The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-03-21
A DOLL AND A MORAL.
BY BERNARD CApEs.

"Go sleep. darling go Sleep said
Mary In the smallest of voices SO that
the botanist, of whom she had n wor-
shlpful dread. might not hear
But he did hear.
NOW. child" he said, put down
that thing and come"
Mary laid her doll on the worn lcath-
or elbow chair, gave 1t a little sympa-
thetle pat on the back and reluctantly
crept to the side of the botanist rs he
sat al his table.
"Do you see this drawing of speci-
menu
"Yes. sir"
Don't call me, sir. I've told you be-
FORE
Yes uncle"
"Now, now! Am | your uncle-re.
lated 10 you in any way? | am your
guardian. You should have learned
that In week"
Mary looked ut her black frock for
inspiration, failed to find 1t and whim-
pcrcd.
Il won't have that, miss!' cried the
botanlst angrily but he should have
said ward 10 be consistent.
Mary's sprinkle of tears dried in her
eyes like wind blown drops of rain ON
a easement. The botanist's tone soften
ed He felt almost MS II he had knock
ed over delicate specimen.
you must learn self reliance" he
said, with II stiff, kind smile. You
are now an orphan, face To face with
the hard facts OF existence, and you
must learn TO SOW early that your har
vest may be full for the reaping."
Il can sew "A hem," said Mary.
HEM echoed the botanist. well,
Welt Look at this specimen and tell
me what II Is
II think"-
Il wish you to know
Its n bit of laburnum, then"
ITO what family does 1t belongi"
Mary rubbed her left calf with her
right shoe buckle, felt an inclination to
giggle weakly, blushed, looked toward
the high dusty window and into the
little sordld patch Of Brompton garden
beyond and frightened anxlously.
1T belongs to yours" she said; "at
least that one there does. only" she
added, perplexed, you haven't got no
family"
Tut. tut This is shocking De
scribe the flower"
"Its-its like rows of little yellow
bees hanging on"
1T Is papillonaceous, certainly. We
can do without the fanciful descrip-
ton. ] notice n tendency in you-are
you listening?-a tendency TO cheap
picturesqueness, which Is opposed TO
that brevity of language which Is ut
once the richness and economy of
knowledge. Poets (who are on the
whole contemplate race ind their
effeminate inspiration IN what they
choose to consider the accidents of life.
There are no accidents In life The
red or yellow Of n flower, Its scent, Its
formation, are merely subscriptions to
a condition and the natural incidents In
a system. Give me your attention,
please. ! shall ring and have that doll
removed, otherwise. TO compare n
flower with a bee, an inanlmate with
an animate object, is wanton and UNI
necessary. Now, hear me read this;
The laburnum (of the genus pyilsnsi
has its leaves on long stalks; leaflets
rather glaucous, ternate, nearly sessile,
oval, mucronulatc. The petiolcs and
subulate stipulcs downy. The seeds
are highly poisonous, containing the
principle known as cytisine and pos
sesslng narcotic acrid properties This
description, which have written
down. | wish you TO now take TO Tie
little black table with your dictionary.
In the latter you will search for each
word whose significance Is unknown to
you. and when you are perfect In your
task you will come and construe 10
me-"
The botanist turned his head as he
finished and Mt once bounced to his feet
with positive yelp of rage. Mary
was hushing her doll, who WIS awake
and crying.
"This Is outrageous he shouted.
"You are bad, ungrateful child"
His fury came with clap. 1t was
part of system no doubt. But TO ex-
pect him TO be a philosopher as well as
DDUblSt WIS W Dt lluiNuphSIy VA
acting. 80 ne snapped the doll out Of
its astonished mothers hands and In
an excess of indignation tore head and
body apart at the neck and threw the
mangled remnants on the floor.
How dare your he cried. stamping
and vibrating his cInched fists. you
have been petted and spoiled. shah
take you in hand with extreme &C.
verify"
One moment Mary gaZed dumfound-
ed on her murdered innocent; the next
she flew at the botanlst tooth and claw.
She pommefed him. and he tried to
ward off the blows, too astounded for
words. But at length he got his arms
firmly about her, dragged her to the
door, thrust her violently without and
turned the key. The child screamed
and thumped on the panels few min
utes, deslsted suddenly and was heard
going sobbing up stairs.
"She Is n wildcat" said the botan-
fist, moving back to the table, with his
heart palpitating a little. Il must
break and form her. Thank God,
have never been married. child Is
irreconcllable with any principle of
economics i must mold her inexora-
bly,. | am bound TO her dead parents,
but not to their degeneratlve system.
She has been spoiled especially by her