Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-06-11
Roberts Advice.
ny KATE ELLSWORTH.

| Is
promptly, interested at the prospect Of
sharing secret.
"Well, and Bessie drew a long breath.
81 went to get a drink Of water, aud there
was one Of those thin fancy tumblers, you
know, on the table, and wanted to drink
out Of it awlully, cause mothers 80 'fraid
OF them she never lets me, aud | was just
as careful as anything, but when | was just
going to put it back on the table, somebody
opened the door, and | thought it was
mother, and | never noticed where it went,
and it dropped on the floor, and" Bessie
stopped to choke back sob
Went all to smash, did it2" inquired
Rob, sympathctically. Bessie nodded, rue
fully.
"Whev !o whistled Rob. What did
mother say"
"Oh, il 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,
aud told her | didn't want the blessed
Virgin TO forgive me, and then she got mad
aud said ! shouldn't stay in the kitchen
Oh, Rob Do you think I'll hare to tell
mother2 1t would only make her feel bad
if she knew one Of EN- was broken, and if
don't tell her, praps she won't never miss
it and won't never have 10 feel bad about
it, I'm sure don't want to make her
feel bad"
This was quite a tempting view Of the
matter and Bessie longed to have Robert
approve Of it, At last he said " DO you
want my advice, Bess2"
" Yes. What should you do2r
Well, if / was in yoar place, Bess,
I'D tell her You know that's the only
honest, square thing to do, really. There
are several reasons why its better to be
honest about anything Of that kind. One
is, p'raps she'll forgive you, like George
Washington's 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 re-
sentcd Roberts tone Of superiority, aud
said quickly, 81 don't much b'ieye you
iOo'iid tell, after all, Rob 1t amt half as
easy as you hink.'
P'raps it aint easy. Who said it was
But hope 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.
l Alas for him Ii struck on an unseen nail
swapping of the slender point in trice.
/ He quickly drew out the pointless, blunied
blade. and gazed at it in dismay, while
Bessie, in spite Of her trouble, couldn't
help laughing little at the sudden change
| in his face
This was anything but soothing to Rob
erts feelings, aud he muttered that be
" didn't see what business that old nail had
to be there, and other amiabe remarks to
the same effect.
"Why. Rob-" exclaimed Bessie, sud.
denly, " Isn't that fathers new knife
the one he told US not to touch 2"
"He meant you replied Robert prompt.
| ly, "but l know how TO use knife.
never hurt knife before in my life and
this wasn't my fault. 1t was all on account
Of that nail, and don't know who put
that there. Iddn't" Robert was as rea.
sonable as unfortunate people are apt to be-
well, Robert" said Bessie at length
we've both done something now. Lets 90
and confess together"
"Confess," repeated Robert slowly, "why
IL guess--I don't believe-that is" and
without finishing his sentence be 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 be explained,
"You see Bess, Johns going to leave next
week, and if father don't find it out before
then, why he'll--he'l 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 | thought
you said, if you was in my place" but
Robert rushed of to the garden, not caring
to hear his own words repeated just then.
Bessie still stood on the barn floor, look
ing thoughtfully towards the door where Rob
ert had disappeared. A single streak Of
sunlight edged its way in through crack,
making perfect glory of her wavy, faxen
hair, so that she formed quite pretty little
picture, as she did nothing but think for
full ten minutes. At last light flashed
into her eyes, and she ran out to find Rob
ert. She came upon him gloomily pulling
up weeds in his garden.
"Rob," she said, 1--we Just this second
thought of that verse learned for prayers
this very morning, and I'm going to do IL "
"What was it2" asked Robert, without
looking up.
81 don't remember eractly, but its some
thing about confesseth his sins and he
shall have mercy and so I'm going to
confess my sin to mother, cause mercy
means she won't care much"
To this lucid explanation Robert only
replied, "Tell her, then" still keeping his
eyes on the weeds,
Robert didn't see Bessie again till dinner
time, and then be knew by her lively chat
ter that the burden was of of her mind at
least. 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 din
ner 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, Il 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 bidden, and handed the knife
to his father, hoping fervently that he would