Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-08-14
Ghildren's department.
ROBERTS ADVICE.

One sunny Saturday morning not long ago,
Robert Somers sat on the bench in his tool
house busily at work. Presently his little
sister Bessie came in. "I've done something
dreadful, Rob, though it wasn' tiny fault either.
You won't tell, will you?" she asked, looking
up doubtfully.
"No, honest, I wont" he replied promptly,
interested at the prospect of sharing secret.
"Well, and Bessie drew long breath. 81
went to get drink of water, and there was
one of those thin fancy tumblers, you know,
on the table, and I wanted to drink out of it
very much cause mothers 80 fraid of them
she never let's me, and was just as careful as
anything, but when was just going to put
it back on the table somebody opened the
door, and I thought it was mother, and |
never noticed where it went and it dropped
on the hoor," and-Bessie stopped to choke
back sob.
"Went all to smash, did it ?" inquired Rob
sympathetically. Bessie nodded, ruefully.
"Whew!" whistled Rob. "What did moth
er sayY'
"Oh it wasn't mother at all. 1t was only
Bridget, and she threw away the pieces and
said the blessed Virgin would forgive me,
since it was only an accident, and told her
I didn't want the blessed Virgin to forgive
me, and then she got mad and said | should
not stay in the kitchen. Oh Rob! do you
think I'll have to tell mother? 1t would only
make her feel bad if she knew one of EN- was
broken, and if don't tell her, perhaps she
would never miss it, and won't never have to
feel bad about it. I'm sure don't want to
make her feel bad"
This was quite tempting view of the mat
ter, and Bessie longed to have Robert approve
of it. At last he said, "Do you want my ad-
vice, Bess?"
eyes. What should you do ?"
"Well, if I was in your place, Bess, I'd tell
her. You know that's the only honest, square
thing to do, really. There are several rea-
sons why it's better to be honest about any
thing of that kind. One is p'raps she'll for
give you, like George Washingtons father"
and Robert took up his boat again, feeling
that the minister himself couldn't have given
Bessie better advice. As for poor Bessie, she
rather resented Roberts tone of superiority,
and said quickly, 81 don't much b'lieve you
would tell, after all, Rob. 1t amt half as
easy as you think"
"P'raps it amt easy. Who said it was !?
But 1 hope I should be honest enough for
that" and self:righteous Rob brought down
the hammer with all his might on the knife
with which he was splitting piece of wood.
Alas, for him! 1t struck on an unseen nail,
swapping off the slender point in trice: He
quickly drew out the pointless, blunted blade,
and gazed at it in dismay, while Bessie, in
spite Of her trouble, couldn't help laughing a
little at the sudden change in his face.
This was anything but soothing to Roberts
feelings and he muttered that he "didn't see
what business that old nail had to be there"
and other amiable remarks to the same effect
"Why, Rob~ exclaimed Bessie, suddenly,
"isn't that fathers new knife-the one he told
us not to touch ?"
"He meant you" replied Robert, promptly,
"but know how to use knife, and this was
not my fault. 1t was all on account of that
nail, and I don't know who put it there. l
didn't" Robert was about as reasonable as
unfortunate people are apt to be.
"Well, Robert" said Bessie at length,
"we've both done something now. Let's 60
and confess together
"Confess," repeated Robert slowly, "why
IL guess-don't believe-that is" and
without finishing his sentence he carefully
shut the knife, and going to his fathers tool
chest, put it away exactly where he had found
it. Bessie's blue eyes opened very wide at
this proceeding and Robert could not meet
their look, as he explained "You see, Bess,
Johns going to leave next week, and if father
don't find it out before then, why hell-he'll
think John did it, you see, and it won't hurt
John, cause he won't be here"
AS soon as Bessie could say anything for
amazement she began, "But, Rob, l thought
you said, if you was in my place" but Rob-
ert rushed off to the garden, not caring to
hear his own words repeated just then.
Bessie still stood on the barn floor, looking
thoughtfully towards the door where Robert
had disappeared. At last light flashed into
her eyes, and she ran out to find Robert. She
came upon him, gloomily pulling up weeds
in his garden.
"Rob," she said, "I've just this second
thought of that verse I learned for prayers
this morning, and I'm going to do it."
"What was it?' asked Robert, without
looking up.
II don't remember exactly, but its some
thing about 'confesseth his sins, and he shall
have mercy and so I'm going to confess
my sins to mother, cause mercy means she
won't care much"
To this lucid explanation Robert only re.
piled, "Tell her, then," still keeping his eyes
on the weeds.
Robert didn't see Bessie again till dinner
time, and then he knew by her lively chatter
IL IL o;,,J Of or
How he envied her If he could only have
the same peace of mind. But no, he hadn't
courage enough to pay the price-confession;
so Robert ate his dinner silently enough, never
opening his mouth except to put his food into
it.
AS they rose from the table Mrs. Somers
said to her husband, II wish you would fix
this window so that it won't rattle at night"
"Oh yes, will" he answered. ut needs
wedge, doesn't it? Robert, run to the barn
and get my new knife, which you'll find in
the upper drawer of the tool-chest"
Poor, conscience-struck Robert! He did
as he was hidden, and handed the knife to his
father, hoping fervently that he wouldn't
open that blade He did though, and when
questioned Robert had to tell the whole story.
When he had finished his father said sternly,
"Now let US look over what you have done.
You have wilfully disobeyed me, and, besides
that,you have concealed your guilt as long as
possible, in the hope of throwing the blame
on some one else. You may 60 to your room
and stay till I give you leave to come down"
All the afternoon Robert spent alone in his
room, and when every now and then ringing
peals of laughter reached his ears from the
room below where Bessie and Laura Mason
were having good time together, he thought