The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-04-30
A REWARD OF MERIT,

How Trying Not to Win Prize Actually
and Rightfully Secured 1t.
Abby, Aunt Abby's namesake, came
home and told the news to the others.
There were four of them in all, four
sisters, the oldest fifteen, the youngest
eleven. They were named, respective
ly, commencing with the oldest, Abby,
Allie, Lizzy and Polly. Abby called
them together, and told them: Girls
said she, sitting down on the music
stool in the parlor, and twisting her
self about airily SO as to face them,
holding her dainty little figure very
erect, ''you can't imagine what l have
to tell you. Polly, don't fidget sop
"Do hurry and tell, Abby, and don't
stop to fret'' cried Lizzy.
Abby was disposed to be rather dicta-
torial with her younger sisters, and they
resented it at times.
''Oh, l will keep still, Abby" cried
Polly, meekly. She was a nervous little
girl, and she had been twisting about
with impatience.
''Well," said Abby, Importantly,
''you know Aunt Abby's pink china
tea-cups, how pretty we've always
thought they were, and how we've
leased her to let us drink tea out of
them?'
Eyes, yes!' they cried, "what about
them, Abby?''
"Aunt Abby says-she will giUe those
beautiful pink china tea-cups to the one
of us who-denies herself the most for
the sake of the others, in month"
Abby said it solemnly, just the way
her aunt had. Her. checks flushed a
little consciously. The other girls
laughed, and looked trife shame
faced. They knew perfectly well their
aunt S opinion that they were inclined to
be selfish with each other, and that this
was intended as reformatory measure
''We've got to begin tomorrow"
said Abby, ''and mother is going to
keep account. -
Allie laughed. She was bright
looking girl, taller than Abby, though
she was younger. lit won't do for
you to make any fuss about lending me
your Latin Grammar, now" said she.
That's so" said Lizzie; land you
mustn't say anything when | borrow
your red necktie, Allie"
Polly did not say word but she
laughed with the rest, and looked
thoughtful and sober the minute after
ward.
The next evening, they did begin the
contest for Aunt Abby's pink cups, but
it was not altogether the loving and
good-natured contest she had meant it
to be. Complications had arisen which
she had not foreseen when she had pro-
pounded her laudable project.
Two or three days after the trial be-
gan, Mrs. Agnew, the girls mother,
went over to her sisters, and made a
laughing complaint. "You don't know
what you have done, Abby said she.
''Where you meant to establish
harmony and peace, you have intro
duced discord. It is dreadful what a
state of things you are responsible for
in my family"
why, what do you mean, Sarah?"
'The girls used to complain because
they had to do things for each other,
now they complain because they don't.
Why, I'll tell you this, for instance:
Abby, this morning, it was Abby's turn
to wash the dishes; but Allie offered to
do them for her. and Lizzy, too. They
fairly insisted on it. Finally, Abby
came to me, in a pet and said she
thought she might wash her own dishes.
She did not want to give her sisters
credit marks, you see. And that is the
way it goes. They insist on lending
ribbons to each other, and then they
are vexed if they are not accepted"
Il am sorry the girls are SO selfish
with each other" said Aunt Abby,
thoughtfullY. II see I have not mended
matters any. 1t is too bad to make you
SO much trouble"