ONE AFTERNOON.
CARL and Freddie had been sick with the measles, and had had to stay in the house for several days. But now they were better; and Carl, the older of the two, had made up his mind that he should go out to play, that bright afternoon. When Freddie, who "was a little fellow, found it out, he began to cry to go too. But Carl paid no heed to him, only kept right on putting on his coat and hat.
Just then mamma came in, and after hearing the story, at once settled the matter by saying they must both stay in doors. She said that although the sun was bright, there was a raw spring wind, and it was wet under foot; and if they were to go out, they would
be likely to take cold, and perhaps be very sick again. She also told them that she was going to town, and should leave them with Ann, the servant girl.
If they needed anything, Ann would get it for them, but they were not to go out of doors. So she left them, and soon they saw her going down the street.
Freddie had stopped crying when he found his brother was not to go out, and was now ready to play. But Carl felt very cross, and not at all in a mood for it. He wanted to go out doors to play, and he thought it was very hard of mamma not to let him go.
If Fred was not well enough to go, why, he could stay in; but that was no reason that he should not go; for he was sure that he was as well as ever. So he sat before the fire on a hassock, and pouted, paying no attention to Freddie's entreaties to "come and play horse."
But all at once something seemed to whisper to him (perhaps it was his conscience), "Now, Carl Newman, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Here your mamma has had to work so hard to take care of you and Fred since you have been sick, sometimes even staying up all night; and now you are not willing to mind her, and think you know better than she does what is good for you to do."
Come to think of it in this way, Carl did feel ashamed; and jumping up, he went over to Fred, who was standing sadly by the window, and told him he would play horse now. So they had a fine time racing up and down the sittingroom; for as Ann was in the kitchen ironing, there was no one to tell them they mustn't make so much noise. At last, however, they grew tired of being horses, and so they played ball, rolling it from one end of the room to the other; and pussy, who had been sleeping by the fire, got up and played with them, and seemed to enjoy the fun as much as did the boys.
Finally Carl spied some birds, which he thought must be swallows, under the eaves of the carriage-house. He wondered what they were doing there, so he stood on a chair and watched them. Then Freddie wanted to "see too," so Carl put him in his highchair, by the window. As they looked, they saw that the birds seemed to be building a nest, for they kept flying back and forth, bringing straw, sticks, and mud in their mouths. Pussy, too, who now sat upon the hassock, seemed as much interested as the boys, in watching the little builders. Perhaps she was thinking what a nice meal the young swallows would make for her one of these days, if she could only get at them!
Just then the boys saw mamma coming up the street, and Carl could hardly believe that she had been gone two hours. The time had seemed to pass so fast since he stopped pouting.
Mamma came in, tired after her long walk; but she said it rested her to see her little boys looking so happy, and to think they had minded her so cheer- fully. When she opened her parcels, she took out a nice picture book for each of them, which she had bought to comfort them for staying in doors.
But Carl did not feel just right about it after all, for someway it seemed as if he had been deceiving his mother; so that evening, after Fred had been put to bed, he sat down on the hassock by her, and told her all about how he had felt. She stroked his hair softly, and said, as she kissed him, "Mamma is glad her little boy drove away the wicked, angry feelings; and now let us ask God to forgive you for having felt so, and to keep you from having such naughty thoughts again."
So they kneeled there in the firelight, and when the prayer was finished, a strong, manly voice pronounced an earnest "amen;" and as they arose, they saw papa standing, with bowed head, just inside the door. Then Carl went to bed with a light heart, for he felt that it was all right now.
E. B.