Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-06-15
A BOWL OF GINGHAM.
BY NELLIE sTJART RUSSELL.

Mamie, o Mamiel Where Are
you?" called mama.
"here 1 are" answered Mamie from
the hay NOW.
"Do you want me to do an erring?"
"Ohl may l go with her aunty?'
cried Lulu, the little cousin who was
visiting Mamie.
Eyes, you may go. Now listen.
Take this bowl over to Mrs. Root, aud
ask her please to lend mama some
graham-hour. Now, what are you
going to say?"
"Will you please lend mama some
graham-hour? You're welcome" re.
peated Mamie, slowly.
Mama smiled and said:
Don't play on the way"
So Mamie and Lulu tied their blue
sunbonnets over their yellow hair, and
trudged along the country road, hand in
hand, singing to a tune of their own:
Graham -four, gra-s-ham -four,
CRANE, CRANE, graham -four"
go Mamie!" cried Lulu suddenly,
Il tting go of her cousins hand.
''There's a bird 's-nest, right therein
the hedge. low down SOS We can see
into it. I'm a-goin' to see if there's
any birds in II.
.'Say going" correctly Mamie, as
she quickly 70 lowed Lulu; and, stand
ing tiptoe, looking like little birds them
selves, with their necks stretched and
mouths open, they peered into the
nest.
Nothing there.
"Jes' n old one, said Lulu in a dis
appointed lone, while Mamie turned
with little frown, and said GROSSLY:
Il don't care. / Just hate little
birds, any way. Skinny old things"
"Yes, but they get pretty feathers
OH 'am, Mamie. What if they'd been
three little birds there, and the old
mother bird had been Off gettin' worms,
and I'd taxed one, and you'd taxed
one, and we'd left one for the old
birds, and"
Yes" chImed in Mamie, getting ex-
cIted; land supposing We had tooken
ours home, and mama had bought us
two little shiny cages, and-oh, dear, l
b'lieve it's Just wicked for birds to
'ceIve folks that way! They oughted
to 'stroyed that old nest.
"Ohl birds don't know nothln', only
jes' sing and lay eggs" said Lulu.
Il guess they do too, now, Lulu
Haven. Didn't my mama tell me
about the rawlings? That's a bird.
that-oh, myl SaleratusI saleratusl
saleratusl"
1--WE forgetted, didn't We Mamie?
But that wasn't the word. 1t was
gingham; gingham something"
"Gingham" said Mamie scornfally.
That's what mama does when she
sews. Don't you supposing 1 know?
Mama sends me on lots of errings l
never forget Saleratusl saleratus
saleratusw she chanted in a determined
tone.
BY This time they had reached Mrs.
''If you please, will you please lend
mama a bowlful of saleratus?"
"a bowl of saleratus?" said Mrs.
mistake? What is your mama do
ing?"
''She's making bread" answered
Mamie.
''Ohl it's -four you want, That's
white, like salerstus"
"No, ma'am," said Mamie positively
''it was a great, long name, -saleratus,
L know"
II thlnk 1t was glngham, said Lulu
'imidly."
Mrs, Root wiped a smile from her
mouth with the corner of her apron,
said: 81 will give you what ssleratus
[ have in this paper, but L never Sad a
bowlful in my life.
''Then please put some gingham in
the bowl, Mrs. Root L jes' know
aunty didn't say saleratusl" cried Lulu,
'orgetting her bashfuIness.
''Bless you, child; L never had bowl
of gingham either"
And then Mrs, Root burst into such
a loud laugh that the two little girls,
half frightened, slipped out of the
door, and ran quickly home. And
when mama and grandma laughed too,
it was more than they could bear; but il
cured the little girls of their worst
fault
When they grow up, perhaps they
will meet some grown people who stop
10 look into empty bird's-nests, and
forget the errand on which they were
sent. -ErchGRge.