Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-23
alonlh' i Column.
aALWAS sPEK PLESENT WHEN
ENNYBODDY SPEKS X"
..Alice and Harriet, take Your knit

ssAlice and Harriet, take Your knit
John and Henry, you
may each bring nine arnfuls of wood
into the wood-shed. May, you may
take your slate and write; and [
guess if they are let alone the two
babies will take care of themselves.
Now, for half an hour let us have 81
lence. If anybody speaks, let it be
in whisper. .
The fact was there had been so
much noise, and some of it in half
quaTelsome tones, that Mrs. Ford
was tired and took the best way to
stop it, for half an hour, at least.
The children were all young, and all
wanted their own way. But they had
learned to mind their mother.
SO there was silence in the kitchen,
except the noise the little mother
made with her baking, and the occa-
sional prattle of the two babies.
Little May sat with slate on her
knee, looking thoughtful. She wrote
and erased, and wrote again with
much painstaking labor. At last she
seemed satisfied, and going to her
mother; said in a whisper:
MAY | have little piece of white
paper and pencil out of your draw
er? | want to copy something
"What is it? Let me see,'' said
her mother.
May hesitated and blushed, but
held it up to her, saying, ''You won't
tell, will you, mother?''
Her mother read it over twice.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"You won't tell any body, will
your entreated little May.
mo, no, certainly not! 1t shall
be a secret between you and me"
She got nice piece of paper, and
sharpened the pencil anew for the
child, although she was pie-making.
May copied it very carefully, and
laid it away in the bottom of hel
handkerchief box, saying:
Il shall see it often there, and no.
body goes there but mother and l.
But it happened one day that Har
riet was sent to distribute the pile OF
clean handkerchiefs from the ironing
into the different boxes, and as May:
was empty, she saw the writing. l
was so short that she took it in at :
glance.
"Alwas spek plesent when Emmy
boldly speks x. MAY"
Somehow it fixed itself in Harriet
mind, and that evening she was bus,
with pen and ink. The result was
writing in Harriet's handkerchief
box, with a resolution written NOR
neatly, but to the same effect:
"Resolued, That I will try thi
year to return pleasant words 70
cross ones. HARRIET FORD"
1t made a difference that was cas-
to see when two of the children be
gan to practice this resolution
There was less of quarreling.
"That's mine! You better min
your own business?" said John
Harriet, one day, when she took up
top and was putting it in his drawer
sBut, John, mother wants me t
clear up the room," said Harriet.
'Well, I want the top to sta
there!' said John, obstinately.
"Well, perhaps it's no matter.
top isn't much litter said Harri'
pleasantly.
John was fully prepared for col
test. I'm afraid he would rath'
have relished one. He stared. The
he looked ashamed.
"What made you say that, Ha
riet?'
Harriet laughed and colored
little.
"Tell me what made you?" Jol
; insisted.
''Come here, and I'll show you
said she.
, She took him into the clothes pre-
where was the row of handkerchie
boxes, each labeled.
: She opened little Mays and too
out the clean, soft pile of handke
!, chiefs. ''Look there p said sh
e John read.
. The good little thing She new
does quarrel anyhow" said John.
VI