The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-05-18

SeStlOD WDlcn naQ come to his mind. 1t
was, to go at once to his mother. and re-
veal the fact that the vase was broken,
leaving it with her to make tn, dreaded
disclosure to his father, who was of rath-
er hasty temper, a man who, in too
many cases. acted first and refectt d
afterwards. 1t was because of this pecu-
liarity in his disposition that John was so
much in distress. He knew that, in til 3
emotions awakened on receiving intell-
gence of the disaster, he would not look
at all beyond the fact or imagine that
that there might be any extenuating cir
cumstances. And so John came in from
the trimmlng-stere prep AIRED to make a
clean breast to his mother; but the dis
pleasure she manifested in consequence of
his delay repelled him, and he shrur k
with the air and feeling of delinquent,
from her presence. Down il to the parIor
he went feeling wretcl. ed in the ex-
treme.
80 dear I wish father knew it, I
would tell him as soon as he came in, and
explain all about it; l would tel him how
sorry feel, and that he may sell my sill
yer fork and napkin-ring, and that he
needn't buy me the gold watch he promis-
ed for birth day present; but it wouldn't
be of any use. The moment he learns
that the vase is broken, he will be angry
and say he don't want to hear q word
from nae; and most likely he'll drive me
TO the garnet, and not let me come down
for two or three days. 0 dear, dear l
wish I hadn't gone mo lis room. It
was wrong, know; but wanted book
and, When there. l forgot myself. l
wish father wouldn't get SO angry whel
| do wrong. I want to tell him al about
sslis. III never have any rest until he
knows that broke the vase; and yet
Ina afraid TO say word about it.
While such thoughts were passing
through the mind of the unhappy boy, he
was aroused by the sound of his mothers
voice, who appeared excited about some
thing. Instinctively, he assigned the
cause; and he was right. She had dis
covered the broken vase. Pale and trem-
bling, John stood at the bottom of stair
way, and as ne stool there, his little SIS
ter's cat rushing down out into the yard,
n heavy stick striking the last landing an
instant after she had cleared it. The
blow, had it reached. would probably
have killed her.
How rebuked John felt. Poor pussy
had been discovered in the room, AMI
or his fault, she had came near losing
her life. More and more troubled and
perplexed was he. Oh, how he yearned
to 90 to bis mother and tell her tn
whole truth; yet he shrunk from a
thought of the consequences which would
follow when his impulsive father learned
hat his cherished vase was broken, and
who had done the deed.
John Johnp
.I'm here, mother answered John, in
faint voice.
where's?
Down here in the passage
Come up to me, john
John crept slowly up the stairs. 'What
has the cat been doing mother? said ne.
How his conscience smote him for this
duplicity, and how bis trouble increased
with the thought that he was widening
the gulf which was already between him
and an honorable confession of his fault.
He had ever been q truthful boy he loved
the truth: but, in dread of his fathers
anger. he had acted falsehood. To
reeede involved, now, double consequence.
/ would expose his duplicity-to him
most painful and mortifying-as well as
meet the dreaded anger Of bis father.
All, if that father-not a hard, harsh,
deliberately cruel and unjust man--could
have looked into the poor boys heart at
this moment. be would not only have
been affected with the tenderest pity for
him, but been appalled, at the danger to
which his own want of selfcontrol was
exposing his son.
What has the cat been doing, mother
repeated John. Worse and worse! He
was widening the gulf still further
She has been into fathers room, and
knocked down and broken bis beautiful
vase. He'll be dreadfully angry about
it.
1. came instantly to the lips OF John te
say. 1T wasn't the cat, mother: | broke
the vase But til. visage of his angry
father was too palpably before him. ane
he could not utter the words; and SO h