Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-06-24
Che family Circle.
Roberts Advice.

One sunny Saturday morning, not long
ago, Robert Somers sat on the bench in his
Toulouse busily at work. Presently his
little sister Bessie came. I've done some
thing dreadful, Rob, though it was mt my
fault, either. You won't tell, will your"
she asked. looking up doubtfully.
{" No, honest | wont, he replied prompt
ly, interested at the prospect of sharing a
secret.
Well, and Bessie drew long breath
-'' | went to get Il drink of water, and
there was one of those fancy tumblers, you
know. on the table. and | wanted to drink
out of it awfully, cause mother S so afraid
of them she never lets me, and | was just
as careful as anything. but when l was Just
going to put it back on the table, somebody
opened the door, and never noticed where
it went, and it dropped on the floor, and "
Bessie stopped to choke back a sob.
went all to smash, did it?" inquired
Rob, sympathetically. Bessie nodded rue
fully
:. Whew!n whistled Rob. What did
mother say?"
Oh! it was mt 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 | did mt want the blessed
Virgin to forgive me, and then she got
mad and said should MT stay in the kitch-
en- Oh, Rob- do you think | will have to
tell mother? 1t would only make her feel
bad if she knew one of 'em was broken.
and if l do nit tell her p'raps she won't
never miss it, and won't never have to feel
bad about it, I'm sure | do MT 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 Bess?"
Yes. What would you do?"
We'll, if | was in your place, Bess, I'd
tell her. You know that's the only honest.
square thing to do, really. There are sew
eral reasons why it is better to be honest
about anything Of that kind. One is, p'raps
she'll forgive You, like George Washing
toms father and Robert took up his boat
again, feeling that the minister himself
could mt have given Bessie better advice,
As for poor Bessie, she rather resented
Roberts tone of superiority, and said quick
", " | do Mt much believe You would tell,
after all, Rob. 1t amt half rs easy us YOU
think"
'P'raps it amt 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. Alas for him, 1t struck on an I'M
seen nail. swapping off the slender point in
a tricc. He quickly drew ont the pointlesS.
blunted blade, and gazed at it in dismay,
while Bessie, in spite Of her trouble.
could MT help laughing a little at the sud
den change in his face.
This was anything but soothing to Rob
ert's feelings, and he muttered that he
did Mt see what business that old nail had
there" and other amiable remarks to the
same effect.
why, Rob-" exclaimed Bessie sudden
ly, . is MT that fathers new knife-the one
he told us not to touch?
g He meant you, replied Robert prompt
ly, but know how to nse a knife.
never hurt knife before in my life, and
this was mt my fault. 1t was all on ac-
count of that nail. and do mt know who
put that there-I did NIT Robert was
as unreasonable as unfortunate people |
are apt to be-
well, Robert" said Bessie at length,
s. we've both got something now. Let's
go and confess together"
"Confess,' repeated Robert slowly,
g why, II guess-I do MT believe-that
is and without finishing the sentence he
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 ex-
planned, :. You see, Bess, John 5 going to
cave next week, and if father do MT find
t out before then, why he'll think John
lid it. you see, and it won't hurt John,
cause he wont be here
As soon as Bessie could say anything for
tmazement, she began, " But, Rob, |
thought you said if you was in my place :"
but Robert rushed off to the garden. not
,aring to hear his own words repeated Just
hen.
Bessie stood still on the barn-foor, look
ng thoughtfully toward the door where
Robert had disappeared. A single streak
# sunlight edged its way through Il crack,
making perfect glory of her wavy, flax
n hair, so that she formed quite pretty
title picture, as size did nothing but think
or full ten minutes. At last a light flashed
nto her eyes, and she ran out to find Rob
TT. She came upon him, gloomilv pulling
Up weeds in his garden.
Rob" she said, I've just this second
bought of that verse learned for prayers
his morning, and I'm going to do it,
"What was it?" asked Robert, with
tut looking up.
4 don't remember exactly, but it's I
about confesseth his sins, and
e shall have mercy and so I'm going {
o confess my sins to mother, cause 'mer-
y means she won't care much" {
To this lucid explanation Robert only
eplied. Tell her, then" still keeping |
is eyes on the weeds. {
Robert didn't see Bessie again till din |
er-time. and then he knew by her lively s
halter that the burden was off her mind t
t least. How he envied her! If he could
My have the same peace of mind. But
o, he hadn't the courage to pay the price L
confession; so Robert ate his dinner 81 v
entity enough, never opening his mouth
kept to put his food into it. S
As they arose from the table Mrs Som '
lers said to her husband. Il wish you t
'ould fix this window, SO that it won't t
sttle at night" t
eeds wedge, doesn't it? Robert run to t
lie barn and get my new knife. which e
quill find in the upper drawer of the tool |;
lest" h
Poor, conscious-stricken Robert He S
ID as he was hidden, and handed the a
nife to his father, hoping fervently that a
, wouldn't open that blade. He did, fl
ough, and when questioned Robert had d
tell the whole story. When he had fin b
he'd his father said sternly, Now let us 81
ok over what you have done. You have al
illfully disobeyed me. and besides that, CT
u have concealed your guilt rs long as tt
ssible. in the hope of throwing the ee
anne on some one else. You may go to 70