Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-06-26


No one could break her of 1t, try as
they would. Papa had offered her a
five-dollar gold piece II she would stop
it for a month, and many were the
wonderful dolls clothes that mother
was going to make if it would cure
her daughter, but all to no purpose.
AS soon as Marjorie began to read
or do anything very interesting, into
her mouth her thumb would go, and
the whole family would say at once.
Marjorie, do stop sucking your
thumb"
Well, as 1 have said, all this was
useless, and all gave up in despair
and said they could do nothing with
her.
One day the Lane children were in
vited to birthday party. and mother
said that if she saw Marjorie suck
her thumb once during the day she'd
have to stay at home.
Marjorie was very careful all the
morning, and not once did it slip in
between her white teeth. But, oh
dear, oh dear, right after lunch she
forgot, and the first thing she knew
mother was saying:
Marjorie, dear, I'm very sorry. but
You can't go to the party
Goodness me, what a flood of tears
was drawn forth at this! But mother
had spoken, and 1t was useless to
tease.
So poor Marjorie had to content her.
self with watching the others start out
in their Sunday best, and she went
down into the library all alone and
curled herself up in chair near the
fire and sobbed and sobbed until
goodness, what could that be? Mar
jorie sat bolt upright.
"a fairy godmother, / do declare"
and she rubbed her eyes to be sure
she was not dreaming.
Marjorie Lane said the old lady
severely, looking right over the top
Of her spectacles in a dreadful man
ner.
I'm ashamed of you. Sitting here
crying, just because you're so naugh-
ty that you aren't allowed to go out
with the other children. You de-
serve it. every bit. 1--we made up my
mind to see what can do" And
she waved her hand over the little
girls head, and disappeared in an
instant.
We'll, now that's very queer"
thought Marjorie, and as usual she
put her thumb in her mouth and pom
dered over this strange disappearance
for minute. Then she got up and
started toward the kitchen to tell
the cook, and incidentally find a few
fresh cookies. But cook was down in
the cellar, SO she made her way. to
the cake box. and with a nice handful
Of goodies, started to put one in her
But something else was in
her mouth, and that was nothing
more or less than her thumb. And,
horror of horrors, she couldn't get it
out! Pull as she would, it stuck fast,
and poor Marjorie was dreadfulls
frightened and fled screaming up
stairs, the tears trickling down over
her hand, until her sleeves were quite
wet. Grandma was quietly darning
stockings in the nursery, and to her
Marjorie went, crying as though her
heart would break. Grandma gave
one look at her little grandchild and
then said:
mo, Marjorie, don't come to me for
comfort until you take your thumb
out Of your mouth"
Poor Marjorie tried to say IT can't
take it out" but she only made a
queer sobbing noise, because, you see,
she couldn't speak, and grandma went
on sewing and paid no attention. 1t
was the same, in Aunt Minnie's room.
from her but a good round
scolding, SO as a last resort Marjorie
tried mother, who was in the library.
But as soon as Mrs. Lane caught
sight of her small daughter entering
the room sucking her thumb, she went
right on reading her book, and never
even spoke. With more tears and
sobs, Marjorie crept back to her old
seat by the fire and began to wish
she were dead. She looked longing
ly at the cookies still held in her
free hand, there was no room in her
mouth with her thumb there too, and
even If there were, she would have
to eat her thumb If she tried to eat
a cookie.
Just then she heard slight hem!
and looking down, 10 and behold,
there was the fairy godmother!
well, Marjorie" she began. 81
hope you have learned a little lesson;
now you may take your thumb out"
No sooner said than done, and at
last Marjorie could speak again. With
a sigh of relief, she folded her hands
meekly in her lap and listened to a
long lecture from her godmother.
Then the little old lady disaT/eare
as suddenly as she had come-and.
why were the children coming so
soon?
In they rushed, telling of the PARTY,
and all saying how sorry they were to
have Marjorie miss it.
AS the days went by mother noticed
that Marjorie never sucked her thumb
any more, and she was glad to think
that her punishment had been SO eff
fectual.
But Marjorie knew better reason
than that why she kept her thumb out
of her mouth.-Elizabeth Watson Ives
in the Washington Star.
SPECTACLES.
1t is hard to realize what our an.
cestors did without the help of spec
tacles. The first mention of them
seems to be toward the end of the
thirteenth century, when convex spec
IN ola, u,ora IN ~ ;e