A Story For The Children

Dr. Paul oponed tbs door eoftlv and ooked into tho library. The chiidren vere all there. Daisy was recitin lic iouiau history to Kcx, who wa aiaking ueations out of tho buok with great aro atid attentiou. 'Did tho Gaula then ily huforo tho iniii'iible Romaas T' asked Rex, reading ut vcry gravely and slowly. "No- yts- uo, they dij not," auswerd Daisy. "Tbeii where is the uso of oalling tho ïoraaus iuvincible, gooüio V' demauded 'om, who was uittiug ou tbe tabio reiewing Compouud Interest. "Well, tlien- thtiy did," said Daisy, eceifiüg light froinUhitj iuterruptiou. - i know I hailu't learued it." 'Then 1 duo't fee why you tried to ecitö it," reumrkeJ PlaKerbudget, .1 - idodly, coming out of hor eoruur "Por my part, I thiuk alüdyiugin vaoaliou is 11 hum bug." Dr. Paul ppencd tho door nido aüd alkediii, luufe'hiQp. "Perhaps tb is will sugost sornetLing )leasanter, tiicu," f-aid lie, holding up to ae group u large white enveloppe. "ilnrruhi" shuutcd Torn; "lat me pen it." "No me," paid Flutterbüdget, cotnng; to the surface first, -' ■ _-"j id "I eau luml i.i.iing - 'specially wtien its priuted, like 'hat. Why, iis nvitittions I 'Manier Eeginald' - Uiat'e rou llex ; 'Mit-s jVlabel - tht's au; - L wonder wliy peopla never cali us our iglit names !) Ia it ? yes - froui lialscy louse !" ' Cfrta'nly," asseuted Dr. Vaul. Yo i re all invittd to Halaey House, but if ny of yciu preft-r to slay at limue and .udy" - but Dr. Paul ccver iiuishcd t'.iat euteBce. The cliÜdren swaiiued upou lini and quite driwui.d bÍ3 voice witb hir jojful laughter. Halsty Heuse asfive miles away. - blr. Pioveuce livcd there; and Mr. r'rovence wus tho most delightful old gentleman (bat ever cultivated gray waií-kors and pettid peoplí's chil!rcn. Vv'iih Lim their'e lïved bis nephew licbard, wlioc uiitb-day week we wore now iuvited to celébrate. Youug lliuh ard Provonce. Jr., bad very bluek.eyes, lud wBJUBt the ijioeBt boy in the State jf Mascachusetls ; at least tliat is wbat somo people tbouiílit. ]2e3Ídus Mr. Proveuoe and Dck, there waj Mrs. Worthnglon, tho housekteper, who xna.de such spleudid jflly taits, (in ijuantities too!) and Mr. Tomline, who was Mr. Provence's cousin aud very peculiar. He kept his roctu a grt-at deal, where le píayed on a uiflanchoiy souiiding violin and petted a krge green pairot aaiüed Mozirt. Our fluck of ittle peepta had mnny a time visittd at Halsey Hpush. Eaoh visit they thought tuoro delightful tban the luel and thia particular oue tiuy ïert suve v. ould bu tha climax of meut. W e wuro all goi"c ; Uaiuy, Rcx, aud litt-lo Panil) , be.-ides F.utterbudget, bo was eqaal tO tlieui a!l rolltd iul one ohild. Theftt v.vre half-adozen Other ehildren there fojr the - in addition to our party, and a meniür izruup ncver ww teen than ihe 0:10 ilr. ProvoDoe weloomed from the broad piazza ol' Huiiloy iiouso Cvo tiays iftcr our invitütious werc roctived so joyí'ully. It would take a book to teil you al the things we did thnl week, Tho popics Urowuie Mid Lightf.itt, were driv :i uotil l tliiuk thoy atüut have buei ;lad thbir liitlo mastcr'a birthdiiy caiuo jut cnoe a ycar. Thero was crocjuet fo hosu that likod it, o rooUiug boat ani swiugs