The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-29
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Forty Years the Standard.
DON'T WANT TO-
BY GRACE puFF1ELD GOODWIN.


tom" said mamma, looking up from
her sewing, "run into the other room
and bring me my thimble. It's on the
window-sill."
-Four year. old Tom was sitting on the
floor tying the cat into harness of gray
tape which matched her fur beautifully.
Don't want to-" he replied cheerfully,
attempting to pull poor kittys ears
through an impossible loop.
Mamma said no more, and Tom stole
one or two curious glances at her from
under his curly brown lashes. Was it
possible that he was going to have his
own way? 1t really seemed so. Usually
mamma said something more, and it
ended in Toms doing-oh, SO slowly and
unwillingly!-wha he was told to.
But something was the matter with
that beautiful gray harness; it wasn't so
least. So Tom abandoned it, and hunt
ed up his long lines that grandma made,
and fastened them to the rocking chair.
Those lines acted very queerly. Tom
couldn't understand it.
"Oh, de- me- he said at last, despair
ingly. Mamma, my lines is snangled;
| please to unsnangle 'em for me-won't
your
| Mammals brow drew into little frown,
and she said in a whining tone: mo, l
don't want to-" Tom looked at her very
hard, and decided that she hadn't un-
derstood him, so he repeated the re-
mark:
Il said vey must be fixed, mamma.
Please to fix 'em."
Don't want to-" she said again, this
time with more of whine than ever.
But you're We mother" Tom OBJ
| jected.
Don't want to- was all the answer he
received; SO, very much puzzled, he car
ried them to Bridget.
By and by papa came home and met
his little son in the hail.
"See here, little fellow" he called
cheerily, take this paper to mamma, I'm
in hurry"
Then Toms pretty lips pouted, and
Don't want to- was what they said. A
CLEAN of remembrance lighted papa 8
face, and he took the paper in himself.
That was such little thing that Tom
forgot it, but papa didn't.
After dinner the little boy was in his
fathers lap before the FIRE, and mamma
heard him say as usual:
please tell Tom tory, papa big
one. bout bear"
Papa's eyes twinkled, but he drew
down the corners of his mouth and said:
II don't want to-"
why for not?' queried Tom.
II don't want TO-"
Tom slid down to the floor, and sat
there in silence for whole long minute;
then he said, "and when my lines was
all snangled up she saided she di'D't
want to- an fink fings is funny"
Papa and mamma looked at each other
and smiled.
After a little, just when Tom and the
gray kitten were having good time on
the rug, mamma remembered, as Tom
was afraid she would, and remarked, Il
know little boy who is very sleepy. and
| know a lovely white bed to put him in,
Come. Tom"
"Oh, no. 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 Toms round little
arm. Usually. he cried when he was
worsted in contest with the gray kit
ten. This time he looked up at mamma
and said slowly:
I'D Joy see her a-sayin' she di'n't
want 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, whel you pout and
frown, and say you don't want to, when
mamma asks you to do something for
her, then it hurts mamma just as il
YOU made long, dreadful scratches right
on her heart"
oh, de- mel" Tom said in dismay.
Tom won't do vat any more to yo' poor
heart-he don't want to."-Selected.