Year: 1872

4
she said, you are the plague of my life
You are always quarreling with Tom. OF
course you are moi two years the Oldest you
act as if you were not half as old. Now go up
to the nursery and don't come down till
give you leave"


A bitter sense of injustice rankled in my
breast as I turned away and walked slowly
! from the kitchen to the room where Tom sat,
having it all his own way with the checkers.
When he saw me he cried out in malicious
triumph, Good for you Pays you for
cheating Now you won't get any hot
doughnuts, andl I'll eat all the turnovers !,


That was too much turned around and
cried out passionately " Tom, you're an
awful, wicked, storytelling liar hate
you, and wish you were dead l do y
l was borror-stricken the moment 1 had
uttered these words, but before l could get
breath to retract what I had said, Tom rushed
into the kitchen, crying " Mother, mother
Helen says I'm a liar and she'll kill me y


Of course 1 was marched up stairs double
QUICK, mother hand pinching my arm awfully
| all the way. and remained nursery prisoner,
living on bread and water for the rest Of the
day. besides being set to learn hymn on
brotherly love. never hear that hymn now
without a vision of the nursery that hot sum-
mer day, myself sitting in the window with
nv hymn-book, watching Tom, who had
stationed himself under cherry tree opposite
and sat munching my birthday turnover,
favoring me with occasioned observations re-
garding the high state of felicity he was
enioying compared with my miserable condl-
| ton. fully made up my mind that after.
noon that would never 60 to Heaven, never!
! if I had to love Tom. | persevered in this
determination until had gone to bed and
the light was put out. Then / had such
awful visions of eternal punishment that l
was willing to accept salvation on any terms
and screamed for mother. begging when she
came to see Tom and ask forgiveness was
allowed the privilege ~ and humbly entreat-
ed the little monster to pardon me, which ne
graciously consented to do, on condition that
| / " wouldn't never do so no more L
promised, in fear and trembling, and Tom
was commended for his magnanmlty.


This is a specimen of our daily life and ex-
perience If l urged my superior age IN
requesting a privilege, was told that mace
no difference, was very little older II we
auarreled which regret to say was the case
most of the time), was told that 1t was my
| fault was the Oldest, and ought 10 De
ashamed to tease my little brother so. Toms
invariable plea, when doubtful case was
pending at the bar of mother sjudgment was,
" Well, she teascd me - and that generally
| led to decision in his favor.


Sometimes. it is true, Tom committed such
glaring atrocities that everybody said he was
in fault Then mother would say, For
shame, Helen to be so impatient Iom is a
boy and you must put up with his little
farlts.'


GA boy - would exclaim, with tears in
nv ewes don't know he's boy You
might as we'll tell me was blind if my eyes
we're put out ! | wish there were no such
things as boys -


! Then mother would look at me in such
hopeless way that l would relent and ask her
forgiveness and the next day, or perhaps
that afternoon, the scene would be repeated.
know 1 was to blame in all this. A woman
ought to be very saint to get along with a
boy from eight to twenty it is her duty to
be a saint. and ! was very far from it-a
quick tempered, impulsive girl, with strong
| love of Justice and an Unborn sentiment OF
rebellion against tyranny.


| could multiply instances innumerable to
illustrate the injustice practiced all through
nv childhood, and in different form through
my girlhood, bv both my parents ; and yet
parents. He is now steady, well-to-do
ain sure they meant to be perfectly just, 1t
was only because Tom was a e boy y he
was great source of anxiety to my parents
until he was twenty-five He spent money,
contracted debts, and acted pretty much as
the " Prodigal Son. in the Bible did and
finally, after almost running father, and run
ming away to sea, he came back humble and
penitent, and was joyf~lly received by his
Young man of twenty-five the joy and pride
of nv father and mother, admired and sought
after in society, and general favorite every
where, with me as well as the rest. And yet,
must confess have sort Of g fellow feel
ings'' for the elder brother in the parable
before alluded to Not that would detract
one grain from my brothers prosperity but
when l realize myself to be plain, common
person of twenty-six, so decidedly second to
Tom in the hearts of our parents, | sigh
a little, and think the "fatted calf does look
more tempting than the all that have
which was the just reward OF duty to the
elder son.


However, there is John, and shan't COM
plain so long as he thinks me the most beau
titul, lovely and accomplished women.