Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-05-29
ANNAPOLIS. MD. THURSDAY EVENING. MAY 30. 1890.
lie WAS A BAD BOY.
But he DOESN'T WEAR oUr THE CARPET
ANY MORE.

But lie DOESN'T WEAR OUT THE CARPET
ANY MORE
Among the guests at small summer
hotel were a little boy and his mother.
The boys fulness of life and richness of
/ prankish resource kept the timid. shrink
ing mother in q constant state of alarm,
and the servants, noticing that she was
afraid that her son might give offense,
took pains to increase her anxiety by
telling the child, in those soft bat forced
tones of kindness which burn worse than
harshness, not to make so much noise
and not to scatter bread crumbs on the
steps. The proprietor's wife, an old
woman whom every one said was moth
erly, unconsciously took clue from the
servants, and forgetting that her own
sons and daughters were once noisy
children, began to oppress the boy.
"Sh-sh-don't make fuss, she said,
meeting him in the hall. Little boys
must be seen and not heard. Go and
put that ball away. You might break
something. Never mind that cat. Get
out of my way. / wonder what your
mother can be thinking about.
Tommy, his mother called from a
neighboring room.
@Ma'am.
@Come here.
Il amt doin' nothin'."
Oh, let him alone, pray you, said
the proprietor's wife, inclining her head
and smiling at the mother, who had APP
peared in the doorway. >"I was simply
afraid that he might break something
with his ball, but do let him enjoy him
self, / beseech you. Children will DO
children, you know"
Il do hope he won't cause you any
trouble, the mother replied Il do tho
very best l can with him, but--1-I-
Come here, son.
She reached out, took the boy by tho
hand and drew him into the room.
What makes you cry, mammal"
Because you are 80 bad, darling"
she replied, taking him into her arms.
Il didn't know was bad.
But you are. You seem to mako
everybody miserable.
What's miserable?"
unhappy.
whats unhappy
go, sit down over there.
He climbed up on a trunk, twisted
himself around, tore his clothes, got
down, killed a fly on the window pane,
picked up feather which he found In
the corner, threw it up and blow his
breath upon 1t. turned over q work has
ket, climbed upon the bed where his
mother had lain down, put his hands on
her face, gazed with mischievous tender
ness into her eyes and said:
II love you.
She clasped him to her bosom.
You'll be good boy, won't your"
@Yessum, an when that nigger makes
a face at me, won't say anything"
@Well, you must not"
"An' mustn't grab holt of the calls
tail when he shoyes it through the
fence?"
1No."
@Why?"
@Oh, because it will hurt him. Let
mamma go to sleep now, and don't you
go out.
"Nome.
The woman sank to sleep. The boy
got off the bed and went to the window.
He looked up at fly that was buzzing
at the top, went back to the bed, gently
kissed his mother and stole out into the
hall. Exuberant with freedom, he be-
gan to gallop in imitation of horse.
"Sh-sh !"
He was confronted by the proprietor's
wife. What are you racing around
here like mule for, say7 Don't you
know you are wearing out the carpet7
Why don't you go somewhere and sit
down and behave like haman beingi
Think bought this carpet to have il
skuffed out this wayl Stop raking your
foot on the floor that way"
He held up his hands as If, in begging
for forgiveness, he would kiss her.
Don't put your greasy hands on me.
Go on, now, and don't rake your feet on
this carpet. don't know what mothers
these days can be thinking about.
@Tommie, his mother called.
@Yessum,"
@Come here.
@Oh, don't know what to do with
you, she said when she had drawn him
1uBO the IOOAls w 1lab makes YOU so
bad?"
II dunno, but it must be the lad man"
"Yes, andhe'll get you, too, if you don't
behave yourself"
II want to hug you"
well, hug me. then, and sit down"
-You love me, don't your"
@Yes, little angel" she said, pressing
him to her bosom.
More than all the houses an railroads l
an steamboats, put together7"
@Yes."
To the mother the days were dragged
over the field of time, like the dead body
Of an animal. In misery lest her son
should cause offense she watched him
and at table hushed him. The proprie-
tors wife scoIded him and at last the
little fellows spirit was cowed. He
crept through the hall, and, on tiptoe, to
keep from wearing out the carpets, he
moved fhrng1Uh the hnaruo Cuc vr,cvnsfr,or