The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-05-06


But we aren't very anxious to begin.
We VOW with much impressiveness TO curb each
And tell our felIow-mortals that of wrong we're
growing sick
Oh. what ) heaven this would be if we could
make 1t stick
But we aren't very anxious to begin.
THEIR sKLF-INFLICTRD PUNISHMENT.
Lennie and Ber Frank were as
clean as soap and water could make
them. Their hair, robbed of all Sec
ular snarls and kinks, was firmly
plastered down to its usual Sunday
smoothness. From their stiff straw
hats to their still sitter shoes, they
bore the patent stamp of two good
little boys on their way to Sunday
school.
Don't stop to play on the way,
and remember the text and as much
of the sermon as you can," was their
fathers parting charge.
Don't scufle in the dust and get
your shoes all white, or lose your
handkerchiefs," admonished their
mother, Strengthening Lennie's neck
tie and giving Ben Franks hair
superhuous pat and don't loiter, be-
cause you have just time enough if
you go right along"
The boys took their books under
their arms and walked out of the yard
with great dignity, and minds de-
void of all wrong intentions.
1t was a resplendent June morn
ing-a morning in which all nature
seemed to combine to set snares for
the feet of unwary youth. The mar
row, winding road was bordered with
a bewildering array of wild flowers.
The birds sang with a fervor and
gaiety unknown on week days. A
depressing fog had hung over the
land for several days, and a change
of wind the night before had blown
it out to sea, leaving the sky clear,
translucent blue, whose tint was in
tensifed by the whitest and feeciest
of sunlit clouds.
The boys walked on for half mile
in decorous and becoming dignity.
Then some spirit of mischief began
to work in the mind of Ben Frank,
and he muttered, half defant1y:
cts too good day to go to
meeting, anyway, and I'll bet,"
pointing a chubby thumb toward the
meadow on the right, "that the wild
strawberries are ripe over there"
"'Tain't time for strawberries, !"
said Lennie, virtuously, "and if it
was, we're going to meeting. You
needn't think you're going to play
hockey just because pa had the rheu-
matism and couldn't come, and ma
had to stay at home to doctor him. ;"
"Who wants to play hockey? 7"
was the indignant retort.
Lennie let the subject drop. His
mind had wandered to a ground
sparrow which had just flown up
from a juniper bush near his path in
a very suspicious manner. "I'll bet
it's got nest there !" he cried ex-
citedly, turning over the bush with
his feet.
"Come along |" shouted Ben Fra nix,
not deigning to join in the search
1--WE amt n t-hunting. It's
Sunday"
Lennie trailed along after his broth
er, his mind still on the undiscov-
cred nest, and, had no new tempta-
tion assailed them, they might have
reached the church in safety.
But Alder brook lay in wait for
them. They had crossed this stream
every Sunday since they could re-
member at first, led by their moth
er's protecting hand, and later with
one or both parents to guard them
from the many temptations it tofered.
But it seemed to them the brook new
er looked so alluring in its loveliness
as it did that morning. The alders
suggesting whistles-the yellow
lilies, the arrow heads, the gurgling
rush of the sparkling water, and most
of all, the alewives which made it
their breeding ground at this time of
year, and were darting and gliding
in shoals through its transparent cur
rent, all appealed to the boys with a
power too strong 10 be resisted.
"Let's catch just one," pleaded
Ben Frank. ''We can stop just a
minute and not be late.''
Lenny hesitated-and was lost.
"There's an old tin pail there on the
bank, and we might catch just a
few," he assented, pulling off his coat
and making rush for the pail.
Carriages and foot passengers be-
gan to cross the narrow bridge or
their way to the little Baptist church
on the hill, but although the boy:
saw them, themselves unseen, Sc
fascinated were they with their sport
that they compromised with evil by
deciding it would not matter much
if they did lose the sermon if they
were in time for Sunday school.
But, alas even this good resolution
was doomed to failure, for they lost
all sense of the fight of time, until i
was forced upon them by the home
ward steps of their neighbors recross.
ing the hollow bridge which spannet
the brook.
Sobered by the weight of their mis-
demeanor, the boys washed the tell
tale stains from their faces and hands
carefully brushed their clothes, pu
on their coats, and turned home
ward, hungry and conscience smit
ten.
They were very silent on their re
turn, their belief in future punish
ment gaining strength with every
step. Neither thought of mapping
out any plan of evasion when the,
came in contact with parental Ques