St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-10-30
TAUGHT A LESSON.
What Was Done By q Natural
Born Luny."

-Four girls in the family, and only one
boy. Big sister Lucy, second sister
Jenny, little sister Lille, and baby
sister Saliie; and sandwiched in be-
tween big sister Lucy and second sister
Jenny was poor, lonely, solitary Eddie
"a cat in strange garnet. Still, he
didn't feel lonely and solitary when
they were all at home on the farm, for
big sister Lucy and second sister Jenny
could romp and climb as well as he
could, and little sister Lille was very
accommodating horse or dog, according
as he wanted to play horse or dog,
while baby sister Sallie liked to Chamber
upon his knees and put her arms around
his neck, and it fattered him immensely
to believe that she thought him just as
big man as her papa. But when he
went over to the village to visit grand
ma, and saw how the other boys had
brothers, and could play ball and tag
upon the common with creatures of
their kind, then he did feel envious.
You may be sure that Eddie made the
most of his opportunities to associate
with real boys.
Now, please indulge me if dwell too
long upon Eddie's juvenile history. He
grew just as fast as other boys, became
Young manor, rather, boy who
thought he was a young man-just as
soon as any body's brother. To resume
where left off-after awhile he noticed
that some boys were inclined to make
fun of him. BY and by they called him
'.giri-baby.' and savage resolve rap
Idly sprang up within him, either to run
away and be robber, or choke all of
his sisters SO that there wouldn't be
any girls in the family. While he was
debating about it, the powers that be,
or rather were, or, more properly, Ed
dies and Lucy's and Jennie's papa and
mamma, decided that these three of the
flock were big enough to go to school.
So to the little country school under the
walnut trees, two miles away, the
youthful band went, and, to Lucy's hor-
ror, saw there real boys. Dreadful
creatures, they seemed to gentle Lucy,
and should her dear brother grow like
tsem2 Never!
Miss Mary she begged, .'please
let Eddie sit with us.
'Oh, no." laughed Miss Mary, che
Alust sit on the boys side"
'Oh, Miss Mary blurted out the
poor child, desperately, she ain allow
ed to go with boysr'
t'Ha! har' laughed those same dread
full boys, '.baby-girl! Dissent 60 with
boys! He! he!''
but dastr' declared Eddie, glaring
defiance upon his sister Lucy, and un-
gratefully planting himself upon the
boys side, just as the bell rang, and
poor Lucy felt that her heart was broken,
but, henceforth, Eddie was school
hero; that is, until vacation came.
Then everyday life at the big farm
house was just as it was before. Eddie
and his sisters drifted back into their
old ways, when, suddenly, the children
received an invitation to a party, and
again Eddie was brought TO realize that
he was the only boy.
Not a modern, fashionable ahomin-
able ''child party with late hours,
rich CONNECTIONS, injurious dressing and
excessive dancing. Oh, no! only a
quiet gathering Of few
children, under the
trees of a small lawn; only
an afternoon spent in harmless romps,
and a few old-time games; only some
simple refreshments served upon the
grass, and safe walk homeward be-
lore the stars began to twinkle. No
costly laces and embroideries, no ex-
oensive trinkets, no affected airs and
graces, no engraved cards, nor even
written invitations. Il was just what
,hildren's party was years ago-not SO
many years ago, either but even six
Tears' old style looks antiquated to-day.
The party needs no special description.
Neither do the children, dozen girls,
sged from eight to fourteen, from the
arms around. But, alas! Eddie was
he only boy.
This was not so terrible at first He
'ould play .'Kick the wicket or ''Hunt
he slipper just as well as the girls.
But when somebody proposed that they
LAY sGrandmammy-t ippy toe, then he
pas in .'fix.n For he had no skirt to ,
aise, SO that old Grandmammy could
lit the hem with her stick. How dread |