The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-01-18
Sowing and Reaping.
BY MRS. JENNIE HAZFS.

DO We gather hg= from thlstles -- nun
"Come to the barn with me, sir I'll
learn you TO lie to me I'll tan your jack
ct for you, sir -
These words were spoken in my hearing
by an angry father to boy, James Thorne,
who had told him lie
The boy followed his father, who stop
ped on the way and cut whip, the size
of an ox-goad, and soon the sound of
stinging blows was heard. mingled with
shrieks and cries, which pierced me like
arrows, but which the mother of the child
did not heed, nor did she, indeed, to hear.
Good Heavens - cried, Nancy
Thorne how can you hear such blows
and such cries and not stop them or go
mad ?''
He must learn not to lie 20 his faith
err she replied He has got to be such
a liar that we can place no dependence on
a word he says. 1t has got to be whipped
out of him."
Now, readers. don't hold up your hands
and say Horrible what cruel, unnatural
parents they We're y
They were no such It thing they were
pleasant, agreeable people enough-hon-
est and upright enough, as the world goes,
and meant to bring up their children right,
and would have been angry indeed had
any one said they were harsh or unjust in
the treatment Of their children, or that
they taught them to lie.
When the beating was iinishcd-whcn
Deacon Thorne had demonstrated his pow
er-when he, as an earthly father had
done toward his child as he imagined his
Heavenly Father would do toward him
the law of revenge was satisfied, and he
threw down the rod and bent his steps
houseward.
| felt that if met him there must be
collision, and fled to my chamber and
threw myself into a chair at the window
that overlooked the porch where Jimmy
mother was at work.
! watched the father as he walked
down the path There was no sign ofpity
and sorrow on his flushed face, but instead
an expression of satisfaction at having
done good thing, vindicated his author
ity punished the boy for sin, and set
his feet in the path of rectitude
As he came to his wife he said, II
guess I've given him trouncing that he
will remember one spell. What in the
world makes the boy lie so? I'm sure |
don't know"
listened with strained ear for some
condemnation from the mother, but list.
cned vainly. She only worked over her
butter busily.
l, too, wondered what made the boy
tell lies he came Of good, honest stock
as far back as could be remembered none
of his family had been imprisoned or ever
hanged none of them had been remarka
bic as liars yet Jim would lie there wa'
no question of that, and | resolved t'
know why.
Deacon Thorne shaved, washed anC
combed himself, and | heard him ask hi
wife for clean shirt 1t was Saturday
and | wondered where he could be going
and, Yankee like, set myself to guessing
and Yankee like too, guessed it out. Ht
belonged to tine church. and to-day wal
Covenant meeting day. Pretty soon
heard him come out upon the stoop, anC
say to his wife, "Nancy ; it seems to mt
you might get your work done up, so a
to 90 to covenant meeting sometimes. |
isn't well for you, and it plaques me t.
have the brothers and sisters ask wher,
sister Thorne is What shall I tell 'en
Nancy?"
"You can tell EN-" replied Nancy in
tart tone, "that | have no help about m,
work, and it's as much as | can 10 to ge
ready for Sunday"
Brother Thorne got flea in his ear
He had told his wife that he thought sh
could get along without Il girl, now tina
the summer work was DONE and the wealth
err cool. Mrs. Thorne had reluctant,
consented to try it for she, too, was-a
, Peggoty observed of Barkis, pretty near
. and had an eye to the main chance
When saw the old piebald hors
hitched to the old green wagon, and tn
deacon seated therein, and altogethe
! moving through the gate, | hurried dow
stairs and went to the barn. Pushing tn
door open and following the sound Of sup
pressed sobs, | found Jim crouching il
the corner, with his head half hidden in
: tuft ofhay, quivering with excitement an
, pain. When put my hand upon him
he shrank from the touch when spok
, his name he looked up with the look of
t dog that had been beaten when LITE
! his head and pillowed il on my lap, food
Of tears gushed forth. | let him have
! good cry, soothing him by passing m