Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-02-14
An Old Story.

"Alice and Harriet, take your knitting
work. John and Henry, you may each bring
nine armfuls of wood into the wood-shed.
May, you may take your slate and write;
and guess if they are let alone the two ba-
bies will take care of themselves. Now, for
half an hour, let us have silence. If any
body speaks, let it be ina whisper" The
fact was that there had been so much noise
some of it in half-quarrelsome tones, that
Mrs. Ford was tired, and took the best way
to stop it, for half 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 occasional
prattle of the two babies. Little May sat
with her slate on her knee, looking thought
full. 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 drawerp 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 twice over.
Tears gathered in her eyes. "You won't
tell anybody, will you ?" entreated little
May. "No no, certainly not 1t shall be
secret between you and me-" She got nice
sheet 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 her handker-
chief box, saying: :" shall see it often
there, and nobody goes there but mother
aud me-" But it happened one day that
Harriet was sent to distribute the pile of
clean handkerchiefs from the ironing into
the different boxes and as Mays was empty,
she saw the writing. 1t was so short that
she took it in at glance. =" Alwas spek
plesent when Emmy boldly speks X-Mdy.'
Somehow it fixed itself in Harrlet's mind,
and that evening she was busy with pen
and ink. The result was writing in Har-
riet's handkerchief box, with resolution
written more neatly, but to the same effect !:
Resolved, That | will try this year To re-
turn pleasant words for cross ones. Har-
riet Ford" 1t made a difference that was
easy to see when two Of the children began
to practice this resolution. There was less
of quarreling. That's mine You better
mind your own business !" said John to
Harriet, one day, when she took up top
and was putting it in his drawer. "But,
John, mother wants me to clear up the
ROOM" said Harriet. "Well, want the top
to stay there I" said John, obstinately
"Well, perhaps it's no matter A top isn't
much litter" said Harriet pleasantly. John
was fully prepared for contest. I'm afraid
he would rather have relished one. He
stared. Then he looked ashamed. "What
made you say that, Harriet ?" Harriet
laughed and colored little. "Tell me
what made you 2" John insisted. "Come
here and I'll show you,' said she. She took
him into the clothes press, where was the
row of handkerchief-boxes, each labeled.
She opened little Mays, and took out the
clean, soft pile of bandkerchiefs. Look
there !" said she. John read. "The good
little thing She never does quarrel any
how" said John.-Selecied.