The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-09-19
vague hope that she might have spoken
the truth after all.

vague hope that she might have spoken
the truth after all,
Poor little Ric, she was 20 very naughty.
Sally was the more grieved, because late
ly she had always spoken the truth; but
now, when an hour after her punishment,
the mistress came in again, and offered to
forgive her on condition Of her speaking
the truth She sullenly walked into one
corner Of The room, and sobbed and would
not say word.
"Then, Sally, you must go these err
rahds by YOURSELF" said the mistress; II
meant to have let her go with you, but
now she must stay here by herself "
Little Rie looked up as she went away,
and saw that she was very stern and
angry. o, how little either of them
thought they should never look one anoth-
cr in the face again.
Sally went away. 1t was precious
afternoon, and the Kitchen door leading
into the back garden was open. Little
lie was at first disconsolate, but soon the
light spirits of childhood began to assert
themselves, and she began to play, though
very quietly, and with an occasional sob,
till at last, o woeful mischancc, she
Knocked down cheese plate. 1t fell
gathering upon the floor, and broke into
fifty pieces one moment she stood
aghast then her terrified fancy feigncd n
step upon the stairs she darted through
the open door and rushed down the garden.
Where she could 90 TO escape the anger
of the mistress, she scarcely knew; but
she came TO the garden wicket, it led into
lane. y She ran away, and no one
knew what had become of her
There was man who lid, some time
alterward, that he met her that night,
about sundown, wandering over the moor,
but that he had asked her no questions,
for he thought some Of her friends must
be near at hand. In the course Of time
many rumors about respecting her, but
nothing was ever known. Little Rie
''was not; y she had vanished from her
place like dream. But
weeks after, when poor Sally's simple
heart was getting used to miss the child
the mistress came into the kitchen and
took. down little covered jar full Of
caraway seeds, from shelf over the
dresser, she looked in, and mist seemed
to rise and shut out the sunshine withou,
and within, for there lay the paper o
raisins; in an instant she knew it again,
and knew that, in her hurry an confus
ion, she herself must have thrown it in
Yes, that little jar had been standing be
side her. Then into it she must have
pushed or dropped the raisins, AMI after.
ward, with her own hands, she must have
set the jar upon the shelf above to be ou
of the way.
Miserable, aching pain! How hard il
was to have it Juggling at her heart, ant
by slow degrees to grow into the know
ledge that even just punishment may
become unjust unless it is administered il
the spirit of love. But hers had not beer
a just punishment Alas she had no
possessed herself of any knowledge of tn,
'ault; she herself had outraged that scnSC
Of justice which she had been at SO mucl
pains to implant; and now there was M
means Of making restitution. How diff
cult 1t is to estimate the many ways II
which we may be mistaken! Wher
shall we learn TO keep the knowlcdg,
always present with Us, that often kind
ness is our best uprightness, and ou
truest justice is mercy !-Jeaa IgelOlc.