Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-31
ne COULDN'T TELL A lie.
The Awful Consequences Of Being Eatu
rally Painfully Truthful.


5hs Awful Consequences Of Being Eatu
rally Painfully Truthful
Ny mother used TO bid me Always tel
the truth, darling" My father-"What
ever happens, tell the truth, my boy
And my nurse used TO say, always tel
the truth, Master Tommy, or the Bogis
| Man Syill have your
faithfully did as was told, with the
result that was a miserable child, morC
miserable youth and am now a most mis-
cradle man.
Cook bad a soldier 70 tea one evening
and | happened to see him. Said cook
''Master Tommy, II your ma asks you il
there's any one In the kitchen say there's
only nurse an me-" The nurse told me
the same, kissed me aRd gave me piece
OF cake.
/ mechanically took the cake, but my
little mind was troubled and puzzled.
went up stairs, ponderinR deeply. The
first thing my mother said to me was:
"Is there a man in the kitchen, darlingi
fancy heard a mans voice"
My truthful n6ture at once asserted it.
self.
"Yes. ma, there's man dressed in red
coat, with a hat on one ear, and Pm not
going to eat this cake" said, flinging il
down on the table "And I wish you'd
wash my face, ma, cause nurse gave me
two naughty kisses there"
My mother called me good boy, said
was quite right not to eat the cake, and
gave it to the dog. Both the nurse and
cook slapped and pinched me the next time
they got hold Of me.
Ever after | was hated by the servants.
they called me spy" and a 'lying little
impp
Not only was incapable of telling a
lie, but couldn't bear to hear other people
do so.
One day heard my mother say, 81 do
hope that horrid Mrs. Jones won't come
todayp
About half an hour afterward Mrs. Jones
arrived.
"Oh, am so glad to see you, my dear
Mrs. Jonesl | was hoping you'd come"
my mother exclaimed etfusively.
MA" / said gravely, 'if you tell lies
the Bogie Man will have you. Nurse says
so"
Mrs. Jones looked very peculiar, and my
mother took me out of the room and there
and then administered a sound whipping.
There was rich old maiden lady who
had taken great fancy to me- and it was
IN open secret that she was going to leave
ne her wealth. Somehow or other |
couldn't bear this old lady, she was so
Ugly and sour tempered. To my great
lorror she would always make me sit on
Ter lap and put my arms around her neck |
DO you love me, my own little Tom
ny" she asked me one day, drawing my
heck to hers.
mo, DON'T" answered with a shud-
Ter.
"WhatP' she shrieked. "why not, you
naughty boy~
"Must tell youP asked plaintively
"Of course"
Because you're so ugly and cross!"
She put me down without saying a word
o me, but she afterward told my parents
hat ought to be put in reformatory or
would come to the Gallows, and that not
penny of her money should have
My father was furious. He thrashed me
nd said was growing up perfect food,
nd my mother called me a nuisance"
nd gave me powder.
was hated at school on account of my
which earned for me the un-
nviable sobriquet of "Sneaky."
And now have reached mans estate l
m Stunned by nearly all my fellow crea-
nres, simply because will persist in tell
1g the truth, which of course is not
lways pleasant to hear. But it is not my
ault. l am sure have triod hard to be a
ar, but | cannot. Often and often have l
'hispered to myself, "Now, be man, and
I'll lie!" but the lie never got farther
nan my throat, where it stuck and threat
ned to choke me, only Truth (Which is
lightly, you know came to the rescue,
nd, so to speak, knocked that lie into the
liddle of next week.-Cor. London Tit
its.