Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-08-04

I'm the youngest, and you ought tc
give up to me-"
We'll, I'm not going to this time,
anyhow And Mabel seated herself il
the hammock with determined al,
and commenced to swing back anG
forth.
sim going to tell mamma" said Bes
sic, in fearful voice, turning TOWARD
the house but as she did so she raised
her eyes to her mothers window wher.
the blinds We're closed and the curtains
drawn. Then she remembered that il
that darkened room lay mamma with
one of her dreadful sick headaches, an0
she knew that at such time she musi
not be disturbed in any way for il
always made her worse, Bessie couldn't
see why mothers always had sick head
aches. Her memma had them 50 Otter
and Cora Lanes mamma did, too, Ii
seemec, very inconvenient and uncom.
portable to her, particularly now when
She had grievance to tell, If she had
known of the many throbs of pain that
beat in the poor aching head as the
angry words We're borne in through the
closed blinds, she might have felt
consclence-smitten, but she did not
know, and she only paused and com,
menced boring her heel into the smooth
turf of the lawn while dark frown dis
figured 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-that's what she
would do. Bessie forgot then how
often and how kindly Mabel yielded tc
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 perfectly
contented, SO Bessie knew there was no
chance for her; and rs she saw her lit
tie white kitten walking through the
garden, sprin9inS now and then to
catch some unwary fly or grasshopper,
she cast one resentful glance at Mabel,
then running toward the kitten she
took it i'll her arms and commenced to
pour her troubles into kitty's patient
ears.
Mabel did not feel as contented as
she looked, for she was really very
unseltish little girl, and gave Bessie
the preference far more than was fol
her younger sisters good. But some.
thing was wrong that day; mamma had
II headache, her door was closed and
her curtains drawn, and there was no
one to set things right. 1t was not
really a desire to thwart each Other
that had caused the conflict between
the two little girls, but it was that feel
ing of RULED spirits that is known tG
us all, which grown-up people call
nervousness in themselves, but in the
little comes is too often designated as
ill-temper.
Mabel, too, looked up at her moth.
er's window. Poor mammal 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 some
it now with all her heart; but she was
such a little girl, and knew nothing
about sickness. As she looked down
into the garden, and saw Bessie wan,
tlering about with the kitten in he1
arms, she wondered what she was think,
ing about. Was she very 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 everything to Bessie? She had
some rights, even if she was the elder.
Bessie never thought of giving up to
l,p,, II a.. 4,
to her mind; how could she have for.
gotten!
For when they were both sick with
scarlet fever, and Cora Lane, Bessie's
dearest friend, sent her a beautiful red
rose, she would not keep it by her bed
side-only one little minute-but made
mamma carry it to Mabel, and insisted
that she should keep it until it with
cred; and Bessie loved flowers SO much,
particularly roses. She could never do
anything for Bessie. she was sure. that
would be so sweet and self-sacrifcing
as that, and she felt very sorry now
that she had not let her have the ham
mock. What was hammock on a
lovely summer day, when there We're
So many Hlce tllluSS I'LL dpouo litI, coHl-
pared with beautiful, fragrant rose,
when she lay burning with fever in s
darkened chamber?
Bessie" she called, as she saw her
sister moving aimlessly about with the
little white kitten still held fast in heI
arms. Bessie turned at the sound of
her voice. How small she looked
among the tall dahlias and hollyhocks,
and how forlorn
Come here, please" called Mabel in
a winning voice.
Bessie shook her head rather resent
fully, but kitty was purring soothingly
in her ear, and, after moments hest
tation, she came slowly toward the big
elm tree where Mabel still sat in the
hammock.
Bessie" she said, rising from her
seat, "you may have the hammock if
you want it.
Il don't want it now" said Bessie, de-
cidedly, in a tone which meant that she
did want it very much, but she wished
Mabel to understand that she was not
10 be msde friends with SO easily.