Year: 1875

DO you want to know why little clTl.
dren wear mittens, and not gloves, like
grown persons? Listen, and / will tell
YOU


Once upon time a mother went ont
and said to the five little fingers, "Chil-
dren, when 1 am not at home, behave
well, and do what tell you. If you are
kind and obedient, l will bring each of
you n little house, where you can live
when it is cold in winter. "


"Oh, mother :" exclaimed the five fin
gers, "we viii certainly mind only tell
us what we must do"


Then the mother answered:


- The fore-hnger must point abroad,


The middle-hnger only nod.


The third finger strict lpiaSi must keep,


Lest the httc one into mischief creep


And the baby thumb must watch and see


That ali the rest obedient be-"


"Now 60" mother dear" said the
fore-fnger, "I'll certainly be attentive,
and point prettily, if you.will only bring
me something.


Then the niddle-finger cried out, q
will promise to be polite and bow nicely
if you will bring me little house too,
for am the biggest one T.


81 will certainly keep watch that my
little brother does not get into mischief,
cried the ring finger "but my house
must be the prettiest -


"No mine." exclaimed the little fin
ger "mine must be prettier than all
the rest-and then / won't make bit of
noise"


But the baby thumb only said,
" Mothor, dear, will do Just what you
say"


But their mother had only been gone
a very few minutes, when the fore-finger
exclaimed


at is very stupid and tedious to be so
good, and to point all the time. ] want
to rest a minute" So he lay down.


"Ah, you lazy thing !" replied the
middle finger; cit is much more
fatiguing to be so industrious, and bow
all the time" and he was going to lie
down too but the forefnger jumped up
and gave him blow, crying, chow dare
you find fault with mel You are lazy
yourself, you wicked boy"


Then the middle finger struck him
again, the forefinger returned it and
who knows how long they might have
fought if the ring finger he'd not called
out:


"Arn't you ashamed OF yourselves
One of you is as bad as the other. See,
how torture myself, and stand here
keeping watch all the time mean to
stop and rest, and let you great fellows
keep guard over your little brother,' -


What |" exclaimed the forefinger and
middle-fnger, "you little rogue, do you
pretend to dictate and find fault with
your brothers There stop now"


Then they both began to beat the ring
finger. He turned, with all his strength,
and struck the little finger, which he had
the care of. The little one gave dread
ful scream, and began to scratch as well
as he could, but as they were in the
hottest of the fight the door opened and
their mother came in.


o, how frightened the naughty fingers
were They hung their heads, and were
so ashamed they couldn't speak.


Finally the middle-tinger said that the
foretinger was lazy and he would not al
low it. But the forefnger laid the
blame on the middle finger, and said he
began the quarrel. The ring finger
blamed them both and the little finger
complained of all.


Then their mother spoke and said :
"You are four naughty, disobecient
children, who deserve to be punished.
See here what have brought for you :"
and drew beautiful glove out of her
pocket. On it was found five houses,
Just rs large as the five fingers. One
was for the thumb, one for the fore
I finger one for the middle finger, and
one for the little finger.


I" But you cannot have these pretty
houses now," said the mother. Then
she went out, and soon returned with
another kind of glove.


Look" she exclaimed, "this has
only one separate house, which belongs
entirely to the little thumb, because he
is good and obedient. You others must
live together, and as soon as you have
become kind and obedient, then you
shall have house of your own."


And there it was the four fingers
might entreat as much as they could, it
would not help them. Ever since this
time, so many little children wear nit
tens; but when they grow tall and be-
come good, then they can wear gloves.