The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-02
The Blackberry Tart.

Mamma was busy in the kitchen
making blackberry pies, and Freddy
wss standing at one end of the table
watching her intently.
Oh, how good mammals blackberry
pies were Freddy smacked his lips
in anticipation as he thought of the
treat in store for him. There was 8
little piece of pie crust left over. SC
mamma rolled it out fiat, and cut it in
q circle, and then crimped a cunning
little edge around it, and 10 it was q
little tart.
Freddy's eyes beamed approval as he
watched her. He knew what deli.
cious things mamma could make out
of left over bits of dough, and he
knew, too, to whose share these cum.
ming little dainties usually fell. Nam.
ma filled it with blackberries, and
spread a little criss-cross of strips OF
pastry over the top, and then it was
all ready to 60 in the oven with the
''grown-up pies" as Freddy called the
larger ones.
An hour later Freddy came in the
kitchen for something, and there were
the pies and the little tart cooling on
the dresser, looking so tempting and
smelling just delicious.
Freddy turned the little tart around
with his brown fingers, and shifted the
inviting odor till his mouth watered.
He was so hungry, and he was sure he
could never wait till dinner time. 1t
was of no use to ask mamma for the
tart now, for she never let him eat any
thing rich so near the dinner hour.
Oh, dear!
Why not take it and eat it, any
way? Freddy knew his mamma
would not be pleased to find that her
little boy had taken what did not be-
long to him, yet he wanted the tart so
much that he did not stop to listen to
his conscience, but, taking the deli
cious morsel in his hand, ate up every
crumb.
AS he passed the parlor window he
heard the sound of voices, and, stand
ing on tiptoe, so his bright eyes just
peered over the sill, he locked in, and
saw lady there talking to his mother,
with q dear little girl whom Freddy
was always glad to see.
"Freddy!" said mamma, "Suppose
you 60 out in the kitchen and get that
little blackberry tart. You can put it
on plate, and bring in two forks, and
you and Natalie can eat it together"
"Yes'm,n came in such subdued
tones, as the eyes vanished, and NAM
ma wondered whether her little boy
was becoming selfish, and did not
want to share his tart with Natalie.
How Freddy did wish from the
depths of his miserable little heart that
he had never touched the tart T.! If
mamma was only alone, he could have
confessed the truth, but he did not
want Natalie and her mother to know
how greedy he had been. It was a
long time before Freddy's slow, reluc-
tant steps came along the hall.
"Well, Freddy, where is the tart ?''
asked mamma, glancing up.
Such a guilty-looking boy stood In
the door, with his flushed face all
smeared with blackberry stains, that
mamma guessed the truth at once.
II can't find it," Freddy answered
slowly, his eyes fixed on the carpet.
II guess the cat must have eaten it up.
She looked like it,"
Then little sob choked his voice,
and he rushed up stairs and threw
himself down on the floor, more un.
happy than he had ever been.
He had really told lie, one of those
wicked things that he had promised
mamma that he would never, never
do.
A queer swelling came in his throat
as he thought what sorry look would
come into mammals loving eyes If she
should ever know it, and he cried soft
ly to himself.
In tn" meantime, mamma had com.
forted Natalie for her disappointment
concerning the tart by giving her d
generous piece of pie. Her heart was
almost as full as Freddy's; for with all
his other childish faults, he had al
ways been truthful, and now she could
not doubt that he had told her false
hood.
When the visitors left, she went up
stairs, and took Freddy up in her lap.
He turned his head away, and would
not meet the grave, tender eyes.
"Freddy, look at me-" said mamma
and very slowly the little boy lifted his
flushed face and his brown eyes till
LQey uleI illhluLud lOohihS oIAo LIZ
into his guilty heart, as it seemed to
him.
"Has my little boy anything to tell
me ?" asked mamDna.
Freddy was silent for a moment.
He did want to tell mamma all about
it, and lift the burden of guilt that
made his heart so heavy.
1.-THE cat did eat it," he faltered, but
mamma checked him.
"Freddy, 60 and look in the 6 lass
and tell me what you see."
Freddy slipped down from her knee,
and went and looked in the mirror.
The tell-tsle traces of his guilt were on
his lips and cheeks, and he realized
that mamma knew he had told lie.
He burst into Tears, and put bis head
on the shoulder shat was still his ref
uge in trouble, while he sobbed out his
sorrowful little story. Very tenderly
and lovingly mamma talked to him,
making him feel what terrible thing
lie is in the sight Of a pure and holy
God.
"These stains on your lips can be
washed away" she said, "but, Freddy,
the stains on your heart I cannot wash
away. Do you know who can ?"
uT..,,, ~ ~ ;,,oorad EroI6u