The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-06-23
PREFERRlNG ONE ANOTHER.

Her Loving words Accomplished
Il choose the hammock.
No. | want il"
But I'm the oldest, so I'm going to
have ii"
I'm the youngest, and you ought
to give up to me-"
well, I'm not going to this time,
any how" and Mabel seated herself
in the hammock with a determined
air and commenced to swing back and
forth.
I'm going to tell mamma" said
Bessie, in q fearful voice, turning to-
ward the house; but as she did so she
raised her eyes to her mothers Win
dow where the blinds were closed and
the curtains drawn. Then she re-
membered that in that darkened room
lay mamma with one of her dreadful
sick he adaches, and she knew that at
such a time she must not be disturbed
in any way, for it always made her
worse. Bessie couldn't see why
mothers always had sick headaches.
Her mamma had them 50 often and
Cora Lanes mamma did, too. 1t
seemed very inconvenient and uncom-
Portable to her. particularly now when
she had grievance TO tell. If she had
known of the heavy throbs Of pain
that beat in the poor aching head, as
the angry words were borne in
through the closed blinds, she might
have felt consciousness mitten, but she
did not know, and she only paused
and commenced boring her heel into
the smooth turf of the lawn while a
dark frown disfgurel her usually
bright little face.
She wished that she was bigger than
Mabel, then she would show her what
it meant to have an older sister who
never gave up to her-thats what
she would do. Bessie forgot then how
often and how kindly Mabel yielded
to her; it is so easy to forget kindness
in the face of an injury.
Mabel lay in the hammock swinging
gently to and fro, apparently per-
fectly contented, so Bessie knew there
was no chance for her; and she saw
her little white kitten walking about
i'll the garden, springing now and then
TO catch some unwary fly or grass
hopper. She cast one resentful glance
at Mabel, then running toward
the kitten she took it in her arms and
commenced to pour her troubles into
kirty's patient ears.
Mabel did not feel as contented rs
lha lnOl-od oil,
unselfish little girl, and gave Bessie
the preference far more than was for
her younger sisters good. But some
thing was wrong that day; mamma
had headache, her d oor was closed
and her curtains drawn. and there was
no one to set things right. 1t was not
really q desire to thwart each other
that had caused the conflict between
the two little girls. but it was that
feeling of ruflled spirits that is known
to us all, which grown-up people call
nervousness in themselves, but in the
little ones is too often designated as
il-temper.
Mabel, too, looked up at her mothers
window. Poor mamma! How she did
suffer when she had headache! She
thought of time when she slipped
into her mothers room and saw the
pale face lying on the white pillow.
She wished then that she could do
something to ease the pain. and she
wished it now with all her heart; but
she was such little girl. and knew
nothing about sickness. As she looked
down into the garden. and saw Bes-
sic wandering about with the kitten in
her arms, she wondered what she was
thinking about. Was she angry with
her for not giving her the hammock?
She almost wished she had given it up,
for she really did not care for it very
much. But why should she always
give up every thing to Bessie? She
had some rights. even if she was the
elder? Bessie never thought of Civ
ing up to her. And then like flash
it all came to her mind; how could she
have forgotten!
For when they were both sick with
scarlet fever. and Cora Lane, Bessie
dearest friend, sent her beautiful
red rose, she would not keep it by her
bcdside-only one little minute-but
made mamma carry it to Mabel and
insisted that she should keep it until
it withered; and Bessie loved flowers
so much, particularly red roses. She
could never do any thing for Bessie,
she was sure. that would be so sweet
and self-sacriicing as that, and she
felt very sorry now that she had not
let her have the hammock. What was
hammock on q lovely summer day,
when there were SO many nice things
all about her. compared with beauti-
full. fragrant rose when she lay burn
ing with fever in darkened room?
Bessie" she called, as she saw her
sister moving aimlessly about with the
little white kitten still held fast in her
a,ms. Bessie turned al the sound of
her voice. How small she looked
among the tall dahlias and hollyhocks,
and how forlotn!
Come here, please" called Mabel,
in winning voice.
Bessie shook her head rather resent