Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-10-03

and it was rule in that family, ter
ribly mistaken one, that the boys might
do anything, and the girls must always
give in to the boys. So when Will
looked fercely at me, repeating, You
know you did it. l almost felt as if |
really had done it. Unable to find
another word | began to cry.
:" Look here, you children he call
ed all the rest children-.Eva has gone
and pulled up my jessamiDe out of spite
or mischief, or pure sllliness-l don't
know which, and | don't care. I'd for
give her, if she would only confess, but
she won't She keeps on telling lie af-
ter lie, and we won't stand children
that tells lies. If we punish her, she'l
howl. so propose that until she con-
fesses we all send her to Coventry. !,
"It's very nice town, but | don't
want to go there said I, at which re-
member they all burst out laughing g,and
cried only the more.
81 had no idea what sending to Cow
entry meant, unless it was like sending
to Siberia, which | had lately been read
ing of, or to the quicksilver mines, where
condemned convicts were taken, and
where nobody ever lived more than two
years. Perhaps there were quick silver
mines at Coventry? A cold shudder of
fear ran through me, but l was utterly
powerless. could but die.
"Soon l discovered what my pun
ishment was and though not death, it
was hard enough. Fancy children, be-
ing treated day after day, and all day
long, just as if you were chair or ia
ble-never taken the least bit of notice
of, never ans wered if you spoke, never
spoken to on any account; /; never play
ed with, petted or scolded. Completely
and absolutely ignored. This was be-
ing sent to Coventry, and it was as
cruel punishment as could have been
inflicted upon any little girl, especially
sensitive little girl who liked her
playfellows, rough as they were, and
was very fond of one of them. who was
never rough, but always kind and good.
'sThis was little boy who lived next
door. His parents, like mine, were out
in India nor had he any brothers or sis
ters. He was just my age, and young
er than any of my cousins. So we were
the best of friends-Tommy and I. His
surname | have forgotten, but | know
we always called him Tommy, and that
1 loved him dearly. The bitterest pang
of all this time was that even Tommy
went over to the enemy.
"At first he had been very sorry for
me-had tried all through that holiday
Saturday when my punishment began,
to persuade me to confess, and escape
it; and when he failed-for how could
! confess to what l had never done to
an action so mean that | would have
been ashamed even to have thought of
doing ?-then Tommy also sent me to
Coventry. On the Sunday all Gus chill
dren'-.we didn't mind grammar much
in those days-walked to church to-
gether across the fields; and Tommy
always walked with me. chattering the
whole way. Now we walked in total
silence, for Wills eyes were upon him,
and even Tommy was afraid. Whatever
l said, he never answered single word.
'Then l felt as if all the world were
against meas if it was no use trying
to be good, or telling the truth, since
even the truth was regarded as a lie.
In short, in my small childish way.
suffered much as poor Jeanne dare
must have suffered when she was shut
up in her prison at Rouen, called g
witch, deceiver-forsaken of all, and
yet promised pardon if she would only
confess and own she was a wicked won
an. which she knew she was not.
81 was quite innocent. but aftel
three days of being supposed guilty,
ceased to care whether | were guilty o.
no. seemed not to care for anything
Since they supposed l was capable o
such a mean thing as pulling up harm
, less jessamine-root out of spite, wha
did it matter whether they thought
| had told lie or not +? Indeed, if | di(
tell one, it would be much easier thai
telling the truth and every day m.
sticking it out and persisting in tn
truth became more difficult.
This state of things continued til
Wednesday, which was our half-holida,
| when my cousins usually went on lon
/ walk or played cricket, and / was sen
| in to spend the afternoon with Tommy
They were the delight of my life, thos
: long quiet Wednesdays, when Tomm
!. and went incoming about dug in ou
j garden, watched our tadpoles-we ha
0 a hand-basin full of them, which W
kept in the arbor till they develope
a into myriads of frogs and went hoppin
o about everywhere. But even tadpole
e could not charm me now, and dreade
). rather than longed for, my half-holidaJ
e .School had been difficult enough, fc