THE HABIT

Jenny had a bright pink plaid hank of her very own. Whenever they went visiting, to Church, to town, or to programs or to meetings, Mother would tuck the neatly folded hanky into Jenny’s pocket. A lady, even a little lady, must always carry a handkerchief. The hanky would stay in Jenny’s pocket, unless they went some place where they had to sit still for a long time. Jenny would then take the hanky out of her pocket, unfold it, and begin twisting it. One corner would go into her mouth. Finally she would stuff the whole hanky into her mouth , making her look as though she had the mumps. Whenever Mother noticed, she was horrified. What kind of child would people think she had?

She would whisper,” Jenny, get your hanky out of your mouth. “

Jenny hadn’t realized it was there. She would put it back into her pocket, but soon it would find its way back into her mouth. The action was repeated on a number of different occasions.

When they got home, Mother would say something like, “You chewed your hanky again. What do you think people will say when they see such a big girl as you chewing her hanky?”

Margaret would add, “Only little babies put things in their mouths all the time.”

Jenny would hang her head. She was sorry and promised that she would never ever chew her hanky again., but try as she would, the hanky chewing habit persisted.

One day at home Mother said to her, “I once knew a girl who chewed her hanky so much that her mouth got all out of shape. She got so ugly that on one wanted to look at her.”

Jenny stood on a chair and looked in the mirror that hung on the kitchen wall above the wash stand. She looked at her mouth and twisted it and made faces at herself. Maybe she would get so ugly that no one would want to look at her. Jenny felt so unhappy that a big hurt feeling came at the back of her throat. She didn’t cry though, because she didn’t want anyone to see her.

“I won’t do it again. Mother. Honest.” And she never did.