The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-05
suddenly his lace grew dark with

blood.
$50 you haven't got anything to say
70 US. my LADY said Bonaparte, mo-
mentarily forgetting his dignity and
bending forward with a little snarl.
"Bnt what | mean is just this, my lad
when it takes Il boy three-quarters OF
O'clock in the morning he goes knock
ing about the doors of q loft it's nat
ural to suppose there's mischief in it.
It's certain there is mischief in it, and
where there's mischief in it must be
taken out" said Bonaparte, grinning
into the boys face. Then, feeling that
he had fallen from that high gravity
which vas as spice to the pudding and
the flavor of the whole little tragedy,
he drew himself up. "Waldo," he said,
Confess to me Instantly and without
reserve that you eat the peaches"
The boys face was white now. His
eyes were on the ground, his hands
doggedly clasped before him.
what? You do not intend to an
swer?"
The boy looked up at them one from
under his bent eyebrows and then
looked down again.
'"The creature looks as if all the
devils in hell We're in it," cried Tant'
Sannie. Say you took them, boy.
Young things will be young things. l
was older tlian you when l used to
eat 'bultong' in my mothers loft and
get the little niggers whipped for it.
Say you took them"
But the boy said nothing.
81 think q little solitary confinement
might perhaps be beneficial" said
Bonaparte. 1T will enable you, Wal
do, to reflect on the enormity of the sin
you have committed against our Fa-
ther in heaven, and you may also think
of the submission you w to those
who are older and wiser thar you are
and whose duty it is to check and cor
rect you"
Saying this, Bonaparte stood up and
took down the key of the fuel house.
which hung On a nail against the wall.
"Walk on, my boy" said Bonaparte,
| ed him out he drew his mouth express
lively on N side and made the lash
of the little horsewhip stick out of his
pocket and shake up and down.
Tant' Sannie felt half sorry for the
lad, but she could not help laughing.
1t was always so funny when one was
going to have q whipping, and it would
do him good. Anyhow he would for
get all about it when the places were
healed. Had not she been beaten many
times and been all the better for it?
Bonaparte tool up a lighted candle
that had been left burning on the
kitchen table and told the boy to walk
before him. They went to the fuel
house. 1t was a little stone erection
that jutted out from the side of the
wagon house. 1t was low and without
a window. and the dried dung was
piled in IL corner, and the coffee mill
stood in another, fastened on the top
of a short post about three feet high.
Bonaparte TOOL the paddock off the
rough door.
walk in. my lad" he said.
Waldo obeyed sullenly. One place to
him was much the same as another.
He had no objection tt being locked
up.
Bonaparte followed him in and closed
the door carefully. He put the light
down on the heap of dung in the corner
and quietly introduced his hand under
his coattails and drew slowly from his
pocket the end of Il rope, Which he con
cealed behind him.
I'm very sorry, exceedingly sorry,
Waldo, my lad, that you should have
acted in this name 1t grieves me-"
said B~onaparte.
He moved round toward the boys
fellows eyes, though he stood there
motionleSs. If he should spring on
HIM!
SO he drew the rope out very care
fully and shifted round to the wooder
post. There was a slipknot in one enc
of h rope, and a sudden movement
drew the boys hands to his back anG
stant's work to drag it twice round tho
wooden post. Then Bonaparte was
safe.
For u moment the boy struggled t.
free himself. Then he knew that Ii,
was powerlcss and stood still.
Horses that kick must have theil
legs tied" said Bonaparte as he passed
the other end of the rope round TIL,
boys knees. "And now, my dear Wal
do" taking the whip out Of his pocket
II am going to beat you"
He paused for a moment. 1t wa.
perfectly quiet. They could hear eacl
others breath.
"'Chasten thy son while there il
hope" said Bonaparte, land let no
thy soul spare for his crying Thos'
are Gods words. 1 shall act as a ia
Their to you, Waldo. 1 think we has
better have your naked back"
He took out his penknife and slit til,
shirt down from the shoulder to tn,
waist.
II "Now," said %Bonaparte, II hope tn
Lord will bless and sanctify to yo,
what am going to do to YOU"
The first cut ran from the shoulde,
across tha middle of tho hack Nh