The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-17
Rittie's Verse.

old and nVe months, Was gong W SuuUoJ
school for the fret time, and there was
quite an excitement in the house that love-
ly June morning. Her sister Elsie. four
years older, was going to take her, and
mamma was dressing the little girls IN her
own room.
They both wore white dresses, but Elsie's
sash and stockings were blue-for her eyes
were blue, and her face was very fair. kittle
had on a pink sssh, a big poke bonnet, tied
with pink ribbons under her chin, and she
looked like little gypsy, with her bright,
dark face, and big brown eyes shaded by
clustering curls Of red brown hair.
"Now. Kittie,r taid mamma, as she fin
| ished dressing her, ''you must be good lit
tie girl, and do just as Elsie tells you, and If
the teacher should ask you TO say verse,
can you remember. "SGfer little children
to come unto me?'"
Kittie nodded, and repeated, slowly:
"Suffer little children TO come unto me
for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.
"Thas is right" said mamma. NOW let
us go ask grandma how we look"
And they went down stairs into the large,
cool sitting-room, where grandma, with her
soft, white hair and bright, black eyes, was
sitting by window, reading.
"How do I look, grandms1" cried Kittie,
shaking her rustliDg little skirts.
"Just like my darling always looks" said
grandma, kissing her. "But you have not
either of you got flower"
And going into the garden, she picked
beautiful, sweet rose for each little girl, and
then, hand in hand, primly and proudly,
they walked up the elm-ahaded street to
Sunday.school.
After the teacher had sung and talked to
the children, and heard their lessons, she
turned to little Kit, and asked her If she
had q verse to Say. Kittie nodded assent,
and, slipping demurely from her ses., gave
her dress two anxious little pulls, and in n
high, clear voice began:
"If had q donkey, aud he wouldn't go.
Wouldn't woliop himg-on. no, nor
; "Hush, Kittie, hushlP whispered horri-
fed Elsie. Say, Suffer little children"
But Kittie would not hush. The child
rem had had nurse girl, who taught them
msny rhymes-some Of them very foolish
and Kittis particularly lisei this one, and
, felt sure she knew it. So, drawing q long
breath. she began again:
"If had donkey. and he wouldn't 60,
Wouldn't Uollop him3-Oh, no, nOi'
The children Uttered, and the teachers
face twitched, but she tried not to laugh,
and said:
} 'Kittie, haven't you another verse to
ssyT
'.She has got good Sunday one, esgerly
replied Elsie, "and che knows every word OF
: it,
swell, let me hear me it, Kittie," said
| the teacher, and Eittie, with a very demure
} face, but her eyes fairly dancing, in an EN-.
} phAtic and vigorous manner. detained:
"There was a little girl.
r Who had little curl
4 In "a middle
And when she was good she was very very good
And when she was bad she wss horIr-wid-"
This was too much for teacher ana chill
| dreu, and they laughed until they cried.
Poor Elsie, flushed and fearful. caught
| Kittie by the hand. and hurried home q:
, fast as she could GO
81 When mamma saw them coming. she
knew at once something was wrong, for FL
sic was hustling Kittie along. instead Of
, proudly leading her, and both children
looked tired and excited.
L So soon as they cav mamma, they rushed
: toward her, Elsie exciaiming:
vi "Oh, mammal what do you think2 Kit
: tie said. If / had donkey and There
!, was little girl instead OF Suffer little
. Children and the teacher laughed and al
r she children laughed, and wes 80 'shamed
and oh, dearl dearP
Il And she stood speechless.
VI Kittie, with her moGth Solar, but bel
? leyes flashing, half defiant, bsh shsmefaced
/: only hung her head in silence.
! Mamma, herself young and girish, So
Q dew n in low rocking-ehair ON the porch
GRd, putting one arm about Elsie, wzh the
a other drew Kittie into her lap. and asked
? her why she had not been good gin anc
. repeated the verse she had taught her.
2 Locking into mammals grave face--sh'
had hard work to keep it so-ktties chr
q quivecsd and her eyes filed and she sob6ec
: out:
. "Are you mad at me, mammal ssic
d pretty verses and the children liked theu
9 too, cause they laughed. And. mamma
don't you know am good girif'
4 Mamma brushed the damp curls from hel
0 forehead and kissed her, and said she WA
q not mad at her, and that she should go tC
: Sunday school again to say some pretty
D new verses she would teach her.
: As soon as Elsie saw mamma did no.
II mind, she Frightened up at once. All care
3 and anxiety left her motherly little face
and, happy and contented, she followed
0 mamma and Kittie up stairs. But mamms
was busy thinking that hereafter all the
! verses her little girls knew should be learn
r cd from herself, not from the nurse girl.
4+ivfce to Boys Cuts and Bruises
, IA. Z. Van Gieson, NJ. D.. an Harper's Young
The boysof America are venturesome. but
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