Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1877 — DIMPLE’S USEFULNESS. [ARTICLE]

DIMPLE’S USEFULNESS.

Thump— bump—bang! No wonder the racket made grandma start nervously, and Aunt Patie rush to the stairs and call out: “What in the world has happened?” “ It’s noffin’ but only me. I’m dittin’ up!” piped a small voice in the chamber above. Evidently Dimple was getting up, and something else was getting down, for another clatter was heard and a stream of water began to tricßle down the stairs. “ It’s noffin’ but this big pitcher,’’called Dimple, appearing in his night-dress in the hall. “ I lust set it down some bard, you know; and it came to pieces. The table’s fell over, too.” “ Dimple Stacy! you do put me out of all patience,” cried Aunt Patie, as she ran up to mend the mischief which had been his waking work. “ I’ve a mind to tieyou in bed so you can’t get up until I’m ready to see to you.” “That would be defful!” said Dimple, slipping past her with his clothes on his arm, and hastening to tbe safety of grandma’s presence. She dressed him, gave him breakfast, then set bis sailor hat on his head and bade him go ont and play. “ Go out and pick up your chips, first thing,” said Aunt Patie. “ You are getting too big to be of no use.” “ I are useful,” said Dimple, earnestly. “ What would folks do without me?” Grandma kissed him, and he set off, swinging his basket, which held from six to a dozen chips, according to the way Dimple packed it. He has been known to fill it with three, by a careful selection of the largest, so you see his daily task of picking up four basketfuls was not very severe. When that was done Dimple peeped over into the cow-yard. “ Wish Annt Patie would let me help milk,” he said to himself. Old Brindle shook her horns, threateningly, for she had a little calf by her side, and aid not wish to encourage intruders in her family quiet. “ You needn’t shook your head at me,” said Dimple, bravely. “If you hooked Hie, grandma would make you sorry. Maybe I’d better feed the piggies.” Four little pigs looked up at the small figure which presently tugged at the side of the feeding-trough. It flew open at last with a jerk that sent Dimple tumbling on his back, gnd before he could picK himself up and go for the milk backet, one, two, three, four little pigs wriggled through tire convenient slide and ran granting and whisking curiy-taiis straight toward Aunt Patie’s flower-bed. under the window. .- “ Stop t stop!” called Dimple, earnestly. “ That wasn’t what I meant.” But little did the piggies care for that. Ont from the house came grandma, and out came Aunt Patie, filled with horror, away ran the pigs and away ran the people, guilty Dimple’s short legs making good speed, bnt powerless to remedy the mischief he had caused. Such a race as that was not quickly ended. Ido not know what woald have become of those {jigs at last, if Abner, the hired man, had-not come sp from the field and helped to catch them. Only the fourth and smallest pig ran—where do yon think? Into the kitchen, through the open door, and from there into the milk-room, where stood the churn just filled with yellow cream. “You can’t have that, sir,” cried Dimple, triumphantly, gruping the pig’s hind leg, and down in a heap went chum, piggy and child, with the cream over all. “But I’ve got. hold of him; he can’t get away from me!" said Dimple, as grandma rushed in and tried to pick up her darling, while piggy cried “wee! wee!” louder than the little pig in the song. “I’m out of all patience!” said Aunt

Patie, as she undreamed Dimple sad redressed him in dry and uncreamy garmeets. “ Ouch s child 1 never nv t” “ Why. I eauoht the oiarr ” said Dimple. “didn’t that helprorae? That wm ’most as useful as Aimer!” But tbe next day Aunt Patie !od Dimple to the red fchool-hotne down tbe lane, and he began to “go to school like big boys.”— Youth's Coimxinian. 1