for tho youu childrou, aud moor ed tu the river bank was tho dcarestlil ;!e row boat, which was peifcstly af and coiild nof 088Íbly uptct, especiull as JMr. Pror-eucu's man, JDixou, ulway oanaged tbc oars wtSei) it was uscd. - [d the evenings we had chalados, pleol of gauits und books, bcsides the jollies stories ty Mr. Piovcnce, who kbevv all about cverythiug, and wbat be didu't kuow, cuuld niake up. üb, it was a liiciry, happy time. ]Sut thcro carne a day whea ulllhia mii th went uiidcr a suddeu eloud It Imppeued in thU vvay, Moz.trt, the green parrot was exoeedingly LU-ttunpered. I svpposo tie likod bis uiaster, and Mr. Tomlius was eertiiiuly very foud of biiu ; but Mosart did uut liko aay one cite, buJ would Miaj) at the oliildreu n'itli au ungry uIn-a-a r-k,' wLeuever thcy oaiiu Deur i.iui. Oüo morning when Mr. Tomlius hnd g'ino to towu and evcryboily elan was busy as usuaJ, I uuticod, as tbo úhildroD gutheied arouud tliü luucl ,jrjle, thai they wcro wonderfully gr n Tbere was uo laughing, and wliat is l ore remarkabïe, vory littlo eatiug. And wtien in thu middlu of luncli, Mr. Tomlius Wüikcil in, I saw neveral of them tura very red. I ttarted too, for tlio pexl mui'ieut I Baw iu bis haud tho parrot ; I but ah I ioor Mozart ! bia Lody wasaiit i nd a lilra waí orer the eyi-s wbich usui lu glanee so fchurply. lio vvus dead ; - thera was no doubt about tliat Mr Touiüna liad u vcry storn oxprossioo a be held up tlie poor bird and lookec arouii'l on lia cbildrcu. ''Wbich of you can te!l nio about tliis V' ha aukcd. I cntua homo auc fuuud my bird duad ou the lawn, bis uing broken an) h a bodj bruiaed ouie ooo lus küled bicu. Soma oí' yoi must kuow what t means." But uobody Bjickj a word. ''It w:is a vory cruel aud oowardly tb:ng to do ; it is more cownrdly to cou cual it!' said Mr, Touilius, growiug very augry. Mr. Frürncu put bis band softly ou liid aria. "PerkapH thoy dju't tn3v," hu sugented. '■Tii'.j do ; look at thoir faces !" exclaimcd bis couhíu. "I boüecu this is a trick oi tbeui all to revengo the dinliko mj poor biid h;;d to tlieir ioif.y ways." It was too trua that of the twelve üuiall faoet aound the table lüore thuu half looktid a-hamed aud guilty. "They must uil ha sent home,'1 said Mr. Tomliaa etaruly. "ïhey aro like 11 ubildron - tbey canoot btí truited." Horo waa a utata oí tUiugu. Mr. Proveuce lookod nad, aod I felt my oheoks grow &a red a ti tbosu of tho childrou I was so snrry fnr, ín tbe silouce that 'ollowcd 1 lookei arouud, uud liien our Flutterbudget i-lippcd f'roin her cbair aud weut up lo Mr. Proveiice. "They sbau't !1 bo geut home," s! o tid ''ouly me v.wl Hez. Ii wu all ny tault ; Vm rety sorry, and I sball e more sorry whua Mr. Tomlina isu't o cross." "Wíiut do you mezn ? Dn't bo tu tall us, eaid Mr Pr vouoe. "I atu uot ufraid," aug.ïered Fiutter, cahn ly. ' I was, at lirst. Mozurt cidu't üke uie ; lie usud to bito rae mid pull uiy wir, thüugti I itrvur túuolicd liim. Kox tid La bouldri't, aud ttiat Lu was a )eiisfc - and Mr. Toialius au'otiiur to kotp uch a bird." 