Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-19
CHAPTER XxXyI

CHAPTER XXXvI
The father, grandfather and uncle
of the twins made no pretense of
knowing which was which, or wheth-
er Paul was Peter or Peter was
Paul. To make the resemblance still
more striking, Jill invariably dress.
ed them precisely alike.
It'll be tough on them when they
get old enough TO lick" remarked
JACK, discussing the pair that after
noon before Christmas, as Peter Jus
tin and Father Pat and he sat smok-
ing in the living room containing
the tree. Half tn time Peterll be
getting Paul's licking. or vice versa!"
"ThereW be no lickings for either
Peter or Paul." announced the Lady
of the House, CHANGING TO hear the
remark. If" she proceeded with
calm elaboration, "such an unlikely
thing should arise that either de-
serve punishment, there are plenty
Of ways besides whipping
Remember tn old biblical adage."
said Father Pat, who was o above
contradicting certain scriptpral pas
sages. I'VE are warned to spare
not the rod lest we spoil the child
you know"
There may be children" agreed
Jill, matter-of-factly. "who might be
spoiled by tn sparing of tn rod.
But mine are not that kind. They
are too much like me; easy enough
to persuade through kindness, but
Impossible TO drive. Both Peter ard
Paul can be coaxed into doing what
they really dislike. But try and
drive them. II can't be done!" She
turned suddenly at the conclusion of
her speech to her father.
IL really don't remember, Dad"
she said, iLquiringly. did you ever
give me a spanking, or tanning, or
any kind of corporal chastisement7"
Peter Justin chuckled. Then he
laughed. Then he laughed some
more. Finally, WREN the mirth en-
gendered by recollections that had
grown dim with the years had sub
sided, he made answer to his daugh-
ter's question.
"once," he began. and then he
chuckled again, scftly. "0nce, when
you were 'so-year-old'-about so big"
holding his hand waist high from
the floor to indicate height-"a lit
tie past five, and Tony was just four,
you disappeared one day, taking him
with you. IL was early in tn fore
noon when his and your absence was
reported to me. Just as tn shades
Of twilight were falling you came
home, dragging him with you. both
of you tired, dirty and sunburned-
and nearly starved.
where had you been? Not till
tn next mornin~. when you woke
up, did we learn. You had Just
been down to tn river, learning to
SWIM
"Can you imagine now. Jiil?" ask
ed Peter Justin, his Whimsical smile
taking on an added softness as he
looked at his pretty daughter. the
mother now of 'hree beautiful chill
dren of her own. "can you imagine
how / felt-you five, and Tony four.
and playing all day aloe along a
river where, at any moment, you
might have stepped into n hole and
drowned?
"You needed a licking. of course.
But / decided to make it a lesson
you would remember. So l went out
into tn orchard and cut a CAD. But
l ran ran my knife blade around
it in several places so that it would
break easily.
Now, my daughter ! said, af-
ter I had led youth two of you
into the woodshed, you have been
a naughty, a very naughty girl, TAX
ing your little brother. as you did,
off into such danger.
" But, j went on, trying to be
very impressive, Just as you are tn
older and should be punished for
leading your brother into danger, so
am ], being older than YOU, guilty
of wrong. So l should be punished
for not watching you closer.
+" Therefore. my daughter ! said,
you must punish me. Take this whip
and break il up over your fathers
shoulders, and as you do IL, remem-
Der that whenever you are tempted
hereafter TO do wrong, mat il is
others who must suffer for your
wrong-doing! Then ] put tn whip
into your hands"
"And did did I whip you, Dad"
queried Jill, curiously. Il don't re-
member tn incident"
"No, probably you don't" said
Peter Justin, dryly. 9TH lesson vas
not a success, so ! didn't try to
impress .it upon your mind"
"But, what did / do?" persisted
Jill, a trifle impatiently. did !
A~ctually uhin van go I.