The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-26
D,n't Want To.
BY GRACE II. DUFFIELD.


"Tom," said mama, looking up from
her sewing, "run into the other room
and bring me my thimble. It's OH
the wind0w-sill." ="
Four-year- Tom was sitting Oh
the floor tying the cat into harness of
grey tape, which matched her fur
beautifully.
"Don't want to-" he replied, cheer
fully attempting to pull poor kitty's
ears through an impossible loop.
Mamma said no more, and Tom stole
one or two curious glances at her from
under his curly dark lashes. Was it
possible he was going to have his own
way? 1t really seemed SO. Usually y
mamma said something more, and it
ended by Toms doing-oh, so slowly
and unwillingly what he was told
to.
Bat something was the matter with
that beautiful gray harness; it wasn't
so pretty, after all, and it didn't fit IN
the least.
So Tom abandoned it, and hunted
ND his long lines that grandma made
and fastened them to the rockingchair.
Those lines acted very queerly. Tom
couldn't understand it.
"Oh de- me !" he said at last, despair
ingly. Mamma, my lines is snagled !;
please to unsnagled EN- for me,-won't
you?" w
Mammals brow nrew into little
frown, and she said in y whining
voice:
"No. T don't want to-"
Tom looked ut her very hard, and
decided that she hadn't understood
him, so he repeated his remark:
"I said very must he fixed, mama |;
please to fiX'em."
"Don't mant to-" she said again,
this time with more Of whine than
ever.
'But you're the MOTHER" Tom
objected.
Don't want to-" was all the ans
wer lie received; so very much puz-
zled, he carried them to Bridget.
BY and by papa came home,n q
met his small son in the hall.
"see here, little fellow" he caalled
cheerily, "take this paper to mamma.
Pm in hurry"
Then Toms pretty lips pouted, and
Don't want to" was what they said.
A gleam of remembrance lighted pa
pas face, and he took the paper in
himself. That was such little thing
that rom forgot it, but papa didn't.
After dinner the little boy was in
his fathers lap before the fire, and
mamma heard him beg, as usual:
"Please tell Tom story, papa big
one,' bout bear"
Papa's eyes twinkled, bnt he drew
down the corners of his mouth and
said:
don't want to-"
Tom slid down to the floor, and sat
there in silence for whole, long min
ute then he said;
cam when my lines was all snan-
gled up, she said she din't want to,
an fink fings is funny"
Papa and mama looked at each 9TH
er and smiled.
After little, just when Tom and
the gray kitten were having such a
good time on the rug, mama remem-
bered, as Tom was afraid she would,
and remarked:
"I know q little boy VINO is very
sleepy, and / know lovely white bed
to put him in. Come, Tom"
HOh mop said Tom briskly; 81
don't"-
Then something occurred to him, and
he got up without another word, took
the gray kitten in his arms, and he
and mamma went upstairs. But the
gray kitten objected. and dragged her
Sharp claws GROSSLY down Tom S little
round arm. Usually he cried when
he was worsted in contest with the
gray kitten. This time he looked up
at mamma, and said slowly: .
"D,iou see her a-sayin' she di'n't
to? Tom don't say it vat way"
"I'm not so sure, little boy" replied
mamma, as she took him in her arms ;
"because, you know, when you pout
and frown, and say you don't want to
when mamma ask you to do something
for her, then it hurts mamma just
Just as if you made long dread
ful scratches right on her heart"
ooh de- me ~ Tom said In dismay.
"Ton won't do vat any more to yo'
Door heart,-he don't want tor