Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-03-28
AN EASTER | TORY.
roMxY's rAFFY.

1t Is remarkable occasion. and may
not happen again in all you life, So
Tommy's father had t,ld him in regard
to his seventh birthday, that came on
Easter Sunday that year
Tie usual birthday party was put of
till Monday. Lut on Saturdly night
Tommy and year old Lot ie were al
lowed to sit up unusually late, coloring
Easter eggs and making taft; that is,
they watched their another and the cook.
and when the taffy was done they ate all
they could hold. after which there were
several plates full of cream colored love
knots, twisted sticks, and animals of all
sorts to set away in the ice house, not to
be touched until Monday.
1t was bright Easter sun that shone
on TomnIy's birthday morning; but
Tommy's mother had a sick headache.
and Lottie couldn't wear her new white
dress and pink sash to church, after ALI
Size didn't mind the disappointment,
but Tommy felt so badly about staying
at home, it was decided to trust him
alone in the big pew, for Tomn,y's father
was the preacher.
When he was dressed in his new white
braided suit, feeling very manly it'll
his buttonhole bouquet of lilies of the
valley, and waiting for his father to
come out from the study, Tommy
thought of that taffy. aud what help
and comfort it would be to him through
the long sermon.
II won't go and ask ma about it, be-
cause she has such a headache it would
be awful cruel, said Tommy to himself,
"and pa don't like to be disturbed; be-
sides, ma always gives me peppermints
and lozenges to keep me awake.
So, although he knew neither of them
would let him torch the taffy, by the
time he had slipped silly out to the ice
house. wrapped lot in his handker-
chief, licked off his fingers. and put on
his gloves, he had persuaded himself
that Tommy Ray was very good,
thoughtful boy to provide something to
help him behave well in church. aud
not trouble any one about it. and yet he
tried to stand so that his father would
not notice that stuffed out pocket.
But he forgot all about it as he proudly
marched up the aisle after his father,
and the novelty of being alone in the
big pew, with so many prayer books,
hassocks, and footstools at his service,
the singing, floral decorations, and other
unusal things, drove the candy entirely
out Of his mind until his father began
to preach.
Then he slid down ON one of the
footstools aud drew it out of his pocket
1t stuck to his handkerchief and it stuck
to his gloves, and before he was salts
fed it was all over his face. 1t was not
all eaten by the time he felt sleepy, so
he slid along his footstool to the register
in the end of the pew, opened it, and
with the rest of the candy in his hands,
lay his head on llassock he had put up
on the cushions on the seat, und went to
sleep
His father was preaching an Easter
sermon on the resurrection, and speak
ing of the faithlessness of Thomas, who
would not believe the Lord had risen till
he should see his hands and put his
finger in the print Of the nails, he cried
out in an impassioned, reproachful tone,
aOh, Thomas, Thomas, wherefore didst
thou doubt2"
Now this sleeping, sticky little
Tommy was accustomed to being called
Thomas by his father when he had done
something needing reproof, and the
words wakened him, so starting suddenly
up, his nolasses covered handkerchief
sticking to his curls, he looked wildly
around and then toward the pulpit,
with loud "Sir?"
There was not little confusion in the
hou at the funny sight. and seeing
smiles on all the faces around him, and
his fathers look of dismay, he whined
out most pitiful, What do you want,
par" and then sank out of sight in a
tempest of sobs ard tears, mingled with
molasses.
Tommy has not yet forgotten that oc-
casion, and he hopes that, as his father
says, 1t viii not be likely to happen
again in his whole life. "-[Youth's Com
panion.