Year: 1860

awake; she was nervous and weak. But


Susy, wtO was year or two older, insisted


that Joe must be charged to do his duty


before he left.


"NOw Joseph" said Mrs. Read, as she
was hurrying to get the bread worked over,


(before it soured,) and made ready for the
oven, ''mind what l say to yOu-if you go
from school this afternoon and go into the
river, 1 shall whip you with stick don't t
like. to do it, but 1 shall have to; remem-
ber."


The vigorous work she was doing added
no doubt to the yigOr of the command, and
Joe departed without saying a word, feeling
that his dear mother was angry and he re-
solved in his own mind he would not trans
gress.


The day was very hot and the school
room, like most country school houses,
seemed built to torture the children. 1t
stood on an elevation from which the grand
old forest had all been removed, to give it
place, leaving not one shrub or vine to
break the suns scorching rays, or delight
the weary eye.


The busy feet Of many players had trod
out every root of green around the door,
and through the sultry July weeks the sun
poured down his heat till the walls of the
schoOl almost baked the little victims with
in. Hard, stiff forms for the little plant
bodies did their work for seven hours in
the day, for Mr.. Moggs said he could not
get through in six hours, the children were
SO bad, and took upso much of his time.


He believed with solomon, "that to spare
the rod would spoil the child The con-
duct of Rehoboam never for a moment re-
minding him that this son was practical
illustration of the failure of his fathers
theories. The more hot, tired and uncom-
Portable the children became, the more as
siduOusly Mr.. Moggs aourished his rattan,
the more he scolded, of course the more
turbulent and uneasy grew the "innocents.'


Joe could not stand it; the clear spark
ling waters were temptation not to be re-
sisted, especially that deep shaded pool
under the hanging elm, where clinging to
the limbs he could plunge down into the
cool depths and wake up the fishes who
gathered there for quiet and shelter from
the burning heat Joe was missing after
recess, missing at tea, MISSING when the rest
gathered with mother on the door-stone at
twilight, to hear her tell her pleasant sto-
ries and teach them the names of the stars, !
and tell Of the love and goodness of God.
Mrs Reads heart was smitten when little
Susie whispered.


"Mother, Joe has just gone up the back
stairs to bed, and hain't had no supper
neither"


Itwas that promise to "whip him with
a stick that sent that thrill of pain to its
core K


But she had promised and she must per-
form; SO quietly Withdrawing from the
group, she broke from peach tree near, a
long slender switch, and slowly and with
saddened face ascended the stairs and en-
tered the room of the culprit


'Do you remember, Joseph, she said
what | told you in the morning"


.Yes man,


"Now what shall 1 do? must either
whip you or be made guilty of making
promise and breaking it Which do you
think 1 ought to do ?'


do as you said,'' answered Joe, mourn
fully. J.


The whipping was accordingly given,
while tears streamed down the face Of the
executioner. I


Joe uttered no cry, but every look told
how much he felt this castigation which
was so severely laid on his lower limbs
made all the more tender by long exposure
in the water. -


Mrs. Read felt it was not her duty to
ainch now, as he seemed determined to
brave it out. y


When her work was finished, she asked
him to promise her mot to run away and i
md go in swimming again.


Il don't know mother, as if 1 Will or {
not, I'll try not.'


The simple child answer. the half sup
pressed sob, the flooding blue eye, did
heir work; the mothers heart was too !
ull for another word; she retreated leav- I
ng Joe to his reflections. and no doubt his
lis smarts were all soothed, and he asleep, t
Ong before his mother had decided whether i
he had Overcome evil with good"


At breakfast an older brother asked his S
mother what she thought Joe said about /
he last nights whipping d


Il don't know" said Mrs Read, 81 am c
ure; but 1 do know he did not care half
S much about the whipping as L did; it
lid not hurt him as much; but what does {
lie say? y


"Why he says he has been thinking all d
bout that. and has concluded he would L
ather take two such whippings every day Q
nd 60 in swimming, thar to have to stay
q that hot school house all day and hear \
Id Moggs scold and not have any whip e
ing or swimming either, so you may go b
head with your whipping, and he'll go Il
head with his swimming" o.