The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-09-22
each other, and rolled fearful eyes i'll
their mothers direction.

buCll IuOSuCl dLS$eAOns
every well," continued Mistress
Hapgood, eff one cannot confess, all
must suffer. You must all go with
out your supper"
Then Thomas's wall deepened, and
some of the others Joined in. Pris-
ella stood quite still looking at them.
Mistress Hapgood, with her lips COM
pressed, and stepping very firmly,
brought out the pound cake and cut
it into squares, and portioned out the
plum sauce. The thin johnny cakes
were baking before the fire.
Presently Priscilla went up to her
mother and pulled her indigo gown
softly.
'Mother !'' said she.
"What is it? her mother asked
shortly.
Il went into the pantry this after
noon. might have left the door
open"
Don't you know whether you did
or not?
II shouldn't wonder if I did, /"
answered Priscilla, trembling.
Just then there was noise out in
the yard the company had come.
"Well, you can go without your
supper then," said her mother, hur-
riedly. "And you deserve a greater
punishment for not telling me before. !"
While the other children sat at the
table with their elders and ate the de-
licious johnny cake toast, the pound
cake and the plum sauce, Priscilla
sat in the corner and knitted on a
blue yarn stocking. Her uncle and
aunt and cousins, and her father, Cap
tain Hapgood, had all been informed
of the reason, and Priscilla hung her
head over the stocking, and could
scarcely see the stitches through her
tears.
They were almost through supper
when Grandmother Elliot, Mistress
Hapgood's mother, came in. She
lived just across the yard. She spoke
to them all; then she looked sharply
at Priscilla.
what has the child done 7" asked
she.
Mistress Hapgood related the story
briefly. Grandmother Elliott looked
surprised.
priscilla did not leave the door
open," she said. II came over this
afternoon after your Balm of Gilead
bottle. Adoniram cut his thumb,
and 1 left the door open on purpose (;
it was smoky in there, and 1 was
afraid it would make your new butter
taste. I did not think of the cat.
All the children were playing over in
the field"
Everybody looked at Priscilla.
Then her father spoke up, and he
could not have spoken more sternly
to the soldiers whom he commanded.
"What does this mean, Priscilla 2"
said he.
Priscilla bent her face quite down
to the blue yarn stocking and wept.
"Did you know that you did not
leave the pantry door open!" he con-
tinued.
Eyes, sir" gasped Priscilla.
After the company had gone her
father proceeded to deal with her
after the code of his day, and in ac-
cordance with his own convictions.
He took down the birch rod, with
which all the children were acquaint-
ed, and he bade Priscilla stand before
him.
Il want you to remember. daugh-
ter" said Captain Hapgood, "that a
falsehood is falsehood, for whatever
cause it may be told"
Then he brought down the birch
rod several times over Priscilla S slen-
der shoulders.
Priscilla covered her face with her
apron and cried softly. Captain Hap
good, after he had put away the birch
rod, went up to her and drew the
apron gently away. He was not a
man given to endearments, but he
kissed her solemnly on her fair child.
ish forehead.
"The rod was for the falsehood,
daughter" said Captain Hapgood !;
and this is for the kindness and self
sacrifice toward thy brothers and
sisters"
Mistress Hapgood was bustling
around the hearth. Presently she
called Priscilla.
"Draw up to the table and have
your supper, Child" said she.
Mistress Hapgood had baked a
fresh sheet of johnny cake that was
thinner and browner than the others
had been she had skinned more
cream and dealt out a liberal dish of
sauce. Priscilla sat up and partook.
The taste of the food was very pleas
ant her shoulders still tingled from
the birch rod, and the distinction be-
tween the right and wrong of doubt
full action was quite plain to her
mind.-Congyegationalist.