OUR LITTLE WASHERWOMAN.


 

MAMMA, does this have to be washed?" said little Lottie to her mamma, at the same time holding up her best white dress.

"Yes," said her mamma; and away Lottie went. 

When her mamma came into the kitchen, she found that Lottie was rubbing away at her dress as hard as she could; but she was washing it in the same tub of water in which her little brown and white striped stockings had been washed, and the brown color had come out and made the water very dirty.

Mamma took the dress from her before any harm was done; but poor little Lottie looked so grieved, when she was told to stay away from the tub, that mamma felt very sorry for her. But she soon thought of a plan that would keep Lottie out of her way on washday, and at the same time make her very happy. So when the next washday came round, mamma told Lottie that she might wash all the handkerchiefs and stockings, and when she showed her a little tub and wash-board that she had bought for her, and a little flat iron to iron the things with, Lottie's happiness was complete. She was so pleased with her work that after hanging out the handkerchiefs and stockings, she did quite a washing for Miss Dollie. She was careful to rub and rinse the clothes just as she saw mamma do, and they looked as nice and white as any grown-up woman's washing.

Now, whenever papa asks Lottie what she is going to do to help mamma when she grows up, she says, "I'll do the washing and ironing;" while her little sister Annie tells papa that she "will do the scrubbing." 

I am sure that papa and mamma hope that both Annie and Lottie will remember what they learn, and be as anxious to help mamma when they grow up, as they are now. 



Leaves of Light.