The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-28

hour. Now, it was absolutely against
all the customs of the house that one
of the children should be out after
supper, except for some special occa-
sion. But Tommy's mother was one
of those who sometimes understand a
situation instinctively when they
know nothing whatever about it ac-
tually; and she was wise enough to
ask no questions, sure that Tommy
would tell her all about it when the
right time came.
But Tommy had no notion of tell
ing her all about it. 1t seemed to
him that, if he should go all the
weary way down to the square again,
and come back on foot the way he
had just travelled over in the cleo
trio car, surely that would be compen-
sation for the cheating he had done
about the check. He was ready to
acknowledge that he ought to have
come on foot the first time, tired or
not tired, and to walk now double
the way was all. any moralist could
require of him. His legs ached worse
than ever after sitting in the warm
room, but he ran almost all the way
down to the square. He went clear
to the bookstore, put his foot on the
threshold where he was standing
when he first caught sight of the be-
wildering, alluring, beguiling electric
car, and was about to run as fast as
he could toward home, when the
starter, who was no longer busy,
called out to him, and for moment
his heart seemed to stand still.
He need not have been frightened,
but he was. "Hullo, Tommy" tie
starter said: "Seems to me you are
out pretty late this evening" That
was all, but Tommy never knew what
he answered. He felt so ashamed of
himself that he just wanted to crawl
out of sight; and he did, just as
quickly as he could.
He did not run after he was round
the corner. Somehow, he did not
feel so much relieved as he thought
he should; and, when he reached
home, his mother, who was watching
for him from the hall window, knew
in minute that his trip had not al
tered things very much, though she
could not guess what needed to be
altered. The evening dragged along.
Tommy studied his Latin sentences,
and then went to bed earlier than
usual, explaining that he was so tired
he couldn't sit up another minute.
About nine o'clock, when the little
ones we're all asleep, Tommy's moth
er went to listen at his door, as she
often did in the evening, when she
heard smothered sob. In minute
she was kneeling by the side of Tom
my's bed, and he poured out the
whole weary story; and, of course
that was really the end of it, because
when mothers once know all about
anything, even when it is ever and
ever SO bad, they know how to
straighten it out, and to give fellow
fresh start. Some people think that
Tommy's mother isn't half strict
enough with her boys, because she
does not scold when they break
things or when they tear their
clothes, nor when they bring in snow
on their boots. Tommy always said
he wouldn't mind if she did scold
about the snow, if only she didn't ex-
pect them to get the broom and
sweep it out again. But about some
things she is very, very strict, and &c
she quite agreed with Tommy that
the whole thing must be made
straight at once; and so Tommy goi
up and dressed himself, and the two
together went down to the square
once more. l am glad to say that
this time they took a car, for the
mother wasn't strong enough to wall
so far at night; and SO Tommy's legs
held out through this trip, too.
There stood the starter, solita y
cold, and doubtless as tired as ever
Tommy. He never told what be
thought when Tommy, subdued, hut
| courageous, marched up to him with
a five cent piece in his hand, and
asked him TO please give it to the
railway company, and then explaint q
as quickly as possible. The tar el
hesitated minute, and then said il
ought to be given to the conductor o.
the car he rode on; but when Tommy
assured him that it was one of the
new conductors, and that he should
never know him again, he consented
to take it in charge, saying that ht
knew which one was on the car tina