The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-08-06
Seplhd; "'twm-


done drink it."
swell. that was very wrong and
wicked, and he'll get punished for il
some Of these days, l expect Now ]
want to tell you two things that you'll
get punished for If you ever do them
one is stealing and the other is lying.
Il see you know very we'll what they
mean. shall leave money and every
thing about the house where you are,
but you're not to touch it. If you want
money, come to me and I will give yor
some; and things to eat, too. And you
are always to tell me the truth.
"If you tell me a story, or If you take
anything that is not yours, you have
got to be punished. Now, do you I'M
derstand? l won't keep you with me il
You do either of those things"
BY putting a few more questions she
saw that the child understood perfectly,
and was quite responsible intellectual
~. So she asked him to give her g
promise that he would never do either
of these things. He gave it quite
seriously.
Shake hands again, Junius," she said
in conclusions: and as he complied he
raised his big. pathetic eyes and said;
THAT amt my name"
would You rather be called Jeunce?'
"Yes'm; that who / am-Jeunce."
And he seemed SO disconnected by the
strange new name that Miss Mary con.
cluded to yield the point. 1t vas evi.
dent hat the change distressed him.
30 she said no more about it, and
Jeunce he remained.
For awhile all went we'll. The child
showed an aptitude to Learn that was
perfectly marvellous. He remembered
and profited so well by Miss Mary's in
structions thai he soon grew to be a
great comfort to her-waiting on her,
buttoning her boots, running errands,
and doing so intelligently all that was
intrusted to him that he seemed an in
dispensable adjunct to the comfort of
the house. He usually sat on a small
hassock at one corner of the big fire.
place, to be near at hand to bring q
glass Of water or to wait on Miss Mary,
and when she was alone she often spent
a part of each evening in teaching him.
He learned his letters at M and
showed surprising aptitude in mem
bering the catechism. Miss Mary never
lost an opportunity of pointing a moral
ont of his lessons, and Thou shalt not
steal" was the commandment that he
repeated with the greatest emphasis.
He walked to church behind her, car
rying her books, and then vent and sat
on the back seat, going through the
service with great propriety.
Miss Mary's friends laughed at her a
great deal about her little protege. and
predicted direful things of him; but she
had settled down into an assured conf
dence in him, the awakening from
which was sharp and sudden.
One afternoon she asked a friend to
do a little shopping for her, and gave
her for the purpose a purse containing
FIVE dollars. She happened to know
that the article she wanted cost exactly
two dollars, but she had not that
amount in change.
The girl made the purchase for her,
and brought back the parcel and the
purse.
Miss Mary was entertaining visitors
at the time, and laid the two articles on
the table by her, thanking her friend,
who Immediately went away. Later,
after the visitors were gone. Miss Mary
went out, leaving Jeunce alone in the
room with the pocketbook. She stayed
several hours. and when she came back,
happening to notice the pocketbook,
she took it up and looked in it, expect
ing to find three dollars in change.
Instead of three dollars she found
one The unpleasant conviction that
Jeunce's former propensities had come
to the boy again forced itself upon her.
She sat down and called the child to
her.
"Jeunce," she said, ''you must have
taken the money out of my pocket
book. Tell me the truth, and / will
not whip you"
~ amt teteh no money, Miss May"
said Jeunce, with a look of candid in
nocence. 81 amt had my ham on de
pocketbook.
Tell Milly to come to me-" Miss
Mary said.
The maid came and was closely in
terrogated. She had been in Miss
Mary's service for many years, and her
honesty was unimpeachable. She as
sured Miss Mary that no one had been
in the o during her absence except
Jeuncc.
THAT will do" said Miss Mary, and
the maid retired.
"Now, ~Jeunce," proceeded Miss
Mary, turning to the child. II know
you took that money. Every time
you deny it you tell a wicked lie. Ifyou
will tell me what you have done with
it and confess the truth, I will let you
of this time. You needn't deny it, for
I know you took it."
"Miss May, l 'clar l didn't" Jeunce
began, with an expression &C clear and
innocent hat his judge would have
found it difficult to proceed with the
sentence If the e~ffrontery Of the thing
had not reused her indignation.
"Jeunce," she said, don't you dare
to deny it any more. / tell you you took
that money, and every time you say you
didn't you tell a wicked lie. Now tell
me at once, what did you do with it?
Tell me this minute-do you hear?"
"I-I-put it out in de barn." said
Jeunce, timidly, at last.
Then come and show me where it
ID" said Miss Mary, rising.
The little culprit followed her, and
they walked in silence to the barn; and
when they entered 1t Miss Mary
ordered him to get the money. He be-
gan to search for it under the hay, but
quite q long time looked up and
said:
"Miss May, i forgot. / put it in the
Every WELL" said Miss Mary; take
there and get it for me-"
In the greenhouse the same thing
lappened-a long and fruitless search.
"Jeunce," said Miss Mary, You have
lot told me the truth yet l can't have
child that lies and steals in my house.
must send you away"
A pitiful look came into Jeunce'sface,
md he said, timidly: Miss May, 1 love
This was too much for Miss Mary.
she feared that in spite of herself she
soften. and the child's persistent |