Evening star., 1909-05-08

~ >N
play sic dirty trick. said Lizzie sadly.
looking down on tho culprit. II wud
faur rather see ye at the At o the
cless-''
.I wis at the At the day, nav"
Lizzie ignored the appeal whit gard
We dae it?' she suddenly demanded. wis
is the saxpence?"
"Ay."
But We dinna spend ony O. the sax
pence when ye had the chance. Hoo wis
that? Was We feart?"
Nav"
Lizzie's face softened thought. "wis
ye sorry?"
"Ay. maw.''
There was a short silence. Then Lizzie
said quietly:
'Tm no gaun to say ony fair aboot n.
Macgreegor. I'm glad ye wis sorry In
time, but bein' sorry disna max up fur
daein' wrang Mind that. See hoo sorry
yeve made us al Moo I'll haze to tell
yer paw an grandpaw, an gle him
back his saxpence.'
Macgreegor groaned with shame
"Ay: I maun tell them, dearie"-the
tender word escaped her ere she knew
'T maun tell them. fur ye deceived them.
an'-an' We wudna like to keep on deceiv-
In them-wud ye?" She stopped for his
answer. 81 kent We wudna, Macgreegor."
She moved to the door but sound from
the bed recalled her. She bent over the
boy for a moment.
From the door she said: mo ye best
TAX af yer claes. an gang to bed prop
er." She closed the door.
It was a heavy blow to John. He said
nothing at all.
Old Mr.. Purdie was greatly distressed.
He blamed himself bitterly. II had nae
business to bribe the puir laddie. II it
hadna been fur me he wud never haze
thocht O. daein' the thing. An him
learnin' the wrang lesson. puir lamb!
An moo he's lyin' in there wi sair
conscience, efter no bein' able to TAX his
nice egg. an efter gettn' nesty medicine
deed! Lizzie, I'm ashamed O. maser!
I am that! Fur Macgreegor's no a bad
wean-"
81 never said he wis!" said Lizzie sharp
ly. "When he daes wrang, he's sorry.
There's mony laddie wud da'e spent tho
saxpence an never thocht shame"
1t was very grateful glance that John
gave his wife.
She affected not to see It, but few
minutes later she said carelessly:
John, We micht gang an see If Mac
greegor's sleepin'."
Apparently 1t took John about an hour
to find out. When he returned to the
kitchen his face wore a sobered but not
an unhappy expression. Neither he nor
his son had exchanged word, but the
big hand had sad something to the small
one, and the small one had replied
Hes maybe no jist sleepin' yet" said
John. as he lit his pipe for the first smoke
Of the evening. 'Wud We gang ben an
see him." he asked Mr.. Purdie.
"No' yet, John: I'll gang in a wee
WHILE" replied the old man. who was
still nursing the feeling Of guilt.
But ere long he rose and toddIed from
the kitchen. Opening the other door. he
peeped in. Macgreegor's back was to
him. Macgreegor's garments lay on a
chair on the near side of the bed. Mr.
Purdie stepped stealthily forward. stealth
lily slipped the sixpence into trouser
pocket, and stole quietly from the room
"Is he sleepin'?" asked Lizzie
Il couldna say fur certain" returned
her father. still trembling with excite
ment.
Lizzie went to see for herself.
"Are ye sleepin'. Macgreegor?' she
whispered from the doorway.
mot yet, maw."
Are ye hungry?'
"Awfu'"
1t is perhaps worthy Of record that on
the following Monday afternoon Mac
greegor brought home the medal-honor-
ably gained: but 1t is only honest to add
that he never did SO again.
taught the 'Chacone" which is especially
enectfve when performed by chi 'dren.