The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-02-07
NUMBER so.

Progress Miss Green lent me. You re-
member l mislaid it, and when found
it again it was so torn did not like to
return it."
! 'Why, Jenny, Miss Green's gone
away long ago. and likely has forgot
ten all about it Don't worry about
that"
81 am not worrying. l am regret
| ting my carelessness and dishonesty"
"Dishonesty?"
"Yes, just that. She did not give me
that book She lent it to me. She
did not tell me to keep it. kept it,
doubtless, against her wishes. Was
not that dishonest? I might just as
well have entered her library, and Sc
cretly have taken that book from her
shelves, as have kept it without her
permission"
"Oh, Jennie! I am sure you are mis-
taken. You cannot mean what you
say. You look at it too seriously"
mo, Matty, 1 am not mistaken.
Neither am too serious 1t is really a
great wrong to keep or destroy any
thing that is kindly lent us by neigh
| bOA VI AAAOAas As ID hSSPAA6 Wh0s 40
not ours. Oh, SO many are careless
about thisl l have been very careless
myself Don't you remember when l
spilled that ink on the dining-room
wall I said: No matter, the house
doesn't belong to us!'"
"How could that be wrong? You
couldn't help spilling the ink"
1T was the spirit not the act. An
other thing, if the house was ours" re-
turned the elder sister, II should have
tried to get the stains out There they
are, to this day, living witness
, against me that did not mind break
ing the eighth commandments. You
know it is the spirit always. The act
is secondary"
: "Jenny, eat some more, won't your
"Thank you, cannot. Tell ma it
was very nice. When am up shall
, have more appetite"
$ Matty sat still with the half-hlled
( bowl in her lap.
7 Il suppose that bowl cost ten cents"
/, she said, after awhile; "and Mrs.
Weaver loses that much"
/ "You wouldn't like to take ten cents
. out of her pocket, would you?"
< "That's putting it pretty strong"
= maybe it is; but just look at it.
, Mrs Weaver needs her bowl. She
5 will have to spend ten cents for an
. other one. Isn't that taking money
e from her?" re
NO" Matty burst out Then she
e added: 'sI'n take ten cents out Of my
e bank, and buy a new one for her. I've
e got just twenty-five pennies. am saw
ing money to buy book. There was q
t bit of entreaty in her tone, as if her
: sister might be won to take pity on
If her small possessions. Jenny was
strong in her convictions, and immov-
able.
II would, Matty," she said, simply.
Matty took the remains of the thick
ened milk back to the kitchen. When
she returned to Jenny's room she car
ried three books. Two Of them were
decidedly the worse for wear.
"These were new books when Miss
Trowbridge lent them to me-" she
said. ''Look at them now. I've read
them to pieces This one tumbled
down, and the back got loose. | am
ashamed to take them to her. What
shall I do?"
81 don't see what else you can do.
She doubtless would rather have them
in that condition than not have them
at all"
Il would rather buy her new ones II
l had the money"
But you haven't, you know, and
maybe shall not be able to teach al
winter. So I shall have none to give
\ you, else would. I'm sorry, Matty.'
a "Well, no one is to blame but my
: SELF
Nevertheless, Matty looked at the
- books as if, in some way. they were tt
i blame.
II have been just as careless of my
:, neighbor's property. 1 have put my
! hand into the pocket of many person
- and have taken out money"
- "Oh, Jenny, don't say that"
Its nothing else"
n "Well, here goes! I'll 60 buy th'
bowl, and I'll take these books bacl
Ct with the best apology l can make
ta You may rest assured I'll do no NOR,
~ of what you call stealing. don't car
bs to be on level with Fred Carleton
Jenny, you are right" she added
I'd gravely, standing with her hand o,
the door-knob. Suppose we form
=. society, you and l, that we will re
~ spect the property of others, and car
- for it as we would for our own. Yo'
:. be president and will be vice presi
- dent. Good-by. I'm going to buy tn
n bowls. s. Times
nd Hero.
rk The uounu man with one ear.