The record-union., 1898-11-14
potato out of the soft earth with the

or me-" cried Louise, stamping her IooS
I've always been delicate, and you
knowsitl2
You can go to town if you want to
in my place TO make up for my telling,
said Luella.
Il feel too sick to go to town. I can
hardly stand up"
We'll, then. go to the house and lie
around all day, and pa and ma will
think you are sick and that I don't
know
You say that so you can go to town. :"
No, | don't; but if you go they'll
know you're putting on. If you stay
they'll feel sorry and think how mean
l was to hit YOU
Louise walked slowly back to the
house, and lay down on the old settle
under the pine trees in the corner of the
yard
After awhile her mother blew the
horn for dinner. and her father passed
near her, and entered the kitchen door
without speaking to her.
Louise was not really deceptive
child. She had always been humored,
and all her little aches and ailments
paid attention to and she had only very
recently begun to realize that her tan
trums were something over which she
might have control
1t is hard to give up an idea Of any
Importance, and Louise's tantrums had
given her distinction in her own nome
and in all the neighborhood about
Louise thought, of course, Luella
would be sent out to coax her to come
In to dinner. She was very hungry.
but she had determined to refuse to
eat. They were having fried chicken,
and she could smell it.
never IN the ten years of her life
nad Louise been treated like this.
OIten her father had come out to the
ola settle and carried her in when she
had not felt half as i'll as she did to-
uay. Or her mother had come to the
uoor and said: Come, poor little sick
Louise, come in to dinner
Ana before Luella had found out that
making her a second time angry would
prlng her out of a tantrum she had
peen kinder than any one else.
The fried chicken choked Luella. and
sne begged her father to let her go out
ana bring her sister in to dinner She
was very tender-hearted, and she felt
almost as though she had done wrong
10 make light of her sisters weakness
You sit still, and don't you or moth
er speak word to her for twenty
four hours" said her father. Louise
is going to have the best lesson she's
ever had in her life"
Luella had never heard her fathers s
gentle voice so stern
Louise, out on the old settle. heard
him, too, for he had spoken very loud,
and the door was open. He had in
tended she should hear.
And then in her little heart a wicked
determination came. She would never.
never stir from that settle until
her father believed she was sick, and
was sorry for being so cruel
Just then Johnny Brockway, her
cousin, drove into the yard in a light
spring wagon. Louise did not raise her
head or open her eyes
Hello. are you sick again, Louise?"
he called, cheerfully.
Louise did not answer He sprang
out of the wagon and came to the side
of the old settle
''Sick?" he began asking.
Louise shut her eyes tighter
Your face is awful red,'' said
Johnny. Did you have another spell?
I'll call Aunt Kate.
Johnny Brockway, don't you call
MAJ" said Louise.
"Whew! / thought you was sick,"
He came back to the old settle again.
You want to go to town with LueIla
and me?" he asked
Louise gave a gasp and closed her
eyes again. Johnny darted to the blue
pump that stood near, and hastily
pumped a dipper of water, and was
back at her side. He sprinkled a hand
full of water in her face
Louise gasped and tried to tell him
to stop, but Johnny, becoming more
alarmed, emptied the entire dipper of
water over her and hurried to the
kitchen door.
''Oh. Aunt Kate, Louise is in spell.''
he cried
You sit down, Johnny" said Mr..
Brockway. rising from the table, and
he went to the door,
Louise, you get up and go to your
room and undress yourself and go to
bed and stay there till I come up to
talk to you"
And what was Johnny's amazement
to see Louise rise dripping from the
ducking he had given her, cross the
yard, and go by him through the
kitchen and uD the stairs.
Johnny had lost faith in her, too, and
he would tell her aunt and uncle, and
all the boys and girls in the neighbor-
hoodl
Johnny and Luella went to town
and bought striped, pink and white
candy and gumdrops, and watched the
express train come in from the east.
And then they drove home at great
speed for Johnny was an accomplished
of his father and mother
When they reached home Luella mid
some cookies in her pocket, and with
all of her candy stole UP to Louise's
room.
'I'H coax pa to forgive you in the
morning." she said, sitting down on
the edge of the bed MA will be COM
ing up with something for you by and
by, and / will be up Tomorrow
"f-don't want to get up" walled
Louise, munching her candy ''You
think it is fun to have me sent to bed
while you go off to town with Johnny,
having a good time"
II don't see why you want folks TO
be sorry for you. anyway, and petting
you all the time. You don't have half
as much fun as if you acted WELL"
You know 1 can't help it," said
Louise.
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