The Newtown bee., 1888-11-23
STOLEN SWEETS.
D0ra Road G00dale in Harper.s Young People.

With great disrespect.
 ''Put on bias gore,r suggested John nie, derisively.
 "Add a little cobalt" "murmured Ellen trying the effect of an artistic squint.
 ''Pack them in camphor and do then up in newspapers" pursued uncle, who was smoking his pipe by the fire. Ant 'sTell him to wait year and ask yor again. supplemented I, which crownine recommendation was greeted by gener al laugh.
 The owner of such various gifts made satirical bow and blushed little-at our want of manners probably. But she was not to be so readily vanquished and as soon as quiet was restored she be- gan again, this time quite solemnly. ''l want to ask your advice," she repeated, ''about managing Mcdonnell"
 Susan isn't one of the family, but sec ond cousin, living at the old homestead mile beyond the village. Her mother died nearly two years ago and she keeps house for her father and takes care of her younger brother, just eleven and ''such responsibility" as the old ladies tell her dozen times a day.
 .'What's the trouble now?'' asked I, as soothingly as could. The mere men, tion of McDonne's name is the signal for resignation.
 ''Why, he will take things to eat con- tinually; he helps himself to every sort of goody, "declared Susan, with kind of comical despair. ''I always give him bread and butter if he asks for it, but it's no use; if he happens to come in hungry he just makes a clean sweep of the pam try. Yesterday, old Mrs Wattles called and offered to get her bit of cake and, when l took down the box, there was nothing but one little chunk of fruit cake with great sockets where the raj sins used to be. I've reasoned and scold- ed and threatened and nothing has any effect. He says that he is 'hungry.'"
 "Lock the closets" ssMake him go without his dinner" echoed the chorus. Only Johnnie remained silent.
 ''I can tell you how to cure him." be- gan uncle, suddenly. We all stopped and looked that way and in a moment he went on: s'I used to do the same thing when was a youngster," he said "and was coaxed and punished till the whole family was exhausted. I never meant to do it and often felt sorry when the last bit of pie had vanished but like most boys l found my appetite was stronger than my principles. One day II think l wasn't more than ten years old-l had made some particularly out rageous foray and mother talked to me till was in very penitent frame of mind. I really didn't mean to do so any more. Some way your aunt Rhoda got wind of what was going on and she took me off behind the barn and asked me if | would promise, on my word of honor, to come and tell her whenever took anything without permission. She did not ask anything more and seemed so cheerful about 1t that promised will lingly enough; besides, had always been ready to own up and my offerings were invariably discovered. Well, then, said Rhoda, quite gayly, 'I'll tell you how I'm going to help you to remember. Whenevdr you take anything between meals, shall eat nothing but bread and water for my next meal-dry bread and water she added, impressively.
 "Well, of course thought shouldn't make trouble after that and for some time held out manfully; but one after | rtn ing in the kitchen and had them half eaten before l stopped to think. Rhoda came in few minutes later and confess cd with inward quaking but she took it so lightly that ! hardly believed she would carry out her threat. Before night, l had forgotten all about it and supper was almost over when I heard mother exc)aim, Why, Rhoda, child, you aren't eating anything Rhoda only laughed and fiourished the bread-knife; l; but dropped my cake as if it were pois- oned and was ready to choke with shame and remorse. No one suspected anything and when got to bed I had n fit of crying and resolved I would never cut such contcmptible figure again.
 'sIt must have been several weeks af- ter that, one Saturday in October, that Rhoda planned to take an excursion up the river with some friends and bring them home to tea. We were quite poor then and Rhoda was up at dawn mak- ing cakes and other gimcracks, for we were to have ice-cream, which was a good deal rarer then than it is now and very unusual treat. Not long before tea-time, I strolled down into the pantry and there stood basket of little brown glazed tarts and delectable kisses put together with sweetmeats. The temptation was simply irresistible; possessed myself of sample of each and was about to begin my feast, when the thought of Rhoda flashed across my mind. Really that was too bad; my fin gers were fairly twitching with eager ness and immediately I conceived a scheme that helped to justify me: would let Rhoda eat her supper in peace before I told her of my robbery and if she chose to go without her breakfast on my account, why, she just could've would eat bread and water together. knew Rhoda was far too unsuspicious to count her cakes and there would be noth- ing to betray me. With this satisfactory reflection, | proceeded to devour my booty, thinking that really no one ever did make such good things as my sister r~x~x oIIauad