The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-03-11
TOMMY AND THE BABY.
Tho Lesson Necessary to Teach . Boy How
Dear to Him Was q Little Sister.

Tho Lesson Necessary to Teach . Boy How
Dear to Him Was Little Sister.
81 don't care" and Tommy looked
very much as if he meant it. 81 don't
care, I'm tired of having to amuse the
baby. Every time l want to do any
thing somebody says: Tommy, will
you please take care of the baby" /
just wish there wasn't any baby" and
Tommy showed both hands down to the
bottom of the pockets of his knicker-
bockers, and almost bumped his head
against the window pane, and quite fat
tened his nose against it as he looked
into the street.
"Do you really mean that, Tommy?
Do you really wish there was no baby
in this housed" asked Tommy's mother,
very quietly.
"Yes, l do, therev and Tommy
almost stamped to prove how much he
meant it.
81 am glad you told me, Tommy, for
l was planning to take you with me to
grandma's. Baby must go, but you are
quite large enough to stay with papa
and Ellen. 1t will be great relief to
you not to have the baby about when
you get home from school. You can
amuse yourself without interruption. "
And before Tommy had time to say a
word, he was SO astonished, his mother
had gone out of the room.
Tommy was always eXtravagant in
his words; that is, he said more than he
meant to say; and this habit had not
been checked, so you can imagine how
amazed he was to find himself taken at
his. word. Not like to have the baby
around! Why, of course he did. She
was the dearest, sweetest baby
in the world. But just then
Tommy remembered that syester.
day he had to stay with her hall
an hour because she would not go to
the new nurse, and mamma had call.
Tommy turned back to the window.
Yes, last Saturday she wasn't we'll, and
wanted Tommy to stay with her, and
he had to stay all the morning. Yes, il
would be nice to run out and play just
as soon as he was through his lessons.
He concluded he would not go to grand.
mas; baby was much more trouble
away from home--he had heard his
mamma say 30. If he was there, she
would want him every minute. Tom.
my stood up very straight when he en-.
tered his mothers room, where the baby
was. Can you imagine why Tommy
had such queer feeling in his throat
when the baby screamed with delight
when she saw him, and why he was
glad he had not left his handkerchief in
his overcoat, for his eyes were very
watery?
Tommy felt left out, somehow, fol-
the next few days. He knew his mother
was very busy, but he noticed that she
did not ask him to take care of the baby
who never seemed sweeter or more Low
able. Two or three times Tommy felt
like asking if he might go to grandma's
to make the visit, but there was always
something in his mothers face that die
not invite him to go. Monday came
and mother, baby, and Katy started fol
the depot Baby said ever so many
times: my Tom, 60 with babyv' ant
every time she said it that queer lump
would come right into Tommy's throat
And he had to wipe his eyes in the mos
public manner when she thumped OF
the car window and screamed: 81 AN
my Toni"
"Be good boy, dear heart, and l hops
you will have delightful time, without
any cares or Interruptions, said mother
Tommy felt very uncomfortable, AND
vet he had the secret conviction that i
would be very nice to play, or read, O.
sit perfectly idle without the baby Il
interfere with or bother him.
When he got back home the hous'
| was very still, and then he found ther'
would be three more hours in which t
play than he had other days, for hi
mother was his teacher, and now Their
were no lessons. He coasted down hill
until he was tired; the other boys wer
in school, and it really was not mucl
fun coasting alone. He read after lunch
but the house was so still he felt lone
some in spite of the exciting story. TIL
cook was cross, and she would not lie
| him stay in the kitchen. He went UT