Please Yourself.



"OH, dear! I do hate to do what I don't

want to," said Richard Belton, as his mother

asked him to go and weed out the cucumbers.

"And do you suppose you are the only one

who feels like that?" said his mother.

"Well, mother, I don't believe any one

dislikes not having his own way as badly as

I do. I do just wish that for one week I

could do exactly as I liked."

"You may, if you are willing to allow me

the same privilege."

"Why, mother, I thought you always did

do just as you liked," said Richard.

Mrs. Belton looked up with an odd little

smile:

"If we try our experiment, you will see

whether that's so," she said.

"Oh, I am sure I am more than willing. Do

you really mean it, mother?"

"Certainly."

"Oh, goody!" cried Richard. "Then I may

go fishing, instead of weeding the cucumbers?"

"Yes, if I am at liberty to please myself,

too."

Oh, dear, yes! And away ran Richard.

And no sooner was he gone, than Mrs. Belton

shut up her sewing machine, and, put away

Richard's new linen suit on which she had

been at work. Then she took a new book,

and lay down on the sofa to read. Mrs. Belton

was without a servant that week; and

after her morning's work, it was much pleasanter

to amuse herself with "The Earthly

Paradise," than it was to sew.

Richard came home at a late dinner time.

"Isn't dinner ready?" he said; "I am as

hungry as I can be."

"Oh, I didn't feel like getting dinner,"

said his mother, carelessly. "It was very

warm to go round the stove. You can get

yourself some bread and milk; I have had

some. I only get a hot dinner on your account,

and now I am going to please myself."

Richard said nothing, but he felt rather put

out; for he didn't care much for bread and

milk.

He went up to bed early, and presently his

voice came down the stairs in an injured tone,

"Why, mother, my bed isn't made."

"I didn't feel like it," said Mrs. Belton; "I

had been at work, and was tired. You can

either make it yourself, or sleep in it as it is.

You have only to please yourself."

"Well, if I ever!" said Richard. But he

made no complaint. He spread the clothes

on his bed any way; but it was not very 

comfortable.

The next morning when he came down, he

found nothing on the breakfast table but toast

and a drink.

"Why, mother!" he said, much disappointed,

"I thought you'd have my fish for

breakfast. They were such nice ones."

"You know I dislike to touch fish," said

Mrs. Belton. "They are such cold, slimy,

disagreeable things, and it is such an unpleasant

business to clean them; I didn't care

enough for them to cook them to please myself."

Richard said no more; but he began to

have misgivings.

After breakfast he sat down to read a story

book, instead of doing his usual chores round

the house; but he felt uncomfortable. His

mother washed up the dishes, and then sat

down to her embroidery.

After a while, Richard lounged out of the

room, but presently came running back very

much excited:

"Oh mother!" he cried, "John Markham

and his father and his brother are going up

on the mountain to camp out two or three days;

and they want me to go. Can't I?"

'I don't see what you have to wear," said

his mother. "It's too hot for cloth clothes.

You'd be very uncomfortable; and your last

summer's suits are so outgrown that I gave

them to the Sabbath-school children."

"But my new suit, mother. You said it

would be just the thing for some such 

expedition."

"I don't care to finish it now," said Mrs.

Belton languidly; "I am interested in this

work, and the machine isn't pleasant to run in

this hot weather. I am going to please myself."

"But, mother," said' Richard, "what shall I

do with no clothes? And I do want to go to

the mountains so."

"But, Richard, what am I to do with the

garden full of weeds? And I do so like to

have it in order."

Richard had a great mind to fly into a passion.

Then he looked up and caught his mother's

eye, and burst out laughing. "I give in,''

he said; "I guess I'll go and weed the 

cucumbers."

"Very well," said Mrs. Belton; "then you

shall have your clothes in time to go with the

Markhams."

"All right, I reckon," said Richard. "It

would be a pretty poor kind of a world where

every one pleased himself." 





Child's World.