XX. TIDINESS.
47. The Slovenly Boy.
Of all the untidy children you ever saw Leo must have been the worst. His hair was unbrushed, his boots were uncleaned, and the laces were always trailing on the floor. Why did he not learn to tie a bow? (For full instructions, with illustrations, on the "Tying of a bow," see Games Without Music.) It must be very uncomfortable to have one's boots all loose about the ankles, besides looking so untidy.
Can you guess how his stockings were? They were all in folds round his legs, instead of being drawn and held up tight, and he had always a button off somewhere. The worst of it was that Leo did not seem to mind being untidy. I hope you are not like that. Do all the little girls love to have smooth, clean pinafores? and do the boys like to have a clean collar and smooth hair? and do all of you keep your hands and faces clean? Then you are like the children in these verses.
1. The Tidy Boy:—
A tidy boy would not be seen
With rough or rumpled hair,
Nor come to meals with unwashed hands
And face; and he will care
To have his collar clean and white,
And boots must polished be and bright.
2. The Tidy Girl:—
And what about the tidy girl?
All nice and clean is she,
Her pinafore is smooth and straight,
Her hair neat as can be;
No wrinkled sock, or untied lace
Does this neat, tidy girl disgrace.
48. Pussy and the Knitting.
I wonder if you have heard of pussy getting mother's knitting and making it all in a tangle. These are the verses about it:—
PUSS IN MISCHIEF.[11]
1. "Where are you, kitty?
Where are you?—say.
I've scarcely seen you
At all to-day.
2. "You're not in mischief,
I hope, my dear;
Ah! now I have found you.
How came you here?
3. "That's mother's knitting,
You naughty kit;
Oh! such a tangle
You've made of it.
4. "'Twas that which kept you
So very still;
Mamma will scold you,
I know she will."
5. Then puss comes to me,
And rubs her fur
Against my fingers,
And says "purr, purr".
6. I know she means it
To say, "Don't scold,"
So close in my arms
My puss I hold.
7. And then I tell her,
My little pet,
That mother's knitting
She must not get.
8. The wool will never
Be wound, I fear;
But mother forgives
My kitty dear.
I do not suppose that pussy would know she was doing anything naughty in tangling the wool, but a child would know, of course, that wool must be kept straight and tidy if it is to be of use.
49. The Packing of the Trunks.
Nellie and Madge were two little girls getting ready to go for a visit to grandmamma. She lived many miles away, and the children were to go by train and stay with her for a whole month.
Their clothes were all laid on the bed ready for packing, and as mother wanted them to grow up helpful girls, she said they might put the things in the boxes themselves. So Nellie and Madge began to pack. Nellie took each article by itself, and laid it carefully in the box without creasing, putting all the heavier things at the bottom, and the dresses and lighter articles at the top. When she had laid them all in, the lid just closed nicely, and her work was finished.
Then she turned to see what Madge was doing. Madge had not packed more than half her pile, and the box was full. "What shall I do?" she cried, "I cannot get them all in." Just then mamma came up and said: "Have you finished, children? it is nearly train time". Her eyes fell on the box Madge was packing, and she exclaimed, "Oh! Madge, you have put the clothes in anyhow, everything must be taken out!" Madge had just thrown them in "higgledy-piggledy," instead of laying them straight, and they came out a crumpled heap. She was so hot and flurried, and so afraid of being late for the train, that she could hardly keep the tears back, but mamma and Nellie helped to straighten the things, and to pack them neatly, and just as the cab drove up to the door the last frock was laid in the box, and the lid went down without any trouble. Madge remembered to take more pains next time she packed her box.
I was in a house one day, and when the lady opened a drawer to get something out, the articles in the drawer bounced up just like a "Jack in the box," because you see, they had been put in anyhow, and then crushed down to allow the drawer to be closed. Of course she could not find what she wanted. I hope none of your drawers are like a "Jack in the box". I wonder if untidy people are lazy? I am afraid they are.
A girl came home from school one day, and threw her wet cloak on a chair all in a heap, instead of hanging it up nicely on a peg. When she next wanted to wear the cloak, it was all over creases and not fit to put on. Perhaps she thought that mother would see it on the chair, and hang it up for her, but a nice, thoughtful child would not like to give mother the trouble, would she?
(Blackboard.)
Be Tidy and Neat.