THE LESSON BESSIE TAUGHT

New Zealand Tablet, 6 November 1913, Page 61

THE LESSON BESSIE TAUGHT

Bessie must have wakened in the morning with a p an in her busy little head for teaching certain members of the Newton family a lesson. The first thing she did was to go into the library, and, finding on a chair a new magazine Harry had left there, she pulled off the cover. ‘ There!’ thought she,’ ‘ I’ll teach Harry not to leave so valuable a thing as a book where it doesn t belong.’ Then she went into the boys’ room, and finding a borrowed book out of place, she remarked to herself: 1 his will never do. A borrowed book should always be carefully put away; and, besides, I do not believe in borrowing, especially when a boy has as many books of his own ,as Willie has. I’ll just destroy this one, to teach Master Willie a lesson.’. So its pretty, bright cover was soon defaced. *■ & Next she visited Marjory’s room, and finding more dust on the floor than should have been there, she evidently thought of the saying, ‘Dirt is misplaced matter and gave Marjory a. gentle hint by tipping the contents of the scrap-basket out upon the floor. ... Then she went into the sitting-room, and finding Alice s hat on a little workstand, she thought ■ Another thing out of place, another lesson to be taught. So she pulled out the feather, leaving hat and trimming on the floor. When all was done, she cuddled up on the lounge well satisfied with her morning’s work. At the dinnertable four members of the family looked as though each wished some one else would speak first. Finally, mamma said: I see Bessie has been trying to teach us again Four voices answered faintly; ‘Yes.’ She certainly has taught us once more that there should be a place for everything, and everything should be m its place,’ said papa. Including Bessie herself,’ added mamma. And Bessie ? Well, Bessie was a six months’ old puppy, with innocent, soft brown eyes.