Excerpt
TIRED OUT. NE day Miss Lily Macnish heard the door-bell ring. She put down her spelling-book, and asked, "Who can that be, mamma?" Before mamma could give an answer, Jane the housemaid entered, and handed her a note.
"Why, this is not for me: it is for you, my dear," said Mrs. Macnish, giving the note to Lily.
"For me!" said Lily, while her cheeks flushed; for it was the first note she had ever received.
"Please read it for me, mamma," she said; for Lily could not read handwriting quite as well as some little girls of her age that I could tell of.
"It is an invitation to a children's party at Mrs. Vane's," said mamma. "Miss Lucy Vane asks the pleasure of Miss Lily's company on Thursday evening, at seven o'clock."
"Oh, can I go? Can I go?" cried Lily, jumping up, and clapping her hands.
"I do not quite approve of children's parties, especially when they take place in the evening," said mamma. "But I know who will say 'Yes,' and I suppose I shall have to do as he says."
She was thinking of Lily's papa, who loved the little girl so much, that he could not bear to say "No" to any request she might make.
Well, mamma was right. Papa saw that his little girl was bent on going to the party, and so he teased his wife into yielding her consent.
So, when Thursday came, Lily was dressed up in her little white robe, with straw-colored ribbons, and her pretty slippers, and sent in a carriage, with Jane the housemaid, to the party.
It was not quite such a party as I approve of. I do not like to see little girls and boys trying to act like grown-up people. I like to see them act like children.
Lily had the good taste to get tired of it all very soon. Little girls would come along and stare at her slippers; but she did not feel much pride in them. Little boys would come and bow, and ask her to dance; but she had had enough. There was music and singing, and then ice-cream and cake were handed round; but Lily had promised to eat nothing, and she kept her promise.
At half-past eight o'clock she saw Jane beckoning to her at the door; and very glad she was at the sight. Bidding Miss Vane "good-night," she let Jane put on her shawl, and lead her to the carriage. "Oh, I am so tired, so tired!" said poor Lily.
Mamma received her at the door of her own house, and, taking her in her arms, bore her up stairs to the little girl's papa. "What! has she come back so soon?" said he, throwing down his newspaper, and taking her on his knee.
"Oh, you dear papa, I am so tired, so tired!" murmured Lily. "Oh, do sing me 'Flow gently, sweet Afton,' and let me go to sleep on your lap."
But mamma said, "No, Lily. You must go to bed while you can keep your eyes open."
And so Lily kissed papa, and was borne off to bed. I think she will wait till she is older, before she will care much to go to another "children's party."
Dora Burnside. THE HERONS. A very shy birdIs the heron, my dear;It will run fast away,If you come very near:It has a sharp bill,A neck slender and long;It is fond of small fish,And goes where they throng....