Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-06-17

Mathew, hsS
Ralph. I.,,to,, or;.5 ,ba hov
of breath.
" Ia II murder you, will oh,
For the punishment began again
Lokripping of hash," said Ralph
his you will remember, cousin, all
our life"
The alder branch vas like a fl4il in the
lads strong arm. The rapidity, the pre-
cisiOn, the delicate perception of tender
pisces took away the sufferers breath.
There was no sound place left in the whole
of Mathews body.
''Have yen had enough?" cried Ralph.
81 will fay you alive for this-I will.
Oh, oh! l have had enough"
Then" said Ralph, with one final ef-
fort, the effect of which would be, by it
self. felt for a week or more, ''get up"
Mathew rose groauing.
We have had the last Of punishments,
said the boy. 81 will fight you any day
you please, but will take no more pun
ishments from you. He threw down his
stick, and put on his coat and waistcoat,
with some tenderness, however, for the
first part Of the battle had left its marks.
Now outside, two women were listening,
one with complscency and the other with
pity. And the first was reading with
the Bible still open st the Book Of
Proverbs, which contains quite an
armory of texts good to hurl at 9
Young transgressor. The second, with
one ear turned to the door Of Mathews
room, went on dishing the beet, which she
presently placed upon the table.
There was unusual delay in the sound
which generally followed Rslph's visits &c
that room. No doubt Mathew was com
meuciDg with q short Combination Ser
vice. Presently, however, there was a
great trsmpling of the feet with a swish,
swish of the cane-Mathew's frat charge.
Lord ha' mercyrr cried Prudence.
The rod and reprOof give wisdOm, y
read her mistress from the book.
Theu they heard heavy fall, followed
by a heavier, faster, more determined
swishing, Kissing, and whistling of the in
strument, till the air was resonant with
its music, and il was "a il all the boys IN
Northumberland were being caned at once.
"Lord ha' mercyw repeated Prudence.
He'll murder the boy"
"a reproof," read the other from hel
place, "'entereth more into q wise mar
than hundred stripes into fool"
There was pause, and then q sound o.
voices, and then another terrific hailstorn
OF blows.
Both women looked aghast Was the
punishment never to end?
Mistress" she cried, ''you may loob
ouwhile the boy is cut to pieces-I cam
and won't"
She opened the door. Heavens! what {
sight was that which met her astonisheC
eyes. The boy, cut and bruised about tht
face, was standing in the middle Of TIL
room, smiling. The man was on hi
knees, slowly rising his shirt was torn OF
his back; his shoulders We're cut to pieces
he was covered with weals and bruises
his face, SCARED and scanned will
Ralph's cruel alder branch, Was dreadful
to look upon. He seemed to see nothing
he grOaned "a he lifted himself up; h
staggered where he stood.
Presently he put on his coat, with mani
groans and muttered curses, and PrudeneI
observed that all the while he regarded
the lad with looks of the most extrem,
terror and rage. Presently she began t
understand the situation.
care you hurt, Master Ralph?" sh'
asked.
''No, but Mathew is" said Ralph.
''Mothew," cried his sister, as the vic
tim OF rebellion staggered into the room
what is this?"
He sank into his arm chair with q long
deep groan, and made no reply.
why, what in the world, Master
Ralph?" asked the servant.
But the lad had gone. He went upstairs
to his own room; made up little bundle
of things which he wrapped in handker-
chief, picked out the thiekest and heaviest
of his cudgels, and then returned to the
kitchen.
GIVE mo my dinner" he said.
Barbara had brought out her brothers
wig and put it on now, but he still sat
silent and motiOnless. He was in such an
agony of pain all over, aud his nervous
system had sustained 80 terrible shock
that he could not speak.
''Give me my dinner" Ralph repeated.
Barbara pointed to the crust of bread.
She was appalled, by this mutiny, but she
preserved some presence OF mind, and she
remembered the bread. Then she sat
down again before the Bible and began to
read, like the clergyman while the plate
goes round.
"'It is as sport to the fool to do mis-
chief"
Prudence, the beef being already served,
Lid apI fox Eor aanh
"'A fools mouth" Barbara said, as If
she was quoting solomon, "'called for
roasted beef and stalled OK. Bread and
water until submission and repentance. "
The young mutineer made no verbal re-
ply. But he dragged the dish before his
own plate, and began 70 carve for himself,
largely and generously.
Mathew cried Barbara, springing to
her feet
LET it be-let il be-" said Mathew;
''let the young devil alone. / viii be even
with him somehow. Let be-"
''Not the old way, cousin" replied
Ralph with nod. He then helped HIM
self 70 pint or so Of the good old Octo-
Der, and began, his appetite sharpsned by
exercise, 10 make the beef disappear in
4uoubtlCc. AuGbu0H AOOAC0 W. os'y
ing nothing. The silence terrified his sis
ter. What did il mean? And she per-
ceived, for the first time, that their ward
had ceased to be boy, and must hence
forth be treated as q man. It was fear
ful thought. She shut her Bible and sat
back with folded hands, waiting the issue.
In course Of time even a hungry boy OF
II has had enough. Ralph lifted his head
at last, took snOthtr prolonged pull at the
beer, and told Barbara, politely, that he
had enjoyed good dinner.
Then he turnsd to his cousin and ad-
dressed him with q certain solemnity.
Cousin" ne said, '.you have always
hated me because my uncle lsft the mill to
me instead of to YOURSELF Yet you knew
from the beginning that his design was for
me to havsit. ] have done you no wrong.