ld help loving
him that knew him; and so they didn't try to help it, for everybody
loved him dearly.

"But, alas! I have heard the doctors say, (and of course _they_ must
know,) that once in every seven years the whole body is renewed, flesh,
bones, blood, nerves, muscles; and I grieve to have to relate, that in
Arthur's case the change seemed to include his spirit-part also; that
is, his good temper and loving ways marched out of him, and some very
bad substitutes marched in, as I shall proceed to relate.

"One morning Arthur awoke at his usual hour, but not with his usual
smile. His face was all puckered up like a frozen apple. He floundered
about the bed, and bumped his head against the head-board, and was just
as cross as forty bears.

"Of course every thing went wrong; he put his stockings on wrongside
out, tied his shoes in a hard knot, pulled on his pantaloons with the
back part before, and drew his arms through his jacket upside down. Did
you ever hear of such a piece of work?

"When Mary came to brush his hair and wash his face, he screamed out,
stamping his foot at her--'Do stop! Stop! I tell you! You brush me as
hard as ever you can! I wish you would leave me alone, you ugly old
thing!'

"Oh, dear, dear, what a sad boy! He puts me in mind of that other
naughty boy who scolded his nurse in a piece of poetry. This is it:

"'Oh _why_ must my face be washed so clean,
And scrubbed and scoured for Sunday?
When you know very well, as you've always seen,
'Twill be dirty again on Monday.

"'My hair is stiff with the hateful soap,
That behind my ears is dripping;
My smarting eyes, I'm afraid to ope,
And my lips the suds are sipping.

"'They're down my throat, and they're up my nose,
And to choke me you seem to be trying,
That I'll shut my mouth, you needn't suppose,
For how can I keep from crying?

"'And you rub as hard as ever you can,
And your hands are hard, to my sorrow;
No woman shall wash me, when I'm a man,
And I wish I was one to-morrow.'

"But at last Arthur went sulking down to breakfast, _forgetting to say
his prayers_; and taking his seat at the table, whined out, the very
first thing--'Just look at this piece of toast; it is all burnt, and as
hard as a stone. I won't have it!' Then he tasted his cof