Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-08-30
MRS. DECKS NEW LEAF.
How Tommy's Sickness Taught
His Mother a Lesson.

Mrs Deck was trou bied about man
things She craved the newest fashioi
in sleeves, not only for herself, but 70
her little girls. and wanted to hav,
every sort Of dish and silver applianc,
fancy has invented TO clutter the table
and enrich the shopkeepers. She be
longed to two missionary societies. aut
TO the musical and literary clubs, ant
she delighted in giving dainty after
noon teas and little dinners Mr.
Deck often said, with smiling pride
there was nothing slow about Sally
and then he would give an odd httl,
sigh as if he unconsciously regretted
his Sallys ability to keep up with life''
procession. But no one noted that
sigh, unless it was little Tommy,
whose quick ears and sharp eyes noticed
everything.
Tommy was So often called an awful
boy, il is probable he had his faults.
TO sail on a mud puddle on bobbing
bit Of board. he would scour the little
city over and if there was ticklish
/ job Of tree climbing necessary to tho
rescue IF some fellows kite Tommy
was always the boy to undertake il.
/ He would tuck mails in the pockets of
his Sunday clothes, and drive them
| into impossible places with the potato
masher, if NO other hammer WAS
available, and the times he had flooded
| the house from the bathroom and
given himself the Group and twisted his
ankles skating could not be counted.
But Tommy never told lies. lie never
even told tiny fhs when by 50
doing be could have saved him
self Unpleasant punishment Tommy's
eyes were big and the sort Of gray that
often looked black His hair was
brown and as thick on his head rs il
could be without being solid, and over
his nose was thick spriukliug oi
freckles. The little boys all liked
Tommy, and so did the cats and dogs,
and SO did Miss Bramhall, his teacher
though he was stupid in number work
But lis sisters usually spQlIe Of him as
"a little plague" and his mamma.
without being aware OF II, felt him to
be great hindrance TO everything she
wanted to do. II she was practicing
sonata. he would break in upon the
adagio by beginning TO sing After the
Ball. to the best OF his agility. He
aad no voice whatever Or he would.
beset by some demon of unrest, steal
to the stairway and take that oppor-
tunity TO slide down the baluster rail.
and leave upon II etchings drawn by
his buttons II she were studying a
page of Browning. or trying TO write
an essay upon art. il did seem as II
Tommy always chose the moment
that would disturb her most TO play
wild Indian with a select party 81
friends, just under the window. So II
fell out that by degrees Tommy fell
more and more TO the charge of Molly,
the nurse. and consoled himself when
10 trouble by visiting the fuckers. who
lived just around the corner in brown
house Mrs. Tucker somehow KEEP,
bread in the mouths Of her brood OF six
by washing; and what She callcI
days works Alright they gathered
about her, and the one lamp. and Ia All
Shoreleigh there was not happier
group She was busy at something al
ways, patching usually. but it was
wonderful the amount of work she
could get through with swarmed upon
by six pairs of arms, and talked To bv
six eager tongues.
The literary club was going 10 hold
its annual banquet at Mrs Decks, and
that lady determined to make the occa.
sion one long to be remem bercd.
There may he costlier ones by and by. /
when shoreleigh is great city, She
told Mr. Deck. "but there shall not be |
prettier one
WELL" assented Mr.. Deck. so Il |
don't cost too dear. Sally. I've nothing
to say do not mean IN dollars. for
you are always sensible about spend /
ing them, but yourself. You spend 4
yourself too lavishly sometimes Mrs
Deck only laughed at this, and I
went of TO the florists and spent the /
whole morning deciding whether she |
would have roses or chrysanthcmums /
FOR decoration.
Chyysauthemums is newer. mum,
said Mr.. lliggs, rubbing his hands to-
gether so they rustled. AN YOU pits
great variety. Take this ere white
Looks like big dahlia, an this ere
white again ere like mop . air I
droppin back from a gals face. an 1
this ere one again is piled up like a lot
o thin-sliced ca obages. an this one
again are like sunaower for its
shapes. an pink an white, or orange,
again al lavender pink. or All
gold color is 'andsome- Roses aia't
" hat you can call old, but they amt
no ways new. though amt one as is
too really to force my opinion. Ladies
knows what they has and what they
wants"
While Mrs Deck listened TO Mr..
Riggs, Tommy was busy far away
sailing mud puddle lake with Harry
Fucker. for il was Saturday. and when