Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-01-11
WHAT A GOOD LITTLE GIRL
AM l."
BY AMY DARCY wETMoRE.

lived in such pretty housel She had
kind papa and mama and a French
nurse who taught her little sentences
to surprise her friends. Although she
was not quite five years old, and had
only limited number Of birthdays
and Christmases, she had great
many toys, and crowds of attractive
little dresses-in fact everything tC
make a small girl happy.
Lately, she had been promoted to
wearing very short skirts, for you know
when one comes to reside IN this world
ones clothes are very long, then they
become short, and then they grow long
again. So Marjorie, as we have said
was at the short stage now and it was
very becoming, because she had such
pretty legs, and with her short black
stockings, and cute little slippers she was
charming. But we must not dwell too
much upon her legs and forget about
her lovely blue eyes-her pretty soft
brown curls and healthy pink color.
She had such decided little face with
SO much expression, and she was too a
very decided little girl and could take
good care of herself Lately she had
given up some serious faults of early
youth; she hardly ever fell down stairs
nowadays, and always did as she was
told Except when she did not want
to-.
Marjorie was great traveller and had
been in Europe, and had even seen
something of society over there, for she
had actually been at a ''Iea" given to
little Lady Fairfax. But on the whole
she did not like Europe much. 1t was
good deal mixed up with whooplng-
cough, and a new nurse in her mind,
and the combination was not a happy
one. Besides, it was such brittle place,
SO many things broke when Marjorie
touched them. Once her little hand
knocked against the car window and
it Just fell to pieces. at another time
e nice piece of soap broke in half as
Marjorie was taking her BATH and as
for tumblers and pitches one had only
to look at them, and they fell over on
the hoor-their contents scattered, and
their future usefulness destroyed.
But to go back to Marjorie's toys,
two among the many we're the most
priced One was called "Mr. Sands"
by Marjorie and by impolite people
stuffed monkey. He was an immense
favorite, though his habits were not to
be initiated. HE was rather addicted
to the ''pomps and vanities of this
wicked world" and wore a most gor-
Reous coat covered with bells. Indeed
like the hero of the old rhyme, he
adorned his person considerably with
these articles, and wore them not only
on his fingers and toes, but in his ears
also. He was inclined to be lazy, and
did not seem to have the slightest am
bition to make footprints on the
sands of time;" on the contrary he
spent most of his time in small brass
bed-stead in company with lage bot
tie, which often gave his friends a sus-
picious, and unfavorable opinion of
him. The other toy that rivalled ''Mr.
Sands" was far more respectable. 1t
lightful medley of a piano, a hand
organ, and the Fifth Regiment
Band" This was Marjorie's great Joy,
and while her nurse was dressing her,
and curling her pretty hair-Marjorie
would set this box going, and sounds
of melody would enlIven the process
of the toilet But one day Mama came
home with a sad tale of a dear old man,
who had no one to take care of him,
and who lived at a big house whore
they took aged people. This old man
was very lonely and poor-his wife and
all his children had gone to Heaven
long ago. He was not a nice old man
to look at for he wore ragged clothes,
and did not like to wash his face and
hands very often. But there was one
thing he did love, and that was music.
He thought if he could only hear once
more some dear old tune of his youth he
would be happy, but alas! when would
that be. No that like everything else must
belong to the past Now Marjorie lis
tened to this sad story, and complac-
emily patted her music box, but she
thought she would wind it up, and
perhaps "AIr. Sands" might take his
nap by it.
But every afternoon now when
Mama was lying down, and Marjorie
had come in to assist her in this EN-,
ployment-IIsma would tell her again
the story of the poor lonely old man,
and sometimes Marjorie would cry
about him, and ask why he did not buy
monkey like "Mr. Sands. But
when she was told he had no
money and 70 Papa or Mama
to give him any pretty toys-Mar-
jorie would shake her curls and say she
was thinking about tomething," 80
Marjorie thought, and thought, and
thought, aud one morning before
Mama was up she heard a noise at her
floor, and small white robbed figure
with bare feet came in tugging large
box, her sweet little face flushed with
excitement, and her curls hanging all
disordered over ber bright eyes.
mama" she said ''Maiorie will dive
de poor ole dirty man her musy box,
but he mus not want Mr.. Sands tause
he amt doeing to det him if he does. "
Mama drew the delicious morsel into
her bel, and kissed her generous little
girl over and over again. So that
afternoon when they were lying down
for one of their usual talks with ''Mr.
Sands" asleep in Marjorie's arms, her
Mama told her how happy she had
made the old man, and how he had
said that now Everything he had
want d in this world had been given to
him. Marjorie listened and was
greatly pleased, only she was still more
so, when her Papa decided that such
good action deserved speedy reward,
and so he went down street and pur-
chased another monkey. This one was
even more full of vain glory ard all
unrighteousness than the celebrated
''Mr. Sands" aid therefore soon be-
came rival and favorite. A place was
assigned him in the brass bedstead,
and he was given a bottle for his own
and separate use, while he was known
in polite circles by the name ''the
False Prophet" So this story ends
, leaving one old man happier than he
was when it began, and if Marjorie cares
to she can truly say "What Good
Little Girl Am /. ,"