'Tbut was Qanhtj u llax," snij iur riend. "Very," aseiitrid Flutterburlget. "[ ou'c liko Mr Toiulias mysüif', out Rx ■jgiit pot to talk so.: llaviiJLf tlms exresM3 hor opiniou. Flutter weut quicky oa tht she uiiglit uot ha blameJ lor aving even t. "Uo wever, Moz irt al■aja did it, aud tbid naorning ho tiaw on iv shoulder and snapped uud burt me, 0 I BOreameü and tried to push biai w.y. 8d Jiox ciuib- aud it wa muntly my fault, piense- he oouldu'ï bcar to bave me ciy - mui so - " But bere luo ulear üttlo voioo begau to falïer ü tbo ilory it bad told o lraer. Puoi-Rex! i la bad st very buII nis fur, Lut uow he iralked ovuf to bis ttlo stor'ü sido. ' ]t wos ti uro(tiiiU b„ll. air,11 gaid he 1 tbrew it ht L m wbo 1J pulled b m ■.% .t t i ü uiia - - M p ƒ W SWi Liii jlood ou h-„r ie k. I3ut I'm very horry r.ever mant to kül ' i.u ; I did not liuk of that. And 111 50 home riglit way. ïho c-t ca oeedn't, tbey ou.y ufusid to teil of me. We were g ít o hüve (Jbiüetio uiiterna ou the lwu o-uk ht you kuoiV and it't! not fair tks'j hou d oo the fau on my account." Well, well, here was uuother sta1 e of liings. Kex stood vory (straight, bat is 1 pa quivereJ and ho bngged 1L0 lic!u hand Plutter süppcd uudor hu arm. Mr. Toüilins said not a word, but turud and stalkad ar.vay ; everybody dcow long breath nud looked at overybody Isa, aud then I too't my iwo forlorn OjIiiils upta:rs I thiiik lial-yy Houso ever hal quite so diaainl au ufternocu b tho oac that followed. Early tho next uioruing Rex nad (1luttcrbudgct wareinissiug. Breakiast mfl camo, aud ihey dii not appeur. It lid not seem possible that ttiey could ïave atartod liotue by thenisulves, but I did not know. Tho ïneal yas DOirly ended wheu they cameiu, ir'lutterbudget Qrst, of course. I wish you could have si.vii that child. She was all du8t, her hair out of curl, ünd her bounot awry, whilo iu her anus she hugud whateeum ed a largo wire cage, caret'uüy eovered. Slie wciit btraíl.l tj Mr. Toulins, Reí 'ollowiug : "Piiaise, Res ftnd me want you to say you'll try to forgive us beforo vo yo lome. Wc are tony, cui taiit truc. Wc didn't need anythiog to maka un fae) woise thau we dij ja.-t iiigi.t büt o:us iu told us hów you loved Mozart, and how you liadti't macli dse to loye. Rex tiud me iliink ií you Lad, you'd know olnldien dou't mean to be uaughty always. So 1 ani sorry I stid í uidci't Hko you. I do,-if ymi'il lut mu. Aud picase, wou't. you Ict us gí vo ynu tlu-sa caüary b;rds ? Wo know you .Jwon't like them so well as Mozart, bnt, oanaeies are preitier ilian parrots, aud they do eing Hweetor, you know." "Wiioro in t ho worid diJ you get thcm V' asked Mr. Provence. "NewtODville ; w got uj) carly and walked ; it'soulya unie. We put all our uioney togetlier ai;d bouglit theuo for you. Rí'X had tlie most, uud tbe man wanted a dollar uioru, fio Rex gavo liim bis new sleove bultous. Oh, pienso, dotvt you tbiuk you can forgive us uud take Iho bir da V' faltered Flutterbudget the loars rising iu hor bright eyos as shu looked (n tho grave fuoe oppoáite. What do you tb;uk Mr. Tomlia's diii 'i He tuok the cago froru tbe little arras, and lifted it curefully to tho table. And then he ho.d out onu band to IÍüx, uad tlien - ho kissed ï Ittüerhudgét . We hud the Chintso lauterr:saDd gallons of ice-creao) rhac eveiiing, a"nd 110body wont huum for ttiree daya after.