GHTS OF STAIRS.]

Toddie gave vent to a perfect torrent of tears, and screamed:

"A--h--h--h! I don't want to be locked up, an' I do want to go
a-widin'."

Toddie suddenly found himself clasped tightly in his aunt's arms, in
which position he kicked, pushed, screamed, and roared, during the
passage of two flights of stairs. The moment of his final incarceration
was marked by a piercing shriek which escaped from the attic window,
causing the dog Jerry to retire precipitately from a pleasing
lounging-place on the well-curb, and making a passing farmer to rein up
his horses, and maintain a listening position for the space of five
minutes. Meanwhile Mrs. Burton descended to the parlor, more flushed,
untidy and angry than one had ever before seen her. She soon encountered
the gaze of her nephew Budge, and it was so full of solemnity that Mrs.
Burton's anger departed in an instant.

"How would _you_ like to be carried up-stairs screamin' an' put in a
lonely room, just 'cause you wanted to go riding?" asked Budge.

Mrs. Burton was unable to imagine herself in any such position, but
replied:

"I should never be so foolish as to keep on wanting what I knew I could
not have."

"Why!" exclaimed Budge. "Are grown folks as smart, as all that?"

Mrs. Burton's conscience smote her not over-lightly, and she hastened to
change the subject, and to devote herself assiduously to Budge, as if to
atone for some injury which she might have done to his brother. An
occasional howl which fell from the attic-window increased her zeal for
Budge's comfort. Under each one, however, her resolution grew weaker,
and finally, with a hypocritical excuse to Budge, Mrs. Burton hurried up
to the door of Toddie's prison, and said through the keyhole:

"Toddie?"

"What?" said Toddie.

"Will you be a good-boy, now!"

"Yesh, if you'll take me a-widin'."

Mrs. Burton turned abruptly away, and simply flew down the stairs.
Budge, who awaited her at the foot, instinctively stood aside, and
exclaimed:

"My! I thought you was goin' to tumble! Why didn't you bring him down?"

"Bring who?" asked Mrs. Burton, indignantly.

"Oh, _I_ know what you went up-stairs for?" said Budge. "Your eyes told
me all about it."

"You're certainly a rather inconvenient companion," said Mrs. Burton,
averting her face, "and I want you to run home and ask how your mamma
and baby-sister are. Don't stay long; remember that lunch will be
earlier than usual to-day."

Aw