The Allis Family | Page 2

was at
work in a shop near his house, making doors and window-frames, and
cupboards, and other things for his new house.
Early in the spring the cabin was reared, and soon all was in readiness

for the removal of the family, which consisted of Mrs. Allis, Mary, a
distant relative whose home was with her, and two little twin-daughters,
Annie and Susie, who were about five years old at this time. These
little girls loved each other very much, and usually played very
pleasantly together. But it was sometimes the case that, like other
children, they had their little troubles, and were selfish, and of course
unhappy.
One day Mrs. Allis was very sick, and she called the little girls to her,
and told them they might go up-stairs and play, but they must try to be
very good girls, and very quiet, for she could not bear the noise of their
voices. The little girls loved their mother very dearly, and were very
sorry that she was so sick. So they promised to be good children, and
then away they skipped up-stairs on tip-toe, that they might not disturb
their mother.
At first there was the patter of light feet and a subdued murmur of
voices, but after a while scarcely a sound could be heard. Thus passed
two hours, or more, and at last Mrs. Allis sent Mary to see what they
were about. Mary reported that they were playing very pleasantly
together, and seemed very happy.
"But what can they be doing, Mary?"
"Oh, they have a whole regiment of ragbabies, besides the kittens, for
scholars. Susie says they are playing school."
At last it was tea-time, and, when the girls had eaten their supper, their
mother called them to her.
"Oh, mother! mother! we have had such a nice time."
"Softly, softly, children," said Mr. Allis; "be careful, or you will make
your mother sick again."
"Are you better now, mother?" said little Susie, going softly towards
her bed.
"Yes, my dear child, I am much better, and you two little girls have
helped to make me so."
"We, mother?" said Susie, while her black eyes sparkled at the thought.
"I wonder how we could make you better, when we have been all the
while at play up-stairs."
"I can guess how," said Annie. "Mother means we didn't make any
noise: don't you, mother?"
"Not just that, or rather a good deal more than that; but first tell me

what you played up-stairs."
"Oh, it was so pleasant: wasn't it? Why, mother, don't you think, we
played school; and first I let Susie be teacher, and then she let me; and
we played I was a little girl come to school, and by-and-by, when we
got tired of that, we got out the dolls, Bessie and Jessie, and the pussy,
and then we made three more little girls out of our sun-bonnets and
Susie's pink apron, and then we both played teacher, like Miss Jackson
and Miss Williams in the academy where we used to live, you know."
"Oh, yes, mother," interrupted Susie; "and, don't you think, sometimes
Annie would pull pussy's tail and make her say 'Mew,' and we made
believe that one of the little girls cried to go to her mother."
"Yes," said Annie, "and after a while we made believe she was naughty,
and sent her home."
"Very well, my dear; I see you have had a very pleasant time,--much
more pleasant than if you had been cross and unkind to each other, or
had made a noise to disturb me. I see you have loved one another, and
this is what has made you so happy this afternoon. Tell me, now, which
you had rather be, teacher or scholar, when you play school."
"Oh! a teacher, a great deal, mother," said Annie.
"Then why did you not be teacher all the time, and let Susie be the
scholar?"
"That wouldn't be right. Susie likes to be teacher as well as I," replied
Annie, timidly.
"But don't you think you would have been happier to have been teacher
all the time, Annie?"
"I did want to be at first, but then I thought Susie would like it too; and,
after all, it was just as pleasant."
"I presume it was, my dear, and much more pleasant; no person can be
happy who is selfish. Do you know what it is to be selfish, my little
Susie?"
"Yes, mother; you told Annie and I one day that it was selfish to want
every thing just to please ourselves."
"Do you love to run about the room, and laugh and play?"
"Oh, yes; you know we do, mother."
"Would you not rather have stayed down-stairs to play to-day?"
"Oh, yes," said Annie; "only----"
"Only what,