Oscar / The Boy Who Had His Own Way

the range, which for hours had sent forth such scorching blasts, was now burning dim; for it was early in October, and the weather was mi

o do in her hands. What she was thinking about, is none of our business; but whatever it was, her revery was suddenly disturbed, and the good nature that beamed from her face dispelled, by the noisy clattering of more than one pair of little boots on the sta

ese, butte

tock, st

"I 'm hungry-give me so

s demand, but only twitched her

"what did you have for supper? Come

ye wanted any?" said Bridget. "If ye won't ate with the

t help me, I guess I can help myself.

s, among which were cake and mince-pie, neit

ut the pie, Bidd

d it," replied Bridget, "

od to bear this provoking invasion of her realm with patience. In an angry tone, she ordered the intruder to leave the closet, but he took no notice of the command. She repeated the order, making it more emphatic by calling him a "plague" and a "torment," but he did not heed

without effect; and now she thought she would try a little expedient of her own. So, when she cleared away the supper-table that evening, before Oscar came home, she hid away the cake and pies with which the oth

er his solitary supper, he moved toward

nd shut your eyes, and I 'll giv

ing with anger, and the other laughing as though he considered it good fun. George shut his teeth firmly together, but Oscar succeeded in rubbing enough o

before he got over his blubbering and pouting. Oscar called him a "cry-baby," for making such a fuss ab

marks. By-and-bye, finding they did not take much notice of his observations, he took from his jacket pocket a small tin tube, and commenced blowing peas through it, aiming them at his brothers, at Bridget, and at the lamp. Ralph, after two or three had taken effect on his face, g

she; "don't ye be clutterin' up the cl

e peas," replied Oscar; "c

Bridget; "only kape the things in yer

"me 'pays' don't make any dirt-the

b'y, that's ji

e you going to

I 'd larn ye better manners, ye great, impudent goo

hen picked most of them up again, to serve for some future occasion. He had hardly finished this last operation, when his m

pepper on my mouth, and tried to make me eat it. And he's been rummaging all round the kitchen, trying to find some pie. And t

ren? I do wish you would try to behave yourself properly. You are getting the ill-will of everybody in the house, by your bad conduct. I really believe your brothers and sisters will begin to hate you, before long, if you keep

lf so used to such mild rebukes as the foregoing, that they made little impression upon his mind. The boys, who all slept in one chamber, soon retired for the night; but Oscar took no f

nst his brothers and sisters, for every trifling thing. He complained so much that his mother could not always tell when censure was deserved. It had become a habit with him, an

der, and Oscar, who was the oldest son, was about half way between thirteen and fourteen. They had two sisters.

a, it was his delight to settle himself comfortably down in the big rocking chair, in the well-lighted sitting-room, and to muse and doze, while Alice sang, and played upon the piano-forte. He had so many other cares, that he did not like to be troubled with bad reports of his children's c

the family, one of whose members is to form