The daily gazette., 1878-11-04
ONLY A BED OJ1ITr
BY A. NJ.

ep"I shall never, forget,r said ,adv ono
day TO me, "my first, and | think nav
justly say, my last theft" | entreated
ner 10 Tell me the circumstances, which
she did and / will try to tell them to YOU
as nearly IN her own language as my
memory will allow:
When was between seven and eight
years old, l went TO day school in the
neighborhood and nearly every morning
on my way there, l used to stop in at Mrs
Benefits, to see her little girl, Lizzie, tie
dearest little thing that ever knew, about
three years old.
One morning found Mrs. Bennett
making O dress for Lizzie of the most
beautiful calico. l thought it the pretti-
est that had ever seen. had read of
fairies, princes and genni, and Thought
II must have taken six of each of them To
have composed and created such n lovely
fabric. l wished l had piece of it to
put in patchwork quilt which | was
making but did not like to ask for
any.
Oh, how pretty it was! The longing
grew intense; Mrs. Benefits back was
turned. l picked up a three-cornered
piece from the floor and hid 1t in nv
bosom.
In two or three minutes | was on nv
way TO school, every now and then look
ing at my beautiful calico, and thinking
how cleverly had managed to get It..
But all at once 1t struck me that | had
stolen 1t! and ! began to feel very unhap-
Py. At school l couldn't attend to nv
lessons; there seemed to be great lumps
In my throat, and the tri-cornered piece
OF calico In my bosom felt as if it were
piercing me with every point.
My teacher asked me If felt sick. I
was going TO reply "Yes" but fortunately
thought in time: "No, will not tell
lie besides stealing" So l answered
that felt very we'll.
She very kindly told me to 20 out in the
playground for little while. Oh how l
wished she had not been so kind. said
to myself, off she only knew what wick
ed girl am, would she speak to me
again?"
went out, and determined to get rid
OF the calico, but where was l to put il?
Everybody would be sure to see it.
spied hole in post, and thought that
would do for hiding place. squeezed
1t in, and fancied that felt happier; but
the bright and beautiful colors haunted
me yet. The children would see it.
must find some more secure place. got
it again, aud tried 10 chew and swallow
it. But 1t would not do. Oh, how
wretched was beginning to feel!
On my way from school had to cross
bridge over running stream of water,
and there thought could get rid of it,.
l threw it over, and watched it slowly
floating along. Now it whirled in liz
tie eddy, and now 1t came swimming
back again.
| Would it never float out of sight !?
and if it die, whe.e would it go p
Wouldn't il he sure % float right in front
of some one who would know that it was
Mis-. Benefits calico, aud that | had
stolen il ?
While | leaned over the bridge, aud
watched it with all the agony Of childish
remorse, it caught against the root of a
bush which grew upon the bank. Yes,
there it stuck, where every one would see
it. / was sure they couldn't and wouldn't
see aay,hing else. heard wagon wheels
cOming-coming toward the bridge.
/ felt certain that Mrs. Bennett was in
that wagon, and all my uncles, and
aunts, and playmates, and every one that
KNEW me. They would all see the cali
leo, and knew l had been stealing.
'climbed over the bridge, at the risk Of
breaking my neck, crept down the bank
and hid until the wagon had passed.
When all was quiet | came out of my
hiding place and tried to reach the calico
but my arm was too short. l took of
my shoes and stockings. Oh, if any ono
should see me now With desperate
effort / reached the calico. But wha
would | do with it, now | had got it P
While putting on my shoes and stocking'
| determined what to do. ran along
! towards home. reached Mrs. Benefits
She was sitting near the open window.
, opened the gate, went up to the window
threw in the piece Of calico, and was run
+. ming away when she called after me
"Sarah, my dear child, what ails you p
!, | hardly dared to turn back, but sh'
| called again. i went in siowly.
= "Why Sarah, what is the matter witt
you? you look quite pale. What die
/. you throw that piece Of calico in th
!, window for?
al stole it,"said l, desperately, expect
J ing that she would look horrihed, AM
tell me never to enter her house an,
more, tnat Sne COulunt nave huCu
, wicked little girl to play with her dea
little lizzie. She put down her work
/. laid hold of my hand, drew me towa''
. der, put her arm me, and said piitingly
"My poor child"
q i had not shed tear all that day, bu
q my head felt as if would split, and m
throat ached. Those three words opene
the fl oIcates of nv poor little heart.
leaned my head on her bosom, and burs
into tears.
"Sarah, DEAR" she said as she hel
me close TO her, "Gell me all about it,"
/ did tell her, and my heart grey
lighter and lighter. When | had fiji
llshed, she said 81 am sure L need nc
/, say a word to add to your sorrow; yo
have suffered enough to-day, aud don
i think you will ever be tempted to be dis
honest again. Take some ofthese piece
of calico, aud put them in your pate
> work, and whenever you see them, II
v member this day"
My children sleep on that quilt now
and it is unfailing monitor.