Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1875 — Our Young Folks. [ARTICLE]

Our Young Folks.

LITTLE DICKY MISCHIEF.

BY A. D. WALKER.

Queer name for a little boy, isln’t it? Well, it is not his own name; but one day, when mamma found him in her clotbescloset, she exclaimed: “The mischief is inhere!” This frightened Dicky,, for he really thought it meant that there was some monster in the closet that might devour him bodily. From that aay we have called him “ Dicky Mischief,” and you will see he deserves the appellation. Mr. N , his father, keeps fowls, and Dicky seems to think he must help care for them. One day he heard his father say: “I can’t keep that brown hen on the nest, and I am really afraid her eggs will spoil.” “If you can’t keep her on the nest, some one else can,” said Dicky to himself, as he started for the barn. Here he watched his opportunity, and when the unsuspecting hen came and set upon her eggs he seized a stone which he had ready and placed it on her back, saying, as he did so: “ Now I guess you’ll sit;” and so she did sit till papa found her dead on the following morning. This was quite a surprise to our little boy, who had not thought of hurting the poor creature. Shortly after this his mamma found him driving all of the fowls through tlie alley into the street. “ Why, Dicky, what are you doing?” she asked in surprise. “I am going to sell all of the chickens. There’s a boy out here going to give me four cents apiece for them.” This answer was given with tone and manner which showed that the child thought it would be a splendid bargain to make, and he was much astonished when ’mamma forbade the sale. One bright winter’s day, when the snow lay thick upon the ground, Dicky was in the garden amusing himself with his sled, when his sister, two years younger, came running out and begged for a ride. The little girl had not stopped for a hat or bonnet, and her brother, seeing her bare head, and wishing to show, his wisdom, said: “You’ll get sun-struck, Bessie; you’d better go in the house; I’m sure you’ll get sun-struck.” As a procession of men in uniform once went by the house Dicky slipped slyly out of the gate and joined the crowd of boys who were following the train. This Dicky knew was wrong, and he djd not find the path of disobedience quite as pleasant as he expected. Mamma had forbidden him to go in the street without permission, for she knew that boys grow in wickedness fast when they roam the streets at will. They walked a long way, and Dicky grew very tired and warm, for it was a summer day. He was just thinking of retracing his steps when he discovered that he was in front of his aunt’s house. “I’ll go in and make a visit now,” said he. So he stepped up the stoop and rang the door-bell vigorously. Out came Bridget in surprise, as such a ring seemed to demand a speedy answer. When, however, she saw the little, dirty, red-faced boy she slammed the door, which shut with a loud bang, and threatened to exterminate the whole race -of boys if they did not stop making her answer the bell for nothing. Bridget knows I ran away, thought the little culprit, surprised in turn. He was quite a favorite with the usually-gobd-na-tured Irish girl, and he expected her to greet him with a kiss and warm words of welcome. But the truth was Bridget had only given a hurried glance, and never taking him for the neat, prettylooking boy who sometimes came with his mother to visit his aunt and eat their good ginger-bread. Guilt made Dicky a coward, and he went with hesitating steps around to the kitchen-door.

He turned away, feeling so guilty that he wanted to hide. But before he reached the gate he caught sight of his dear aunt* who was weeding in the garden. “ O auntie!” he cried, “I came to see you and Bridget wouldn’t let me in,” “Why, Dicky, did mamma let you come alone*” asked auntie in surprise, for her nephew was only five years old and his mamma was very careful of him. “ Yes, of course she did; and I can stay all night if you have room to'keep me." “ How did you ?et so dusty, child?” asked aunty. “Oh, followed the soldiers; that’s the reason, I guess.” Aunty took the boy into the house, where he was washed and fed and made to look like our little “ Dicky Mischief” once more. Bridget was loud in her lamentations when she found it was her little favorite whom she had so rudely treated. Dicky was quite ready to forgive her but was fearful that she knew he ran away. It soon came night, for it was five o’clock when he reached his aunt’s; and when the latter was preparing him for bed he said: “Mamma wanted you to be sure to put me in your room to sleep, tor I might want a drink ofsomeflng; and I guess she thought you had better leave the light burning so I could see to go to sleep.” It was guilt t&at made Dicky afraid; and conscience was so busy that he could not rest after he was in bed. He at first declared that the pillow was hard; and when auntie shook that up. he said he was hungry. Aunty, still ready to humor him,' brought bin a nice slice of cake. Of this he took a few mouthfuls, and then burst into tears. “ Oh, auntie,” he sobbed, “ I runned away. Take me home; I want to see mamma and Bessie, and sieep in my crib.” Very soon the naughty child’sclothes were put on again, and he and auntie started for his home. There was joy in his parents’ hearts, for they looked in vain for their little lost one, and were ready to give up in despair when he arrived. Penitent Dicky made all sorts of promises of amendment that night; but mamma whisperingly said • “ Little one, God alone canhelp you to be obedient and good, and He will help you if you ask Him.”— Good Words.