The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-11-06
CURLING THE TONGUE.
How a Wise GRANDMOTHER Punished u
Fre.ful, Impatient Child.

How a Wise Punished d
Fretfui, Impatient Child.
Perhaps you young people might
think our grandmother harsh, children
are SO petted and spoilt nowadays.
But she was a dear, good oldlady, and
well it was we fell into her hands when
our sweet young mother died. John,
little Davy and my name was Eliza
beth, but the boys called me Bess-
went to live in the old home when |
WAS about ten years old, and | do not
in the least doubt that the next two
years were the very hardest Of grand
mas life. | know l must have been a
terrible trial, and how she could have
been as patient, l do not see. was
not only a very selfish child, but I'M
patient and overbearins. l would not
endure the least bit Of teasing from
the boys, and yet almost tormented
the life out of them.
One morning it had been raining
since breakfast, and we were all three
in rather a gloomy mood. Grandma
had reproyed me more times than | can
remember for speaking in a cross, ugly
way, for teasing and aggravating the
boys. and at last with a heavy sigh
she said, in a solemn tone: 81 see there
is no help for it. Elizabeth; l ! have tried
every other means; you must wear
The Badge of Silence l used it for
your Uncle John once; he never deed
ed it again, but it has lain ever since in
my chest Of drawers"
Her tone was so serious, her face so
gloomy and hopeless, l could scarcely
have felt more shocked or puzzled had
she proposed using the guillotine.
1.-THE Badge of Silencc!!n What could
it be. 1t had not killed Uncle John.
though, for | had seen him only the
day before, and he looked strong and
well. My brothers John and Davy
seemed almost as much impressed by
grandma's manner as I was, and. like
myself, were watching her movements
with the kecnest anxiety.
Very slowly she crossed the room
As if Oh some important crrand,
opened the bottom drawer Of the chest,
and after removing several articles
drew from its depths a vivid red cot
ton handkerchief; there were bright
yellow spots all over it, and the thing
was so ugly that | instinctivcly sbrank
as she came with it towards me. She
aid il carefully on the table, folded it
from two opposite corners, made a
bias bandage and placing it under my
chin, drew the two ends up over my
head and tied them in a secure knot.
"Now," she said, gravely. SIT must be
as though you were dumb; you must
not speak a word under any circum-
stances. Perhaps by giving your
tongue an entire rest it may lose the
habit of speaking in such sinful man
ner. Alas! the tongue is an unruly
member; you are not to use it again the
whole day. l trust that will prove
sufficient, and that you need not wear
the badge tomorrow"
At FIRST ] could scarcely believe it
true, l, Bess, the willful, pctted Bess,
standing in the middle of the floor. a
red cotton handkerchief bound about
my face as if afflicted with the tooth
ache, and John and Davy, their SOL
emnity all vanished, standing in the
corner slyly laughing at me. This,
then, this horrid old handkerchief, was
the Badge of Silence. In my anger
and Indignation l almost wished 1t had
been the guillotine instead, and that
my head had been actually cut off. L
opened my lips to ask if | might 90 to
my room, but grandma's warning fin
ger reminded me of her hope that the
badge would not be needed tomorrow,
and closed them again She gently
led me to a seat by the window. placed
glass Of water by my side, then re-
turned to her rccking-chair and knit
ling.
l could SEQ that John was almost
sufocating with mirth, that his hand
kerchicf was stuffed into bis mouth,
and that he was shaking all over, but
| pretended not to look at him and
turned towards che window, quite for
getting that | could be easily seen from
Tho yillamn ai.aak n:naa4lsx mu hact