Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-02-28


lip trembled
"Such time as have had" she
cried. "Never have | been so tempted
10 let down the bars of temper!
Land"
"Yes?" said, smiling.
"What do YOU thinl?" she went on
after an interval of labored breath
ing. Mrs. Johnson insinuates she
does not say outright. for she does
not dare-that we stole those bell
flowers"
"stole them,Ss ] gasped. From
whom does She say we stole them?"
"From Mr. Johnson. She says that
the choicest specimens upon their
beethoven tree were stolen. and she
says that they looked precisely like
those taken 10 the fair 10y us. In fact.
she says, Mr. johnson is almost will
ing To take his oath they were the
same"
laughed somewhat holloway.
did not mean 10 laugh holloway but
! could not help it. From the moment
when we had found those bcllhowers
beneath that unfortunate tree | had
not been easy in my mind. My con-
science had not been affected, but my
intellect had eyinced a mild tendency
10 nousea. The tree had never iusti-
fed the confidence we so suddenly re-
posed in it. We had not seen the APP
pies upon the branches. But we had
not looked for them. The tree was
not in plain sight from the beaten
path.
looked at my wife and she looked
az me and we were silent for a long
time. At length ! spoke.
"My dear" said /. you led me
straight to the spot where those APP
Piles were. How did you happen TO do
SOP"
81 knew they were there" she re-
piled frankly, although thought
they were upon the tree. Robbie
told me"
"Ah-h-h!" exclaimed.
am not certain that my tone was
of the curdling sort. but | am certain
that for an instant | went soar There
came over me in that instant a glare
OF light, making all things plain. Rob
ert wilkins had been mp 10 his jokes
again. His humorous instinct had
led him TO despoil the bellfower tree
of the boaster Johnson that the
cravings for first premiums in our
meek and lowly hearts might be APP
pcased. lie had, TO use an idiom of
the mining country, sailed our poor,
old, barren bellhower tree. and VIC
timized not only his father and his
mother. but the whole OF Rasher
county.
II is fortunate that Robert Wilkins
was not within reach of my arm as
this revelation poured in upon me
fortunate for Robert wilkins and for
us. | very much fear that had such
been the case. punishment OF the sort
from which cometh red spots and
smarting would have been meted out
10 him with the liberality which ever
betOkens an absence of deliberation.
And my wife, as each blow fell. would
have shuddered. and | would have
seen again the vision of n tiny white
faced child lying upon "A bed with
the lights and shadows OF the other
world playing over his wasted little
frame. Robert wilkins will never
know not. at least. until he has chill
dren of his oWn--how many times
that vision has come between him
and unthinkng vengeance. How bles-
L q
row.
My dear" said /. "to put II plain
". we are in fiN. Robert wilkins
put those apples beneath that tree.
/ doubt not that he filched them from
Johnson's orchard.
Il will never believe it," returned
my wife. Md she never will, though
the evidence bc piled before her
mountain high. 1t is her idea Of be
ing faithful. and would not have
her otherwise. There is "A comfort
not 10 be valued lightly in the
consciousness that one person among
the millions will ever refuse to be-
lieve ones accusers. did not pur-
sue the subject
She went about her household du-
ties and ! sat quietly bordering. II
was a veNatious question. | could not
see plainly the way out. To clear my
self would incriminate Robert Will
kins. and | did not wish To incrim-
mate Robert Wilkins. ! understood
perfectly that Robert Wilkins had
been actuated i'm the matter by "a
spirit Of pure fun. | hold to the
theory that boy should be- punished
only for his bad intentions; but that
he should be forced to "A wholesome
realization Of the consequences accru-
/ ing from his act. hold that indis-
criminate punishment produces liars.
/ abhor liars above thieves. Robert
Wilkins. i'm this instance. had no bad
! Intentions. | satisfied myself fully up
on this point before continuing my
bordering. and il made me feel better.
| took il for granted that johnson
was disseminating his suspicious
throughout the community. He is