Year: 1870

90 dear, it is always just so as soon as
we get nicely at play, mother Is sure to call
me" said Kittie, impatiently, gathering up
her doll and box of dishes. There i
hear Freddy screaming. | suppose she
wants me to take care of him; | wish |
was like YOU. and did not have any brothers
To be plagued with.


90 how dreadful. to wish your brother
was dead" cried Annie Norton.


Il did not say ! wished he was dead.
only said a. wish | didn't have any,
said Kitty, getting over the fence.


IF | had a little brother, | am sure
would rather play with him than do any
thing else, said Annie, thinking how she
wished her only brother who had died
when she was wee baby could have lived
till now. For Annie's mother often talked
with her about her brother in Heaven, and
told her of the cunning things he used to
say and do.


You will have to take baby" said Mrs.
Brown. as Kittie came into the kitchen,
throwing her hat on the floor and her doll
Oh chair, and mutteTing don't see why
he had to wake up and spoil our fun, II
does not seem as if he had been asleep two
minutes"


Il am sorry had to call you so soon,
but ii is almost time To get dinner, and /
want to finish Walters coat"


Il wish YOU would keep a servant, ma,
| for Saturday is the only day | have to
play" said impcrtinent Kittie, taking baby
| from the cradle with jerk and frown,
I which of course did not stop his crying.


Mrs. Browns eyes filled with tears as
she bent over her work, for it grieved her
| that Kittie should show such a spirit
| Two wears before Mrs. Brown had been
left widow with three children, and with
| little beside their home. She was Obliged
to economize in order to keep Walter and
! kittie in school: but she was willing to
make any sacrifice herself, that they might
be happy, and feel rs little as possible the
loss of father.


Just as the clock struck twelve Walter
came ip, hot and tired with his long walk
from The store


Isn't this scorcher. I'm almost
baked wish Mr. Norton would move
his store further up town, it is so far TO GO
Mother, YOU know school closes next
week, and Mr. Norton asked me today
how | would like to 90 into his store for
the vacation He says he will give me
fifty cents day | could earn ever SO
much before school begins again. Let me
see if | can do it in my head. Fifty cents
9ehh@ ehh@WW eeeRa slA DAYS in q week to work, and
thirty dollars. Just to think! Won't
be rich. / could get lots of things with
that. Can go, mother? You look SO
sober-don't you like the plan." And
Walter stopped for want of breath.


'Yes. my son, | was thinking how
thankful we ought to be that God has sent
us so kind a friend as Mr.. Norton. Your
thick suit will be too small for you next
winter. and did not see how | was going
to get YOU a new one, but YOU see If we are
only patient all things will come right In
the end"


Mr. Norton lived next door to Mrs.
Brown, and since her husbands death had
been very kind and helped her in many
WAYS: Walter had been in his store after
school hours and on Saturdays as errand
boy. almost ever since his father died. he
had proved himself SO active and trust
worthy that it was pleasure for Mr.. Nor
ton to help him all he could


Annie and Kittie had been playmates
from the time that they could run alone.
| Although So different in disposition. kittie
willful and impetuous, Annie SO quiet ana
gentle. vet. unlike most children. they sci
dom auarreled; if they had anything, they
ALWAYS shared, and used TO tell each other
all their little troubles.


About week after Walter went To the
store as clerk, he and Freddy were both
taken sick: their mother thought at first it
was nothing serious. but it proved to be
scarlet fever, and they both grew rapidly
worse.


Kittie had bad il while spending the
summer with her grandmother, few years
before She was not sick, but was obliged
to be very quiet, and as she wandered about
the house, and saw the sad faces of those
about her, she was very lonely, and wished
her brothers were well again.


One evening as she sat AT the foot of the
stairs waiting for some one To come down,
that she might ask how they were, she be
can to think What if they should not
get wellg and how unkind she had some
times been 10 them. and she remembered
what She had said To Annie Norman, that
she wished she had no brothers. She
mt her head down on the stairs and cried
as though her heart would break, and won
dered how she could have said such cruel
thing.


Just then her mother came down stairs,
and took her on her lap, and told her wal
ter was better: but she was afraid Freddy
would not get well. She chung To her
mothers neck, crying and sobbing, and
wanted to 90 and see him: but her mother
told her that she could not, as the least
noise might make him worse, but that she
might see Walter the next day If he were
better.


Kittie Law awake long time that night,
thinking how lonely Annie must he with
out anv brothers; and felt that if Freddy
should die she could never forgive herself
for feeling as she had toward him
The next morning, before kittie was ur,
her mother came To her room and told her
that both her brothers were better; that
she had watched with DIR. Grey 10y Freddy =
bedside all through the long night fearing
he would not live till morning; but just
before daylight he opened his eyes and
called smamma:" the doctor said he was
better. and hoped he would now get we'll


When her mother had gone back To her
brothers. Kittie knelt down and thanked
God that he had spared them, and asked
Him to help her 10 keep her resolution
never TO he unkind 10 them again. She
saw Annie out i'm the yard, and called To
her 10 come To the fence, and told her that
Walter and Freddy were both better.


"Oh. Annie do YOU remember L said
one day that | wished i had no brothers
| thought of il when they were so SICK
and il made me feel dreadfully. L knew II
they did not get well, | could never NC
happv again. and now | am going to ory
and nsrer be cross or selfish any more.


K;ttie sometimes forgot her resolution
and got impatient but whenever she spoke
unkindlv, she was sorry, and tired 10 oo
better She felt she had learned lesson
. that she should never forget.


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