Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-30
The Little Grumbler.

Some boys are always complaining. no
matter whether they have a dozen tops
or a hundred marbles, they are still dis
satisfied if any one else has one more
than they. Just such a boy was Jimmie.
His mamma was often made very sorry,
after buying him some pretty toy, by
having him say: 81 don't like that.
Why did you not get me a better one?:
Franks mamma got him a nicer n
than that"
Upon the day which we are going to
tell about, which was Easter, Jimmie's
mamma colored some eggs for him;
there was a red one, a blue one, a brown
one and a purple one
Thinking to surprise him, mamma
hid them until he went out and then she
laid them in his crib, covering them
with the quilt. When he came in She
told him to look and see what was
there; instead of being pleased and
thanking her he said: "There are only
four. Willie's father bought him six; r
eve have things like other boys"
This so disguised papa that he shut
him up in. the closet, saying that he
could not come ont until he asked
mamma to forgive him for his r~udeness,
and promised never to be bad again.
When the door was closed Jimmie
could see nothing, and he had almost
made up his mind to do as papa said
when the door opened and u little old
woman in a blue gown and Quaker bon
net put her head in the closet and said:
Dear me! what a bad papa you must
have to shut you up in this way;
wouldn't you like to come with me? [
would never put you in a closet like
this, and will give you all the eggs You
want" The little old woman spoke so
kindly that Jimmie sprang up, took her
hand and went with her.
Upon reaching the street she led him
through narrow, crooked streets which
seemed full of little boys carrying brown
bags, who popped out Of doorways and
from around orner until there were
quite q crowd of them.
Suddenly the old woman turned into
a little alley which led into a wide yard
with tall houses all about it; here the
old woman told him to wait until she
came back, and she disappeared through
one of the doorways.
AS soon as the door closed behind her
the little boys with brown bags gathered
about him in a circle.
Suddenly the little old came
to n of the upper windows and clapped
her hands.
AS soon as she did so each of the boys
drew an egg from his bag and threw it
at Jimmie. The little boy cried and
tried to break through the ring, but
whichever way he ran he was met by a
boy with en- egg who drove him back.
The new suit which Aunt Lou had
bought him was soon spoiled, ard the
cellar which mamma had ironed herself
was all yellow from the eggs;
All this time the little old woman
clapped her hands and told the boys to
throw harder, crying: "That's what
you get for being unkind to
Frank has two more than you, has he?
Give him two more, boys" and then
she laughed so wildly that Jimmie grew
cold with fear. At last he could bear
it no longer, and shrieked: mamma!
Mamma! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll
never be bad again!!" In another mo-
ment he was in mammals arms, being
Rugged and kissed as though he was the
best boy in the world.
OF course he had fallen asleep and
dreamt it all, and there was no little
old m nor boys with brown bags.
But it made Jimmie altogether u differ
ent boy. He was never heard to COM
plain again, and only the other day he
told ANN that if he had known how
happy it made him TO be good he never
would have been bad for Il .minute.-M.
Y. I1l6une.