Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-01
HE COULDN'T TELL A LIE.
The Awful Consequences Of Re!mg Matt
rally Painfully Truthful.

The Awful Consequences Of Re.ng Natu-
rally Painfully Truthful.
My mother used TO bid me always tell
the truth, darling" My father" W hat
ever happens, tell the truth, my boy"
And my nurse used TO say, always tell
the truth, Master Tommy, or the Bogie
Man will Lave your
/ faithfully did as | was told, with the
result that | was a miserable child, more
miserable youth and am now a most mis-,
cradle man.
Cook had soldier to tea one evening,
and / happened to see him. Said cook,
master Tommy, If your ma asks you if
there's any one in the kitchen say there's
only nurse an me-" The nurse told me
the same, kissed me and gave me piece
of cake.
mechanically took the cake, but my
little mind was troubled and puzzled.
went up stairs pondering deeply. The
first thing my mother said to me was
us there man in the kitchen, darlingS
fancy | heard mans voice"
My truthful nature at once asserted it
self.
Yes, ma, there's man dressed in red
coat, with "A hat on one ear, and I'm not
going to eat this cake" said, flinging it
down on the table "And | wish you'd
wash my face, ma, cause nurse gave me
two naughty kisses there"
My mother called me IA 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 "lying little
impw
Not only was / incapable of telling a
lie, but couldn't bear to hear other people
do So
One day heard my mother say,"I dc
hope that horrid Mrs. Jones won't come
todaylr
About half an hour afterward Mrs. Jones
arrived
"Oh am'Sso glad to see you, my deaI
Mrs Jonesl I was hoping you'd come
my mother exclaimed effusively.
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
an open secret that she was going to leave
me her wealth Somehow or other
couldn't bear this old lady, she was so
ugly and sour tempered. TO my great
horror she would always make me sit on
her lap and put my arms around her neck.
"Do you love me, my own little Tom
myp" she asked me one day, drawing my
cheek to hers.
NO. l don't" | answered with shud
der.
"Whatp she shrieked. "Why not, you
naughty boyW
"Must tell your" asked plaintiyely
"Of course"
Because you're so ugly and crOssl"
She put me down without saying a word
to me, but she afterward told my parents
that ought to be put in reformatory or
would come to the gallows, and that not
apenny of her money should have.
My father was furious. lie thrashed me
and said / was growing up a perfect fool,
and my mother called me a nuisance
and gave me powder
/ was hated at school on account of my
truthfulness, which earned for me the un.
enviable sobriquet of "Sneaky"
And now have reached mans estate
am Stunned by nearly all my fellow crea
lures, simply because ] will persist in tell
ing the truth, which of course is not
always pleasant to hear. But 1t is not my
fault. am sure have tried hard to be a
liar, but | cannot Often and often have
whispered to myself, Now be man. and
tell lier' but the lie never got farther
than my throat, where it stuck and threat.
ened to choke me, only Truth (Which is
mighty, you know came to the rescue
and, so to speak, knocked that lie into the
middle of next week.,-Cor London Tit
Bits