The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-01-20
Telling Mamma.

know what-not for the family. She is
coming now on this flying train which
will soon stop at the little station close
by. 1t has seemed long day to these
three little people, for home without
mamma isn't home at all, and they have
been waiting around the fields for an
hour or more, looking down the long,
shining track, walking the rails, and
wondering why the train is so late to-
night.
But here it is at last, and mamma too.
She catches a glimpse of three eager lit
tie faces, and they are at the station al
most as soon as she is, anxious to get
kiss and to help carry home the pack
ages. Then comes the opening, and what
treat it always is. Strings are cut,
papers torn, and soon the sitting room
looks like very disorderly dry goods
store.
But mamma is very hungry, and after
the good supper, which Jane has ready
in the farm kitchen, is enjoyed by all, she
says, Now come, dears, for our even
ing talk" and away they all scampered
to the broad old piazza behind the morn
"Tell us what you saw, first" cried
Amy and Alice in the same breath.
They were twins and mostly thought
everything just about alike.
ooh, said mamma, smoothing Amy's
flying hair, and unbuttoning Alices
apron, "in the cars | saw a wonderful
parrot, that could talk and whistle and
sing, and little girl who kept bobbing
N nd fol
the window. And in the city I saw a
procession of soldiers with band and
poor little tambourine girl with bad
looking man, blind woman on corner,
and wee little boy, not SO old as you,
Ted with real little spectacles on, just
made to ut him"
Mrs Towne described all these things
very nicely, and many more that have
not time to tell you about.
"WLa4 havs you been doing all day,
my little busy bees ?"
1--WE played everything we could
think of, all the morning, as fast as we
could, answered Ted. 1--WE hunted
eggs, iuup ped on the hay, played spy,
fed the chickens"
Yes, md don't you think, mamma,
Ted caught two of the lttlest chickens
and tied their legs together and wore
them round in his hat a long time"
"That wasn't nothing" protested Ted
stoutly. I" If they hadn't scratched my
head SO, I wouldn't have dipped EN- in
the water trough to punish EN-. I guess
that was the part they didn't like most,
they looked so poor and shivery."
Mamma looked very sad but did not
say much, thinking there might be some
other thingS to be told.
"And how did my little girls get
along?"
"Oh, we was good" Alice said, prompt
ty. I'VE tidied up our play room, and
sewed as much as FIVE or leven minutes
on our patchwork, and helped Jane with
the dinner dishes.
Alice was flying about, trimming her
mothers hair with gone-to-sleep morning
glories Amy sat still and looked sober.
I" Have yo~ anything more to tell p
mamma asked. Amy crept close into
her mothers arms and said, very softly,
q" I did get awfully mad, and I think
Alice did too. 1t was about kitty q
teenty-weenty one, that we found in the
barn. We both said we saw her first,
and we pulled on her and hurt her good
deal Then we slapped each other and
cried, and wouldn't play for long time.
Then we gotlonesome and thought we'd
make up and get glad again. So we
kissed, and I'm real sorry"
"Sorry that you quarrelled, you mean.
To think of my two little girls getting so
angry with each other"
There was long silence. Alice had
crept up to be forgiven also Ted began
to feel very uncomfortable. At last he
broke out. s'pose I might as well
! fess too, and have it over with / made
fire, Just little one, among the shay
ings in papa workshop. But l saw it
was getting too big, and so l stamped it
| all out, and threw water on
Ted did not speak very humbly. He
really felt himself quite hero. But he
was frightened to see how mamma rushed
into the house and called papa.
1t was well that Ted confessed. He
had not put the fire all out. There was
one little smoking pile of kindlings
which probably before morning would
have set the whole row Of buildings into q
blaze.
Ah0aJs tell mamma or papa every
thing Do not do anything or listen to
anything you would be ashamed to re-
peat TO them. By SO doing, you will
save yourself and them a world Of sor-
row. I wonder how MANY of You little