carrying dainty little tray up stairs.
Delightful to be sick, MabelP Do
you really think sop asked her aunt.
who still sat at the table where Mabel
was finishing her dinner.
Yes, Aunt Annie. Don't you see
how mamma is always cooking nice
things for Carrie, and coaxing her to
eat them? The most elegant things!
And papa brings her Malaga grapes and
California pears and everything he can
think of. Mamma keeps saying, DO
try to eat'a little, darling OF course.
/ want Carrie to have nice things, but
mamma never urges me to eat, YOU
know, auntie."
TOO bad, dsarr'
''And then-yes, ma'am. q little
more pudding, if you please the neigh
bors keep sending lemon jelly, and
whipped cream and things. I'm tired
to death of roast beef and tapioca pud-
ding. Did you see that nice bit of quail
and toast mamma just took up? And
she picks out the cunningest little
painted china dishes--pretty things
may help tempt her appetite, she SAYS
and always little bouquet. Mamma
never puts flowers by my platter and
Mabel tried to draw on a very pathetic
look. but what with rosy cheeks and
dimples, and proper amount of atten-
ton to the pudding, it was something of
a failure.
Aunt Annie sad a few words about
the blessings of health and a good ap-
petite for wholesome food. Also mild
suggestion that little girls should not
think too much of what they eat; to all
of which Mabel listened politely; but
she ran out to play still trying to fancy
how it would sound for mamma to say
to herr" Try just morsel of this, pet"
and making up in her mind long list
OF the goodies she might mention in
case any one ever should ask her such
pleasant question as: Couldn't you
think think, OF something you would relish,
Mabel might have gone on feeling this
way for long time, but for something
which happened to her soon after her
sister got well. She went one after
noon to visit one of her little friends,
and as usual ran round to the side door
to enter. Not hearing any reply to her
quiet rap. she softly opened the door
and went up to the nursery. AS she
stood at the open door she saw that
Hattie was in bed, looking very sick
and feverish.
what is is the matter, Hattiep" she
said going up and kissing her. But
Matte s mother sprang up in alarm as
she saw the little visitor.
20, my childr" she cried. "Run!
rum dear! Go down and 60 OUTFITS
momentr'
Mabel ran down, very much aston
ished and little frightened. The lady
followed her to the door and told her
Hattie had the scarlet fever; they had
only known what it was that day.
Mamma turned pale when she heard
of it, and still paler when, a week after,
Mabel came home from school one day
and said she had sore throat. 1t was
not bad, though. and she wondered
why she felt like keeping quiet instead
of playing, and what made her back
ache and her limbs feel so tired. But
what surprised her most was that she
did not seem to care for any waff1es at
tea.
She was restless all night and awoke
out of disturbed sleep in the morning
to hear the clock strike eight.
Why!" she said, starting up, "I
must get right up. Or shall be late at
SCHOOL,
You need not go to school to-day,
DEAR" said mamma.
She was glad to lie down again, for
her head felt queer and dizzy. She was
sometimes hot, sometimes cold, and her
head got worse and worse But she
could not help smiling little when at
dlnner-time mamma said:
What would you like to eat, little
one! And how strange it seemed that
she answered. almost without thinking:
81 couldn't touch thing, mamma,
dear"
The grapes and other things appeared
in due season, and Mabel liked it be-
cause it was the proper thing in sick
ness. but when mamma urged her to
eat few, the first one made her cry, it
hurt her throat so.
Then for ten days or so she knew or
cared little for anything And when
they were gone few teaspoons of beef
tea were all any one asked her to take.
But the coaxing-time came, and poor
little Mabel thought more than once of
all Aunt Annie had said about health
and good appetite for plain food.
Every day, all sorts of pretty and fam
ciful delicacies found their way to. her
room from many who sympathized with
the pale little sick girl, and mamma
never tired OF proposing something new
for her to try. but, strange to say. moth
ingtasted good to this little lassie who had
wanted to be sick so she might have
plenty of nice things to eat.
The healthy appetite came at last,
though Mabel was long time getting
we'll. She was sent into the country for
a week. where she soon began to find
out how very good bread and meat and
milk and everyday fruits are.
When she returned home there was
just enough pink in her cheeks to make
one tinv. pale rose-lea but it grew so
fast that mamma felt sure that a good
fairy came every night and painted a
deeper shade in. as they rounded out
and soon showed the old dimples.
And it is pleasant to be able to say
that Mabel never got back to her over
fondness for nice eat NO. for he could
not forget the time when the very sight
of dainties of all kinds had been dis
agreeable to her. YOUTHS Companion.