The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-04-30
Mar US Temptation.
A STORY FOR LITTLE GIRLS.

happened to me wien | was child. NV
father had for his study little plainly.
furnished chamber, whittier he went to
wlite every evening as soon as had gone
to bed. lie would have been quite alone
elsewhere, for my mother was dead, and
| was his only child, but there he found
company in his books, witch were mostly
on scientific subjects, though there were
few voumcs OF history and general litcra-
ture. knew that for II long time he
had been employing all his leisure on a
work which lie considered Of great impor.
tancc | had often seen him nut his
manuscript carefully in IL drawer and lock
il up. But one day, through forgetful-
ness, no doubt, he left il l,ing on his
table, AMI aS it Happened, unluckiiy, that
same day went TO the study to get a
book which | wanted and to reach which
| was obliged to climb up on the table.
A great bottle of ink was standing there,
which | did not notice till my dress over
turned it.
AS soon rs | was aware oe this mis-.
chance, jumped down, frightened at the
at the thought Of the ink spots with
which my dress would be spuiled. did
not suspect tie extent of the mischief, and
my dress was soon forgotten when ,aw
that my fathers manuscript received the
chief share OF the inkv dclngc. 1t was
covered and saturated with ink, 50 com
pletely that at least three quarters Of il
was quite illcgibIe. In great terror
called to my nurse:
"What will become of me p CRED |,
bursting into tears, see Prudence, what
| have done
"Well, well, it is better that the ink
should have becn spilled on that worthless
paper than on your pretty dress, said
she. GLOW lucky you are there are
are only few spots which little lemon
will take off at once. We will throw
these papers in the fire, and sponge the
table clean, and it will be as nice as ever
when your father comes back"
"What are you talking about, Pru
dence Throw these papers in the fire (?
why, they have cost my poor father II
whole years work, perhaps more! 1t is
n dreadful misfortune Oh, cannot we
take out these ink spots and dry the
leaves! If coul only read it | would
copy the whole Bur [ cannot do it ;
the stain is 10, deep; you can hardly
make out word. Oh, what shall do"
l wrung my nands. Prudence WAS
frightened, too; she was just beginning.
to comprehend the greatness Of the di,;ls-
Ter, and saw clearly that it was without
remedy.
"What troubles me the most" said J.,
sis my fathers Disappointment lie hats
40 little leisure to work, and now all his
labor Is lost"
'lle will be very angry with you, !
am diraid,' said Prudence, surroviully
"No dOu't he will he has good reason
TO he. Oh, why did l ever get up on
that table ! | wantc 50 to please my
father, and now have made him a
great deal Of trouble. Perhaps he never
will forgive me-"
"Do you know what you must do Miss
Mary" exclaimed Prudence he must
never know that it was yoI who dill it.
~ N"i pN WHY cf-ilI. ue
white cat is poking about everywhere,
and she is so b,g AMI fat that it would be
no wonder if she ove-set an ink bottle.
| will take care Of it, You need not say
word
did not answer, for great struggle
was going in my mind. had always
dreaded 10 d-plcase my father, and
though felt most hi' disapI ointment,
the thought of hls being angry with me
was very bitter. | certainly would not
have told a direct falsehool, /, nor allowed
any other person to he accused in nv
place. But ac that was another mat
ter at least, 50 it seemed to me ut first
thought.
lna few moments the ink was wiped
up, the study put in order. and noticed
that Prudence, To give "a look of truth Ia
her story, had blarkened with ink the
two fore paws of the poor cat, who. very
much surprisl at this strange proceeding,
sat looking at them in great pcrplexiiy.
My father came home at the usual
hour, ahd Prudence, whe had had time
to prepare her part, WAS all ready for
him.
oh, sir! cried she; 'su"h n mi.for-
tune--lhat horrid cat the ink bottle
has been thrown down and your papers
are soaked
My papers!' exclaimed my father, who
at once thought of his forgotten lnanu
script. 'ilow did that wr-tched cat ge;
IN here!
My father FASTENED to his study, AMI |
followed. could easily see that he had
not dreamad of the extent of the evil.
1T is ruined, entirely ruined he cried,
examining the manuscript which we had
put to dry on the corner of the black
marule manielpiecei lit is illegible-all
my two years, work.
Then turning round, frowning and
gloomy, he demanding: 'Who let that
creature in ?
At this point stepped towards him
he had not before perceived me.
'Pepa,' said 1, Il did the mischief. i
got on the table TO reach a book. and
was so unlucky as TO overturn the ink
bottle on your manuscript. am 50 very
sorry. know how much time and
trouble it has cost you.
My father looked at me astonished.
What dill Prudence mean by saving il