make my friends wait; pray, therefore, mind better
another time."

In a few minutes after his father bid him go into the dining-room, and
bring down a bottle of wine, which stood in the _hither_ corner of
the cellaret, that he might help the gentleman, and lady to a glass.

"Yes, father," said little Dick, and up he went. On the stairs he met
puss, and stopped to play with her, during which he forgot what had
been told him. Having gotten a bottle, downstairs he came, and,
pouring out a couple of glasses, he returned with it. But, when on the
landing-place, he naughtily drew out the cork to have a taste himself.
It was not only very vulgar to drink out of the neck of a bottle, but
wrong to make free slily with that which he was merely entrusted to
serve out. However, it rushed so fast into his mouth, and was so hot,
that he was afraid of being strangled. It happened that he had bitten
his cheek that morning, and the liquor bathing the sore place made it
smart so that he put down the bottle on the floor, when, in stamping
about, it rolled downstairs and made a fine clatter. His father ran
out on hearing the noise, but was stopped in the way by seeing the
young lady almost gasping for breath, and it was some minutes before
she could say that he had given her brandy instead of wine.

Mr. Random next proceeded upstairs, where little Dick was picking up
the pieces of broken glass, in doing which he cut a deep gash in his
hand.

"Where did you take the bottle from?"

"Out of the _farther_ side of the cellaret," said Dicky.

"I told you to take it from the _hither_ side," replied Mr. Random.
"But, however, you shall smart for your neglect: what remains of the
brandy will serve to bathe your hand, and I hope the pain will make
you reflect that the loss is the same to me, whether you spilt it from
design or inattention."

He one day made his mother look very simple at table, for which he
deserved to have suffered much more than her good nature required.
Young Random was to have a grand rout in the evening with some of his
little favorites. A few nice tarts, custards, etc., had been made in
the morning for the occasion, and had been most temptingly baked in
the forenoon.

It happened that two gentlemen called on Mr. Random about two o'clock,
and he insisted upon their staying to dinner; in consequence of which
his lady had the pastry removed from the side board to the
china-closet.

All children must frequently have he