第15章 The Torn Doll 扯破的洋娃娃

Mary Armstrong was a pretty little girl, but she was heedless about some things.

Her way of leaving her books and playthings just where she had used them last, gave her mother much trouble in picking them up and putting them in their proper places.

She had often told Mary the evil effects of being so careless. Her books became spoiled, and her toys broken.

But worse than this was the growing habit of carelessness, which would be of great harm to her all her life. It would make her unhappy, and would annoy her friends.

One day Mary and her mother went out into their pleasant yard, to spend an hour in the open air. Mrs. Armstrong took her work with her.

Mary ran about and played with Dash, her pet dog, and was having a happy time.

But in a corner of the yard she found her nicest doll all torn and broken, and its dress covered with mud.

She knew, at once, that Dash had done this, and she scolded him harshly.

Carrying the broken doll to her mamma. She showed it to her, and could hardly keep from crying.

Mrs. Armstrong asked Mary if she had not left the doll on the porch where Dash could easily get it; and Mary had to answer, "Yes, ma'am."

"Then you must not blame the dog, Mary, for he does not know it is wrong for him to play with your doll. I hope this will be a Lesson to you hereafter, to put your things away when you are through playing."

"I will try," said Mary. And her mother promised to mend the doll as well as she could.

玛丽·阿姆斯特朗是一个漂亮的小姑娘，但她可是个粗心大意的马大哈。

她会把书或者玩具放在自己最后一次用过的地方，这给妈妈带来了不少的麻烦，她必须把这些东西捡起来，放在合适的地方。

妈妈经常告诉玛丽这样丢三落四的坏处，但她总是不听妈妈的忠告，结果书本被撕坏了，玩具也弄坏了。

但比这更糟糕的是，她越来越粗心，这给她的生活带来很多不便，也让她过得不开心，有时还会让朋友感到很扫兴。

一天，玛丽和妈妈在家里美丽的院子呆了一个小时，阿姆斯特朗夫人忙着自己手中的活。

玛丽跑来跑去，兴高采烈地和她的宠物狗德西一起玩耍。

这时，在院子的一个角落里，她看见了自己最心爱的洋娃娃，洋娃娃已经完全被扯破了并且它的衣服上还沾满了泥。

她立刻意识到，这一定是德西干的好事，玛丽转身严厉地责骂起德西来。

玛丽拿着扯破的洋娃娃去找妈妈。把洋娃娃给妈妈看的时候，她情不自禁地哭了起来。

阿姆斯特朗夫人问玛丽，是不是把洋娃娃放在德西能够得着的走廊里了，玛丽回答说：“是的，妈妈。”

“那么，玛丽，你就不应该责备小狗，因为它并不知道玩你的洋娃娃是不对的。希望这件事能给你一个教训，以后把自己的东西放在合适的地方。”

“我会尽力的！”玛丽说。妈妈也答应玛丽会尽最大努力把洋娃娃补好的。