The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-13
A Naughty Day.

the fields with me. we will have lots OF
fun" Beth know only too well what nice
times she and Dick always had whom they
played together.
Upstairs they heard Nanny Punt's
voice In song, and Beth knowing mamma
had gone back to her sewing, waved her
little hand with a tragic gesture toward
the great pile OF dishes that stood on the
porch table. Look here, Beth. don't you
see II you slip away" said wise little Dick,
'that whsn we get back the dishes will be
oil washed and ON the supper table,"
So Beth yielded. Dick mounted the
wagon with Pappy Punt and they drove
off to the fields, by way Of the cart track
while Beth as these little sinners bad
planned, ran down the road. around the
corner and up past the meeting hou5e. to
find Dick waiting for her over tho brow Of
the hill.
Pappy Punt, oil in ignorance Of their
scheming, cast an occasional look after the
children 10 see that they did not stray
away. He whistled merrily as he raked
the sweet new mown hay, aud afterward
tossed it into the hay-rick and promised
thom If they were good children all after
noon they might ride home away up on
top Of tho pilo Of hay.
'.If they were o1achildren." Beth's
conscience pricked her at that and she had
mind TO run home. but Just then Dick
called out, Here Beth, quick, quick!' A
tiny snake, perchnnce ten inches long. had
wrigg'ed out from somewhere, and with
stones and big stick they soon managed
to slay the monster Yet now great
fear came over them. What If the mother
snake, missing her young. should come
out and find 1t dead. Surely she would
bite them to death. Again Dicks active
little brain devised plan.
ii say, Beth, lots hide This snake under
this big stone" "Very WE'LL" she replied,
see If its. tail has died, because you romem.
Der somebody said ouce, q snakes tail
never died till the sun went down Now
we can find out If It's rue"
Perhaps, still dreading the vengeance of
the mother snake, and somehow not feel.
ing as happy as they had anticipated, thoy
wandered us far from this spot as possible
and rolled down hill. awhile Again they
s.rayed off to the little ..churchyard and
for a long time amused themselves by
wandering in and out among the graves.
In the early spring-timo they had wa-ch-
ed the sweet mountain PINK creep softly
over many of the little graves and while
they admired its beautiful color and ran
their hands carossingly over its petals, they
never plucked the flowers.
Sweet mountain pink! that covered the
graves,
In the little chrrchyard, quaint and lone;
know not If still you softly creep
All over he mounds, from s'one to stone.
But the rich tint of yonr color rare,
And tho faintest breath Of perfume
Somehow has.stole across tho air,
And tonight is filing my room.
They knew the doad were sleeping hero,
although they knew not what death
meant.Ii True they sat on the hard,
wooden benches Sunday after Sunday ii
the little church mile away and often
SING:
II want to be an angel,
And with the anaefs stand;
A crown upon my forehead,
A harry within my hand
And Beth had often looked up into tho
sky and thought that perhaps God was
too good to let any Of chem die, for after
all she would rather stay with her brother
and sisters than 90 away to be m angel.
Somehow the thoughts Of the mountain
pink, the stiffness Of the solemn place,
and the blue of the summon sky, crept
into her little heart and she forgot her
play. forgot Dick, and was thinking
thinklng--wh Pappy Punt's checry
lambs! ready for ride?' ana in turn ho
left warm kiss on each little cheek as
cat ching them up in his arms he tossed
them upon the pile Of new Nown hay.
Tho western sun was just setting behind
the big woods as they reached home. A
nice warm supper was on the table as Dick
had prophesied. but the dinner dishes still
stood on tho porch table, stern reminder
to Beth of neglected duty.
NANNY Punt said nothing while Beth
pretending not to care, got the big dish
pan and with an aching heart washed up
the Dishes while loyal Dick stood by and
wiped them Anon the merry laughter
from the dining room fell upon their ears.
Tho warm rays Of the setting sun fell
across their sober faces and young as they
werc1 they felt tho meaning OF the old
adaqe. "Du y FIRST pleasure afterward.
That night Nanny Punt kissed them
as usuoI. but Beth folt too wicked to say
her prayers, and sho crept into bed with
ont doing so; but the words of little verse
they had just Leen taught kept ringing
in her ears:
Almighty God thy piercing eye,
Sees through the shades of night,
And all our secret actions are
Full open to thy sight,
So she lay awake long time. but after
all he household wore locked in slumber
she crept out of bed and on her knees mur-
INJURED:
II want to be an angel,
And with the angels stand;
A crown uEon my forehead,
A harp within my hand"
And with a truly contrite heart she ask
oil the dear God up in heaven to forgive
her and Dick, for their naughty day.
ANNIE H. MICHENER.
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